The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-03-12

citizens, / shall cheerfully submit. What
ever this may be, though It has been my in
| dividual opinion, that under the NebrAskA-
Kansas act, the appropriate period will DO
when the number Of actual residents In the
territory shall justify the formation ofa con-
/ stitution, with view to its admission ~ =
/ State into the Union. But be this ~ it may,
| il is the imperative and indispensable duty
Of the government of the United States to
secure to every resident inhabitant the free
! and independent expression of his opinion
| by his vote. This sacred right OF each indi-
yidual must be preserved. This being ac-
| complishea, nothing can be farer than to
leave the people of n territory free from oil
foreign interference to decide their own des-
tiny for themselves, subject only to the con-
stitution Of the United States. The whole
| territorial question being thus settled upon
the principle OF popular soveregnty,-a
principle as ancient as free government it
self,--everything Of q practical nature has
been decided, and no other question remains
for adjustment, because all agree that under
the constitution slavery In the States is be-
yond the reach Of my human power, except
that Of the respective States themselves
wherein it exists. May we not then hope that
the long agitation on this subject is APP
preaching its end, and that the geographical
parties to which it has given birth, so much
dreaded by the Father Of his Country, will
speedily become extinct. Most happy will il
be for the country when the public mind
shall be diverted from this question to others
Of more pressing and practical importance.
Throughout the whole progress Of this agi-
tation, which has scarcely known any inter-
mission for more than twenty years, whilst
it has been productive Of no positive good to
any human being, it has been the prolific
source of great evils to the master, to the
slave and to the whole country lit has
alienated and estranged the people OF the
sister States from each other, and has even
seriously endangered the very existence Of
the Union-nor has the danger yet entirely
ceased. Under our system there is remedy
for oil mere political evils in the sound sense
and and sober judgment OF the people,
Time is great corrective. The political
subjects which but few years ago excited
and exasperated the public mind have passed
away and are now entirely forgotten-but
this question Of domestic slavery 10 of far
greater Importance than any mere political
question, because, should tho agitation
continue, it may eventually endanger the
personal safety Of large portion OF our
countrymen where the institution exists. In
that event no form Of government, however
admissible in itself, however productive OF
material benefits, can compensate for the
loss of peace and domestic security around
the family altar. Let every Union-loving
man, therefore, exert his best influence to
suppress this agitation, which, since the recent
legislation of Congress, il without any legit-
innate object. 1t is an evil Of the times that
men have undertaken to calculate the mere
material value Of the Union. Reasoned es-
Inmates have been presented Of the pecuniary
profits and local advantages which would re-
suit to different States and sections from its
dissolution, and Of the comparative injuries
which such IN event would inf,ct on other
States aud sections. Even descending to
this low and narrow view OF the mighty ques-
ton, all such calculations are at fault. The
bare reference to o single consideration will
be conclusive, on this point. We ut present
enjoy free trade throughout our extensive
and expansive country, such as the world
never witnessed. This trade u conducted
on railroads and canals, on noble rivers, and
arms of the sea, which bind together the
North and the South, THO East and the West
OF our confederacy. Annihilste this trade,
arrest it's free progress, by the geographical
IlUe6 Oh lpAiUuA huu uOStilc ot0SCoy 0nu yoA
destroy the prosperity and onward march OF
the whole and every part and involve all IN
one common ruin. But such considerations,
important as they are in themselves, sink in
to insgnificance when We reflect on the ter
rife evils which would result from disunion
to every portion Of the confederacy--to the
North not more than to the South-to tho
East not more than to the West. These
uh~n m Fapl
an humble confidence that the kind Provi-
dence which inspired our fathers with wis
dom to frame the most perfect form of gov
eminent and union ever devised by man, will
not suffer il to perish until it shall have been
peacefully instrumental by its example in the
extension of civil and religious liberty
throughout the world.
Next in Importance to the maintenance of
the constitution and the Union is the duty Of
preserving the government free from the
faint or even the suspicion OF corruption
Public virtue is the vital spirit OF Republics,
and history proves that when this has decay
ed, and the love Of money has usurpcd its
place, although the forms OF free government
may remain for season, the substance has
departed forever. Our present financial con-
dition is without parallel in history. No
uuSiU0 has ever UtIOre petu embarrassed
from too large surplus in its treasury
This almost necessarily gives birth to ex-
travagant legislation. IL produces wild
schemes Of expenditures and begets race Of
spectators and jobbers, whose ingenuity is
exerted in contriving and promoting expc.
dents to obtain the public money. The par
ty through its official agents, whether right
fully or wrongfully, is suspected, and the
character of the government suffers in the
| estimation of the people. This, in itself, is
q very great evil. The national mode OF re-
lief from this embarrassment is to appropri-
ate the surplus in the treasury to great ma
tional objects for which clear warrant can
| be found in the constitution. Among these
| might mention the extinguishment Of the
| public debt; reasonable increase Of the
Navy, which is at present inadequate to the
protection Of our vast tonnage afoat--no
/ greater than that OF any other nation, A.
well as the defence Of our extended ssacoast.
IL 10 beyond all question the true principle
that no more revenue ought to be collected
from the people than the amount necessary
to defray the expenses of wise, economical
and efficient administration Of the govern
ment.
/ To reach this point il was necessary to re-