The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-08-30
The sedlIion Law and the Dem c'
racy.

The sedlIion Law and the Democ.
racy.
No act of our Government ever called out
such universal odium and condemnation a.
the famous ssSeiition Law which under
took to coerce opinion, and to deny liberty
of spec oh and Of the press. Unpopularity
and lasting defeat rewarded its proposers,
and history chronicles it as Law unworthy
of the age and country where it originated.
Mr. Douglas is the only statesman OF mod
ern times who has had the hardihood to pro
pose the revival Of this Statute. He, last
winter, in the Senate, brought mp new Sc
dition Law scheme, closely resembling the
old one. Yet, in one respect, his imitation
was even worse than the original. The pro-
posers of the first Law had at least the ex-
cusa that they were, as they supp osed, de-
Tending Free Government, by harsh means.
Mr. Douglass Sedition Law, while equally
harsh, bad no obi ect but to defend and per-
petnate the Institution of Slavery. We place
an extract from MIR. Douglass speech side by
side with portion of the justly infamous
Sedition Act, tina, all may know the striking
similarity between the two:-
SEDtTi0N ACT. Mr.. DOUGLAS.
aAnd be il further s'Mr. President, the
enacted, That If any mode OF preserving
person shall write, peace is plain. This
print, utter or publish, system OF section war
or shall cause or pro- fare must cease. The
+! enre to be written, Constitution has given
! printed, uttered or the power, and all we
I published, or shall ask of Congress is to
/ kne xingly and will. give us the means, and
! ingly assist or aid 10 we, by indictments
writing. printing, ut.iand conviction 10 the
teriog or pablishing federal courts Of the
. ~ A. Gfatn wUsl
or malicious writing or make such examples
writings against The of the leaders OF these
| Government of the conspiracies as will
United States, or the strike terror into the
President of the Uni hearts OF the others,
ted States, with en- in. and there will be al
tent to defame said end OF this crusade
Government or either The great principle
Houses OF the Con- that underlies the or
gress, or the said Pres ganization OF the Re
ident,or to bring them, publican party is vio-
or either OF them, into lent, irreconciable, O.
con smpt or disrepute; ternal warfare upon
or TO excite az ainst the institution OF A.
them, or either or any mericaD Slavery, with
! of them, the hatred Of view to its ultimate
the good people Of the extinction throughout
United States, or to the land. Sir, con
stir up sedtion withinfess the object OF the
, the United Slater; orllegislation | contem-
to excite any unlawfullplate 10 to put doom
ordinations therein, this Outside interfer-
for opposing or resist Ience; il 10 to represl
ing any law of the Uni the sirrepressible con-
ted States, or arp act fict.'o
OF the President OF the
United States, done in
pursuance OF any such
law or OF the powers
/ in him vested by the
0 Constitution Of the
United States then
, such person being
thereof convicted be-
Q fore any court OF the
I United States having
: jurisdiction thereof,
: shall BIO punished by a
fine no exceeding two
q thousand dollars, and
: by Imprisonment not
: exceeding two years.
: or course, in this procedure, Mr.. Dougla
had his party at bis back. In order to tee
), and limit, plainly, the intent OF the move
Q ment, Senator Harlan, Of Iowa, offered as a
amendment the following proviso 80
''Bnt the free discussion OF the moralit
and expediency Of Slavery should never b
a interfered with by the laws OF any State, D
!. the United States; and the freedom Of speec
. and of the press, on this and every subject 0
Ia as nh n III al alien shnutd ha n