The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-02-16
Of California" 80. The following 10 the

4 oigNIu10HL SDDClu6iuu VI hNak ItokrOhs~
Against this conclusion we must now and
/ for ever protest, as il is destructive OF the
safety and liberties OF those whose rights
t have bssn committed to our care, fatal TO
the peace and equality OF tho States wnion
we represent. and must lead, IT persisted IN,
to the dissolution OF that Confederacy IN
which the slaveholding States hsve never
sought more than an equality, and IN which
they will not be content to remain with less.
1t was the admission Of . free State, with
q Constitution framed by the people, in ac-
cordancc with their own sentiments, against
which this protest was directed, and ~
result OF which policy, il persisted in, they
threaten a dissolution Of the Union. The
same controversy arose over kansss, and
six States seeded before that controversy
Vas finally eettlsd; and when We remember
that the Lecsmpton policy Of Buchanan and
the South in reference TO Kansas was identi-
cal with that insisted on by the opponents
OF the admission OF California, il givss the
conclusion Of this protest additional signif-
canoe.
As q result Of that protest and other pub
locations Of the agitators for disunion, dis
union convention, in which seven States
were represented, assembled 1t Nashville,
and recommended that Southern Congress
should be organised by tho authoritative ac-
ton Of the State governments. South Caro-
ina and Mississippi only responded to this
recommendation, and Of course the Southern
Congress was . failure. But the secession
sentiment. exhibited by members Of the Leg
islature was just ~ bold and determined in
1850 as ct present, and the reasons for the
NOV ement were identical with those Of the
present day.
We need not pursue this subject further,
o our .:ls Ii
fed that the responsibility Of disunicn rests
upon the politicians OF the South who seized
upon the negro question to produce united
South and maintain the supremacy Of the
| minority over tho majority, 81, falling in
| that, to resort to dissolution of the Union.
The occasion for the denouemont OF their
scheme VAS we'll chosen, while an imbecile
old man occupied Me Presidential chair, sur
rounded by corrupt Cabinet, majority Of
whom welded the power and patronage of
the Government in order to render aid and
comfort to the traitors 10 every possible
way.
The fellowing extract, from the concluding
pages OF Benton's "view," sums up the
| - -. ..A.. "a tha aoocf, AZ east ~ - (.
a. true and applicable 80 the seoessionisss,
and observation-disclosures OF the present day, a.
it Was in the last days Of Benton:
The observing reader, Who may have look ed
over the two volumes Of this View, 10 noting
the progress Of the slavery agitation, and its
successive alleged causes for disunion, mus,
have been struck with the celebrity with whieh
these causes, each IN its turn, as coon AZ re-
mov ed. has been succeeded by another, OF Z
different kind until, NJ last, they terminate
i'm u cause which ignores them all, and find q
new reason for disunion IN the Constitution
itself in that Constitution, the protection oil
which had been invoked as sufficient, during
the whole period ofthe alleged .aggressione
and encroacam ents." In 1895, when the
frat agitation manifesto and call for South.
ern convention, and invocation to unity and
concert OF action, came forth in the Charles
ton Mercury, entitled '.The Crisis, - the cause
Of disunion was then ia the abolition socie
ties established in some OF thu free States
aud which these States were required TO sop.
press. Then came the abolition petitions
presented in Congress; then the mail trans
J mission OF incendlary publications; then ths
abolition Of slavery in the District Of Colum
hia then the abolition Of the slave trade be
tween the States; then the exclusion OF
slavery from Oregon then the Wilmot Pro
viso then the admission OF California Will
free Constitution. Each OF these, in it
D day, was.a cause Of disunion, to be effeots,
, through the lnstrunentslity Of Southern
conyeasion, forming q sub confederacy, il
fragrant violation Of the Constitution, AM
: efecring the dsunion ly establishing a com
mercial non.interceurse with the free States
After twenty years agitation upon thes
points, they are all given up. The Constf
, tuition and the linton pere found TO be
: "mistake" from the beginning an error /,
D their 0.igin, and an tmposs,Oiiity in fhei
! future eziatence, and to be amended in.
another inpossibility, or broken UP a
0ncs.o
> FTaternal entim nts OF Uni on N n
A candidate on tho Union ticket OF Sain
Louis, supported by the Republican, said i
q speech delivered in that city one night las
' week, that it was the great object Of bis dc
sire ito put the Republcsns-that is, til
people who have elected Mr.. Lincon-wher