The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-03-25
By the Republican State Convention, held
IN Iopa City, Feb. 22d, 1856.
lCnNTINuEn.

lusting for power, has eliminated the true
I Democratic party leaders of the time, the
veteran councillors in the field and cabinet,
and il il not u criminal dlstrust in the mass
es in this high noon Of the nineteenth centu
nv, to predict their further alliance and sup
port Of base counterfeit of that which
made the early Democracy synonymeofj JUS
tee, and a watchword Of success.
The President is responsible for the pas
sage of the Kansas bill, since he neither re-
Trained from exerting an influence to prevent
its enactment, nor chose the neutrality which
past profession and Official position would
Justify, but was its open advocate, and places
Of trust and honor have been promptly given
by him to those disowned at home by be-
traved constituency.
he late annual message and its special
adiunets, have apparent the unworthy pur
poses Of Franklin Pierce, whom we charge
with the intention of spreading the deadly
virus Of Slavery over territory long conse-
Grated to Freedom, and making Slavery,
deemed hitherto local and "pecular," nation
al
A repeal of the Missouri Compromise
was for this purpose, and the merits Of the
act, with the arguments for It's passage, we
will note, and its practical workings we will
expose.
/ Congress on Territories found occasion to
present bin for the government Of Kansas
mud Nebraska Territories. 1t was in the lam
guage of Gov. Chase of Ohio, then a Sena-
tor in the last Congress, that the country was
astouuded hy the demand Of the Slave Pow
or for the abrogation of the Missouri Prohi
bition. AT first the demand was heard with
incredulous amazcment, and then with una
vaiiing Indignation. 1t ayailed nothing to
appeal TO plghtod faith nothing to appeal
to ancient policy or Constitutional guaran-
ties. The great dominat power Of Slavery
demanded the sacrifice Of Freedom, and the
oblation must be made.
The Missouri Prohibition was repealed
the Compromise Of ls20-performed to the
letter, and far beyond the letter, by tho
Free States-was broken up and destroyed
by the Slave States, to avoid the fulfill
ment of its only stipulationin favor of Free
dom.
Previous Legislative acts deemed Of doubt
full character, are the sublimation Of Wis
dom and Justice, compared to this execra-
bic deed, and the former governmental poll
} cy, wise and patriotic with the bitter fruits
J of this act, we adiudge will confirm eur
opinion.
At the period Of the framing of our Con-
stitution, the country had Just emerged from
d wasting war with the mother country. and
/ then, as now, there were conflicting opinions
and interests relative TO the question of
Slavery, yet the significant fact is not to be
forgotten, that no statesman of that dav ad-
vocated Its existence, on either moral or po-
T litical grounds, and the time was fixed when
t the supposed right arm of the system, the
Slave Trade, should be ranked with piracy
aud find the expectation often expressed, that
an institution alien and repulsive to the spir-
I it and the principles Of the actors in the
! revolution should wane into non-existcnce.
: Slave property was allowed three-tifths
representation, provision unjust To the
free, and oppressive to the slave, which
was never granted as a right, but rather Il
concession for peace and Federal unity.
About this period, Jefferson, the great
Democratic leader, whose acts and prnc-
pies modern apostates from his faith seek to
: conceal by erpurgations, platforms and re-
t Soires, attempted the prohibition Of Slavery
r from the Northwest Territory. The Jener
sonian ordinance Of 1889 was sanctioned bv
every State OF the Union, making Slavery
impossible northwest Of the Ohio, from
which have grown i've free States surprising
the world by their growth aud greatness
and giving immortality TO the name asso-
ciated with this benehcent act for Freedom.
The application of Missouri in 1919 to be
: admitted into the Union, formed as that State
G was, out Of Territory purchased from France
revived the question Of the limitation Of sla.
very. which was settled after long and most
exciting discussion, by what is known a. thu
compromise of 1920, which, in the language
Of Mr.. Benton, then an actor but now his.
torian, was "a southern measure" voted fol
by every senator from the South, concurred
II, L. ~,
political life Of many whose votes made tn,
: compromise.
& This contract provided for the admission Of
Missouri with slavery, constructively permit
ting slavery in Territory, south Of thrty-si
degrees thirty minutes, out of which the Stat,
Of Arkansas is formed, but excluding il from
all territory north Of that Tine. Politica
history mentions this as a great nationa
transaction. BY it the South secured two
States, and Freedom, Territory Of which but
little was known, it being then given up Il
Indian tribes and in their possession.
For more than thirty years we find neither
a section nor party meditating the abroga-
! ton OF tins solemn compromise.
The Compromis legislation of 1850 neither
disturbed or alluded TO this line of demarka
ton. II was reserved for Presidential aspi.
rant from the North, with a colossal fortune
and interest in the southern plantations and
slaves, to lead in the perpetraton of that
great wrong which has thrown open hundreds
of thousands of square miles, the fairest OF
our remaining domain, to all the crimes and
woes incident to American Slavery.
What has followed?
The Territory Of Kansas, deemed the most
| attractive By nature and position, was fitted
: out with Il governmental force presumed to
be sound, safe, and favorable to the introduc-
ton of slavery, the only purpose for which
the barrier to its existence was thrown down.
Governor Reeder, faltering in devotion to
slavery propagandisln, incurred the displea-
sure of border slave owners, and was removed
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