The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-11-19


We have not space just nov to publish th'
recent great speech Of Senator Seward a
Rochester, but in view Of the foul misrcprs.
sensations and calumnies Of the Locofocs
press of the country, We lay before our read
ers the following extracts from an editoria
OF Geo. d. Prentice In the Louisville Jour,
| nal. The testimony OF Prentice on this CUES
tion ought to be satisfactory to all candle
minds, and his assertion that the obnoxiou,
sentiment of Stewards speech was but til,
Reproduction of "A pet opinion Of Mr.. Clay's
ought 10 satisfy even the most strait laced
Union man that the sentiment is not only in.
nocent of treason but really patriotic. The
Journal says
We OF course have nothing to say 10 extern
uAtioa OF the distinctive Republican creed. ---
Not word. We cordially condemn and de-
test it. Yet il is due to truth and the public
interests that the Republican creed should be
understood as it is. Even the devil is en,i-
tied to Justice. And we see no tolerable
reason why the Republicans, bad as they are,
should be served worse than the devil. The
doctrine of the incompatibility of the systems
OF Slavery and Free Labor 10 obviously just
at present fayorite crotchet with the Re-
publlcans. II Ii a crotchet, but nothing more.
Nevertheless it ia horrid bug bear to not
few Southern Democrats. Mr. Seward, in
the course OF his speech at Rochester, ex-
pressed it ns follows:
sit was the antagonistic political tenden-
cies of the two systems which the frst Napo.
leon was contemplating when he predicted
that Europe would ultimately be either oil
Cossack or all Republican. Never did hu-
man sagacity utter more pregnant truth
The two systems are at once perceived to be
incongruous. But they ara more than incon.
gruous, they are incompatible. They never
have permanently existed together in one
country, and they never can. 1t would be
easy to demonstrate this impossbility, from
the irreconcilabie contrast between their
great principles and characteristics. But the
experience of mankind has conclusively es-
tablshed it.n
This IL the language which Southern Dem
ocrats who cape aud start at Mr.. Seward as
the Prince of all the Goblins have under stood
or pretended to understand as q declaration
on behalf Of the Republicans Of settled res
olution to exterminate slavery in the States.
1t Is the annunoiation which the organs of
Southern Democratic opinion are holding up
and flourishing as the avowal Of distinct
design on the part Of the Republicans to wage
fierce and unrelenting and bloody war against
slavery wherever it exists Surely the men
who perpetrate or circulate this pi,iful mis-
construction must know better. The whole
import Of MIR. Stewards proposition AZ ex.
pressed above is clear. 1t is unmistakable.
But, if it isn't, PROFESSIONALLY the following
precautionary paragraph renders it so:
sit remains to say on this point only one
word to guard against Misrepresentation. II
these States are to again become universally
slayeholding, ! DO not pretend to say with
what violations Of the Constitution that end
shall be accomplished. On the other hand,
while do confidently believe and hope that
my country will yet become land Of univer-
sal freedom, | 10 not expect that it will be
made 80 otherwise than through the action
of the several States cooperating with the
Federal Government, and all acting in strict
conformity with their respective cons,itu.
tions.
Thus the terrible hobgoblin vsnishes before
the first beam OF candor. The proposition is
perfectly innocent. | is, in fact, but the re-
production in somewhat sharper form OF a
pet opinion Of Mr.. Clay's. Nothing could be
further from the narrowing import with which
distempered or designing fsncies have invest
ed it.