The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-03-05
Disunio on the DasarUcsisn 81 X e.
Okuk.

There are some persons who seem deter
mined to be miserable And when this class
Of persons happen to be patriots they are not
satisfied with making themselves miserable,
but they will insist that Gil their felow.coun-
trymcn shall partake Of their misery. One
Of this class Of individuals, with knavish
turn, 10 ont in long communication in yes
terday's Journal in response to little edito.
rial Of the Gate City which appeared month
or so ago. In that article We sought to offer
crumb OF comfort to the timid old ladies
OF both sexes whose fears had been terribly
excited by the horrd pictures Of war, rapine,
conHagration and desolation, which would be
the inevitable fate Of Keokuk should the dis
solution of@the Union, then imminent, be-
come an accomplished fact. 10 order to
gather what consolation might be left in such
q dreadful calamity as tho destruction Of the
Union, We took it for granted that the 49,
100000 Of free white people of the North
could sti4 maintain Government, nud thut
one OF the first duties OF that Government
would be to put the Border in Z state Of de-
fence. Hence We argued that as Keokuk was
. point advantagcously situated for strong
hold, and for . point Of concentration and
distribution Of military forces, implements Of
war and provisions for an army, and az il
vas Border town on the great river which
runs through the Southern States, it would,
Of course, be fortified and made available
for those purposes by the Government. And
in that case it seemed clear to Us that our
timid cisis~ns would not only be protected
from the snivalrv, but that our city would,
Us an inevitable result of the general caiam.
isy, become far more important and pros.
porous CITY than it 10 at present.
After nedtasing on the matter, and, a. it
were, chewing the cul Of his bitter fancies
for five or six weeks, it SCENE that "S.n
Won't be comforted, and will spread out bis
woes afrcsh in the columns OF the Journal.
Ia the 6rst place, 49," not only rejects
our efforts at consolation, but insists that the
very fact that we offer such consolation il
an evidence that we are .he enemy OF the
Union. Evidently 49," is determined, in
his own mind, that no individual shall in
dulge any hope for himself, for bis family
for his town, his State, or for the Govern
Union. That event 10 to close up all sublu
nary things and be the end Of JOY on esrth
We are afraid "S." is not Christian, TO
he seems TO leave tho millennium entirely GU
Of the question and to close up th
affairs Of earth in q night Of endless gloom
already inaugurated by the Cotton States
We have better hopes, and the fact that "
yet hope for tho welfare Of keokuk is in OF
hopeful yies OF the future far from furulst
ing Cd argument that We are opposed 10 tt
Union. While we desire the continaan,
OF the Union, we ut the same time rejoice
know that the traitors and knaves who see
It's dissolution, and hare partly accomplish
it, will thereby neither expose keokuk y
defended 10 their hostile inrosds nor yet d
stroy its future prospects and prosperity.
And We say, in all seriousness, should
the slave States, including Missouri, secet
il would be the policy Of the Government
pursue the course in relation to this place
military point which We have Indicated
And that fact, together with the impe,
which would be given to emigration fr
the South, would concentrate people, capi
and enterprise at this point, and thereby
crease its Importance and prosperity far
yond its present aspirations.
Il is not probable that either "S." or
will settle the question for or against a
solution, although we are both equally
posed TO it but should il come, We think
views 10 regard to its effects Oh keokuk
the North generally are more correct, as
as more hopeful, than bis. II We mus,
disturbed, and disturbed with the immil
prospects OF dissolution, scs rejoioc to
leve that it will not be the destrucsic
the country or the ruin OF keokuk; y
S." like the weeping philosopher" OF
boo.hoo politician, blinded by his Il
sees only the blsctness Of darkness far
near.
RTDr. Eads, whom the State at i
and Sons OF the people Of Lee county
special cause TO remember, makes great
about N attempt TO assassinate him on
count or bis devotion to the Union. ]
publishes tho Western Missourian 10 '
rsDsburg, Jobnson county, and upon the
sis u Bic attempted assassination, max
pathstie appeal for patronage.
e~Col. SwisSler, 1t seems heard th.
nor Oh his death and contradcts it, 50
thst che knsv it was : lie ~ soon Al
heard IL"