The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-12-06


every Monday ~ this Office, is one Of the oldest pa
pers in Iowa, and has 10 widely extended circuis-
4ion throughout the Des Moinss Valley, Northern
Mi.sssri, and Western Illinois.
the "OPposttiOn."
We suppose it must be very plain, by this
tims, that the sort Of fusion which many
people have advocated, very earnestly, very |
honestly, and very plausibly, "a fusion which |
has FOR its basis no recognized and avowed
principle but the defeat of the Democratic
party,--is impossible. For ourselves, we
have never considered that ii was likely to be
possible. We have never felt that We were
willing to say that We desired that 1t might
be possible. Undoubtedly the defeat Of the
Democratic party, and the publication Of
the several departments Of the administra-
tion Of this Government, 10 worthy Of great
effort, and much sacrifice of private opinion
and prediction. The rottenness and cor.
ruption which has reached the utmost ex-
tremity Of party organisation, and which
Testers ct the centre OF II like carrion in the
summer sun, calls aloud for renovation
But that is not the great, ovsrshadowing po-
litioal interest in this country It the present
moment. Our duty in thatrsgard is not par
amount to every other obligation. Ii ia not
% imposing - to demand the allegiance of
che great leading principles of the Republic
can party, and We have never felt willing TO
see them subord,nated to it. But from the
frst We have not believed that = fusion could
be brought about by which mere subordi-
nation Of Republican sentiments would be
tolerated. We have seen no indications
which would not demand the positive renun-
eiasion Of not merely the Republican name,
but the distinctive Republican principles and
measures, or which would be content even to
rest every thing on the character and antece-
dents Of the man selected. We have seen in
the future the indications Of no fusion which
would not demand the positive adhesion I'd .
public platform, and to such q platform AZ
the Southern wing would be satisfied to call
CONSERVATIVE" and ssnationsW platform,
and which totally ignored the slavery ques-
ton in I'll its aspects. That such fusion,
for the moro purpose Of purifying the admin
istration OF public affairs, important ~ that
purpose il admitted TO be, VAS thing to
which the Republican party could be brought
TO yield it, assent, or to which it was desira-
bic that it should be brought to assent even
If il could be, We never believed. But il
there has been room FOR debate and doubt
heretofore, concerning the policy of fusion,
and the terms upon which il could be effect
ed, there cannot, ~ il seems to us, be room
for it any longer. That all the leading ad-
vooates Of fusion at the South would demand
1t upon the basis which We have indicated, it
10 now substantially impossible to question.
We know not a journal Of influence, with the
possible exception Of one at Baltimore, that
does not make that basis an ultimatnm. II
any thing more is to be said, under such an
aspect Of the ease, we do not know what tits.
The public opinion and determination, and
the circumstances of the time are such that
such demand concludes the argument. That
we are sorry for 1t, We cannot say. That it
renders the chances Of our success more fee
BILE, we do not believe. That il assures
more complete, satisfactory and enduring
triumph, in case We are successful, is GER
tain.
The Chinese Treaty.
Scarcely have we heard Of the ratification
Of an American treaty with the Chinese, be-
fore We hear Of its Reputation. That it
would be instantly repudiatsd, If effected, Was
predicted, BY the English journals, with :
sneer at our greenness in supposing that We
were really obtaining any substantial sdvan-
tage BY the measured humiliation which was
submitted to to obtain it. They knew the
Chinese better than we did. But as our Min
lister refused to PROSTATE himself at full
length in the dirt in order to see the Empe-
ror, he can 1t least enjoy the satisfaction Of
knowing that he 10 not compelled to say, like
the niger who thought he had been hearing
Whitfield preach, and found be hadn't, that
he s'dirtied hisself for nothing"
JeAn Brewn Deaa.
As will DO seen by the report, the execu-
ton Of John Brown occurred quietly, with
r'out any disturbance, or any attempt at dis
turbance. And now that the old man 10
dead, - soon a. they have time TO gather up
their senses and reflect soberly upon the sub
jecs, they will sec how foolishly they have
allowed themselves to be frightened by their
own fanciss, and what assess they have made
Of themselves before serious world.
Congress-.
This body convened yesterday. A strug-
gle NAV occur on tn. election ~ Sneaker -.