The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-01-16

ter state OF virginia, Causing In tnAS state
an intense excitemeI4, which has, 70 great
or or less degree, extended throughout the
oou41Fy. alluds Of course 70 the late nm
lawa9l invasion OF that Stats BY john Brown
and his associates. The leading causes that
led these nissuided men to that mad attempt.
in my opinion may DO easily and readily found.
On ths 4th Of March, 1858, Prssidsn Pierce
was inaugurated as the chief magistrate Of
happy and united people. The administrs-
ton OF bis predecessor had been marked by
the settlement OF the agitation Of the quss-
ton Of Slavery growing ont OF the a1Quisi-
ton OF territory from Msxioo, ~ the admin
istrstion OK Mr.. Monroe had bssn marked by
the settlement Of . similar agitation In CON-
nsotion with the ssrritory purchased from
France during the Presidency Of Mr.. Jeffer-
son. And "a thesa two settlements covered
ell the territory then belonging to our Gov
eminent, our people fondly hoped that for Q
long period Of time this vsxed and irritating
question would he kept out Of our National
councils, and that the angry aud embittered
feelings always arising from it's discussion
there, would die ont from want OF food. A.
an additional basis upon which to rest this
hope, --our deople had the solemn pledge OF
honor Of the political party then dominant
In MI the brsnches OF our National Govern
ment, deliberately given ct the time Mr..
Pierce Was nominated by them for the Presi-
deney, thas il placed in power they would re-
sist to tho extent OF their power tho agita-
ton Of that dangerous question, both in the
Congress OF the United States and out OF il.
Unfortunately for the pescs Of the country,
and for the preservation Of those kindly and
fraternal feelings which should always exist
among our people, Mr.. Pierce and bis polit.
ioal friends did not redeem that pledge. On
the contrary, the fYst ir~ ~~A>-4 cot OF his
administration VA the passage Of the Kan
sas-Nebraska bill, by which the settlement
made, during Mr.. Monroe's administration.
OF the question of slavery in tho territory
acquired from France was set aside, and the |
fountains Of strife, 10 recently closed, we're |
again opened TO pour forth among our pso.
pie their bitter waters. The excuse offered |
for this wanton, unealled-for, and most nm
fortunate aot, was the alleged desire, on the |
part It those who did Is, to settle the quss-
ton Of slavery, then in . state Of perfect quiz
etude and repose. And this Vas to be done |
BY introducing into our Legislation I new
policy, which denies to Congress power
claimed Tor 1t by the founders Of our Gov |
eminent, aad exercised by II from the be- |
ginning which declares that to be unoon-
tuition declared to be constitutional; and |
which rests upon the strange assumption that
the Government Of the United States cannot |
United States, . form OF government de- |
mandsd BY . majority Of the people, snd
identical in the disputed psrticulars with the /
form OF government Of majority Of the I
States OF our oonfederacy. II the men Who |
did this thing, did not know that thsir action
woald again produce among a. agitation,
heart burning, Jealousy, and ill-will, they
were 20 wholly ignorant Of the temper and
feelings Of orr people - TO make them un-
safe public servants; il they did know, they
we're unfaithful. In either view, they were
to the pledges they had given ~
he inducements for placing power ia their
,ands. The Kansas Nsbraska bill VS. long
n passing and vas strsnuously resisted in
Congress. The debates upon it in that body
we're acrimonious and exciting; the discus-
ions in the public press were bitter and in-
lammatory and when the passions OF tho
,eople, in the different seetions OF our coun-
ry, had been thoroughly aroused, their pref
ldices inAsmed, and their pride enlisted ia
he contest going on in the halls Of Congress,
hat contest vas, BY the passage Of the bill,
transferred from those halls 10 the plains of
Aansas; from the Representatives in Con-
,ress to our entire people; and thus was cast
nto the arena, as aprise to be struggled for
" an aroused and excited people, : territo-
y which, in size, in soil, and in climate, 10
equal to some OF the most powerful mon
lrchies of the old world. Did the men who
,assed that act expect and desire that strug-
yle to be friendly and pesceful one2 The
'ountry would fsin so believe. Yet such be-
ief requires that We should attribute to them
! want Of knowledge and foresight but little
ess criminal in men in their position, than
you'd have been the expectation and desire
'y them that the struggle should be, a it,
VAS, hostile and bloody one. II is my
deliberate conviction that, on tho day on
which tho opponents OF this new and most
Unfortunate measure, aided BY few Of ito
original friends, defeated ito legitimate CON-
BY defeating the passage Of the
Io-oalled Lecompton bill-vhich sought to
impose upon the people Of Kansas consti-
ution they sbhorred, and which would have
'oquired for ito enforcement the aid OF Fed
,rAl bayonsts--on that day the union OF
hssc States met and escaped the greatest
,sril to which il has yet been subjected. Bat
happily for oil, unexpectedly to the fears Of
many, adversely, perhAps, TO tho wishes Of
'ome, that great peril was escaped, and Kan
las, with constitution in accord with thu
egislasion which in the last generation dsdi-
oated her TO freedom, and in accordance
With the wishes Of the people, stands ready
% ask admission into our Union - free
state.
do not rscur 10 these past Transactions
or the purpose Of again stirring MP ill-feel-
nGs, nov messurably appsassd, but for the
light which, in my opinion, they threw upon
present events. Il 10 - true now - it was
a tho oldsn time that sthey who SOW the
sind shall resp tho whirlwind." During the
traggle in Kansas, which makes her story .
,lot on tho page Of our country's history, the
rres-State men OF that Territory were treat
d By their Pro-Slavery bretheren in tho Ter
itory and in the States, and BY tho General
- il they had not any rights,
ekAl or natural. which Aithar xara hound Ia