The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-12-20
We clip the following paragraph from Ut
editorial or the Journal:

We would not prefer that the Gate, adopt
Bucbanan's policy OF amending the Consti
tuition, for the reason that be recommends
some things on that subject which We could
not onrseif adopt. All we would ask the
Gate or any other republican TO do, would
be to abandon ito mischievous sectionalism
and observe 10 good faith the spirit and fet-
ter OF the Constitution as il now is. We do
not ask republicans to ssuccumb to the men
aces OF the Secessionis.s - but the times dc.
mand that they should place themselve s right
whore they have been wrong, and having
done this, let consequences take care Of
themselves. Had those wrongs never been
committed, the evils OF the present hour
would not have been upon US.
The Journal and the Democratic party OF
the North generally have for few years past
conceded that the Wing party in its day and
generation was sound on the slavery ques-
ton, and il has been the habit OF Douglas
and oil bis followers to commend the princi-
pies and course Of Webster and Clay on this
subject to the admiration or the Democracy.
In 1850 there was no Republican party.
The Wing party and the Democratic party
had the entire field OF party politics under
their own management. And yet in 1853
storm Of disunion and secession set in and
prevailed with almost as much fury and for
nearly as long period as that great storm
which drowned the world in food. II was
not the "sectionalsm' Of the Republican
party, nor the wrongs which it had commit
ted that raised that tempest, for 10 that day
the Republican party had no existence. And
yet had Buchanan been in the Presidential
chair 10 tho place OF Old Zach. Taylor, q
slave Constitution would have been imposed
on California, or the Union would have been
10 as great peril as it is now.
Read Webstsr's speech Of the 7th OF
March, 1850, and learn from unouestioned
authority that tho shareholders Of the Cotton
States found ample grounds, in their view,
for complaints against tho North and threats
Of secession, before the Republican party had
beginning, and long before it had achieved
its recent great victory.
In that speech Daniel Webster set forth at
some length the history Of the slavery ques-
tion, and We have his authority, based on
the history OF the country, that at the period
OF the formation ~ the Constitution slavery
was regarded as an evil in tho South, as we'll
a. in the North. And that it was with this
view OF slavery and with tho desire and ex-
peciation that it would gradually DO got rid
Of, that the trainers Of the Constitution not
only contemplated the aarly prohibition OF
the slave trade, but carefully avoided the use
OF tho term slave in the Constitution, and
that the fathers Of the Republic by the Or
dinance Of 1857 prohibited tho introduction
of slnHers inin the en1ire Anrth. Mnsttrn / or
ritory,--thcn oil the Territory possessed by
the United States. Mr.. Webster then goes
on to show that change came over the sem
timents Of the South when they found slave
labor profitable in the cultivation Of cotton,
and tha. hepceforlh Southern statesmen who
had almost constant control oF the Govern.
ment lent their policy and their energies to
the extension d the area Of slavery by pur-
chase, nv annexation, aid by conquest
And i. was because California and New Mex
ice desired TO remain free that the slave.
holders rnisei the dreadful commotior which
threatened TO overu helm the country in ono
common ruin. They threatened to seceds
then, ard everybody thought they would Sc.
cede il California Was admitted with her free
State Constitution. They complained ,her
Just as much, and indeed great deal NOR,
than they do now about the non execution
Of the Fugitive Slave Law, and they demand
ed quite as imperiously then as now tina
their slave property abould be admitted Il
and protected in the Territories.
Tosaye The Union, a Compromise was mn d
which admitted California as q Free State
conceded more stringent Fugitive Sav
Law, and left the Territories Of New Mckee
and Utah as we rot them, free Territorie
by virtue OF the Mexican law. Mr.. Webste
agreed to waive the Congressional prohibi
ton Of slavery in those Territories for tb
express reason that they were free by la,
and must remain 80 from the nature Of til
country, and be would not, therefore, often
the South by Insisting on an unnecessar
guard against slavery. AT the same time b
said that:
sit happened that between 1887 and hi
time, on various occasions and ofpor,un
ties, had expressed my entire opposition /
the admission Of slave States, or the acau
ri,on Of new slave Territories, to be adde
to the United States. know cir. re cha.c
in my own sentiments or my own pnrros,
in that respect. will nox again ask ii
friend from Rhode Island to read aaoth,
extrsct from n speech of mine made al
Wing Convention in Springfield, Mass,
the month Of September, l647.n
Mr.. Green here read on extrac. from Viii,
We quote:
owe heard Jnst now OF pdnacea for Il
dangers and evils OF slavery aud slave n