The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-02-04
THE STATE OF TIE NATION
Letter from senator grimes.
WAsHrEoroN, Jan. 70.
Your esteemed favor Of the 18th inst. has

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derstanding in the rublic mind a. to the pres
emit condition OF affairs at the Capital OF the
nation, and especially 10 relation TO the de-
mands Of the disunionists upon the Union
men OF the North. | find that the impress
sion prevails quite extensively tina. the Grit
tenden prnpnsitinn, !, a. it 10 called, 10 simplJ
a re- establishments Of the Missouri Compro.
mise line. This is very far from the truth.
Mr. Crittenden proposes to extend the line
Of SO deg. 80 min. through to the Pacific
ocean, ami to agree by constitutional pro-
vision to protect and defend slavery in all
OF the territory Of the United States South
Of that line Nor IL this all. He now pro-
poses that this protection to slavery shall be
extended 30 all territory that may hereafter
be acquired south OF that line. The sum
and substance OF the whole matter is th at we
are asked. for the sake Of peace, to surren-
der all OF our cherished ideas on the subject
Of slavery, and to agree, in effeot, TO provide
a slave code for the Territories south OF SO
deg. 80 min., and fer the Mexican provinces
AZ soon as they shall be brought within our
jurisdiction. 1t is demanded OF US that We
shall consent to change the Constitution into
genuine pro slavery instrument, and to
convert the Government into great slave.
| breeding, Understanding empire.
/ Every man blessed with ordinary foresight
must sac what would be the inevitable and
almost immediate consequence of the adop.
tion of this provision as part OF the Con-
eti.uton. 1t would disclose itself to be the
very reverse Of q m sasure OF peace. Raids
would at once begin upon the provinces OF
Mexico; war would ensue the annexation OF
Sonora, chihuahua, Cohahuila, Nuev oleon,
Tsmauipas and other provinces would fol-
low they would be converted, at the instant
Of their acquisition, from free into slave
territories, and ultimately be admitted into
the Union as slave states. Much ~ love
peace and seek to pursue it | am not pre-
pared to pay this price for ii. Let no man
in Iowa imagine for moment that the Crit
senden proposition il far mere restoration
OK the Compromise inc Of 1920. II is sim.
ply and truly the a, plication Of the Brock.
inrdgc platform to III territory now acquired
or hereafter to be acquired south Of SO deg.
80 min, and would result, il adopted, in the
acquisition and admission OF new slave States
fer the osteRsihle purpose of restoring what
| j. called the equilit gium OF the sections
The restoration Of the Missouri Compromise
line has been offered to the disnnonists and
contemptuously rel cted. Their maxim 10
''rule or ruin"
confess that look with amazement upon
the course OF the Northern sympathizsrs
with the disunionisis Six years ago they
assisted TO break down compromise Of
thirty-four years Standing, and defended
their action by what they claimed to be The
right of the people to determine for them
selves what should lie the character OF their
own domestic institutions. There was much
plausibilty in their argument. They made
a party creed Of it. Nov, after the lapse OF
six short years, they have become 90 pro-
slavery in their opinions that they are will
ing to ignore the past and recognize and
protect slavery in the very country which
they boasted that their own 40: had made
free.
There are other provisions in the Critten-
den resolutions which to my mind are wholly
inadmissible, bu. let them pass. My objso
ton is 70 any CON promise. | will never
consent to compromises or the imposition Of
terms upon ne or tn people represent un-
der threats OF breaking up the Government.
will ssnot give reas ons under compul.ion."
No surer or more eA >etaal way could be de-
vised for converting this into yolutionary
Government than ,h ad pton OF compro
mise expedient 1T th o time.
Eight months ago the four political parties
of this country, in their several conventions,
announced certain abstract pr propositions in
their platforms which each believed TO be
J true, and which, If acted upon, would, in
their opinion, most conduce TO the prosperity
of the whole country. The issne upon these
propositions was submitted to the people
through the bailot.boxes One party was
successful, as either might have been, but for
the lack of votes, and now one Of the van.
/ hid ftpN Il. tn q
eminent because they were not themselves
the victors, and will only consent to stay
their work OF demolition upon the condition
that We will agree - make their platform,
which is abhor.ent to US, part of the Con
stitution Of the country. Alter taking their
chances for success md being defeated 10 a
fair and manly conest, they now seek to
overthrow the Government under which they
live and to which they owe their allegiance.
How rapidly are we following in the foot.
steps OK the Governments OF Mexico and
South America
. do not believe that the public mind is now
in condition TO calmly consider tie great
questions involved in the amendments pro-
: posed. But suppose the PEOPLE were willing
: and anxious that such amendments TO the
: Constitution should be submitted to them :
suppose they were in proper frame Of mind
to weigh them and cacde upon their adop-
ton; suppose their adoption was not at
tempted to be enforced by threats, can we
have any assurance hat this 10 the last do.
mand to be made upon usS Can We be GER
tain that success in this instance will NOT
= whet the appetite fer new concessions and
0 new demands, and that similar threats Of
Z secession and revelation will not succeed
7 every future Presidential election2 Will
the demand ter new guarantees stop here
Shall We not he MS liable to have our trade
paralyzad, our lnar aes deranged, our M.
sional dag insnlted, the public property
a wrestcd from a. and destroyed and the Gov,
!. ERIN cat ..se! oFss..afu"n four years hence
! five amend the Cor stitntion, AZ we shoule
) be # we now stand firmly by our principles
= and uphold the AUTHORITY Of the Govern