The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-01-04
The state or the Country.

Missouri, and Western Illinois.
The state or the Country.
The Princeton Review, which is regarded
AZ the leading organ Of the Old School
Presbyterian Church in the United States,
and 10 thoroughly conservative, not to say
pro-slavery, has long and powerful article
satitled as above 10 its forthcoming January
number. The writer seems to think that
nov at last the questions Of morals and pol
itics have become so intimately associated
that the Pulpit and the Religious Press are
under obligations to speak out.
After an eloquent eulogy on the Union the
Review proceeds to inquire what has pro-
duced the great change 10 public sentiment
ia regard to the sanctity and importance OF
the idea Of Union. The chief agency in
impairing the general reverence with which
the Union 10 regarded he attributes to the
seeessionists, whose chief seat is in South
Carolina, where secession has been persist
emily plotted and preached for forty years.
He regards that the disunionists arc stmu-
lated mainly BY the fact Of the diminishing
relative Importance and prosperity OF their
States in comparison with the rapid increase
and enlargement OF the population and ter
ritory OF the United States, nnd.by the iilu-
sive visions OF magnificent Confederacy
which they hope to inaugurate in the South,
based upon slaves and cotton.
10 relation to the false pretences alleged
in the South against the principles Of the
Republican party aud tho President elect, the
Review says:
But tits said that the election Of Mr.. Lin
coin to the Presidency 10 uomistakable cvi-
dence of the prev alence OF abolitionism and
of settled hostility to the South. 1t has been
pronounced declaration Of war. The fact
that abolitionists generally voted for Lin
coln is appealed to Is one proof, Ut least,
that the Republican 10 m abolition party
But does the fact that all the Southern dis
unionists voted for Breckenridge prove that
oil who favored his election are disunionsts,
or that be himself belongs to that class p
The reverse 10 VIGOROUSLY true. Why, then,
should the Republicans be denounced - ab-
oiitionists, because abolitionists voted the
Republican ticket? No rational man can
600 majority as tho representative Of aboli-
ton principles. AZ before remarked, the
Republican party consists Of those who de-
sired to enter their protest against the re-
peal Of the Missouri Com1r omise, and the
attempts TO force Slavery upon Kansas,
joined by thousands who wish for pro-
tective tariff, and thousands m pre-, who, from
dislike OF one candidate and distrust of an
other, preferred TO vote for Lincoln. The
only Question Of principle 80 far as relates
to Slavery, which distinguishes the mass of
the people at the North from the extreme
Southern party is, whether Slavery il q mu
nicipal or natural institution; whether a
mans right to hold a slave az property rests
on statute Inv or common law. IL the lat
ter, then be has q right TO Garry his slaves
into any State or Territory where he may
lawfully carry his OK or horse. lie may
bring them bv hundreds and thousands into
any State ard settle with them there. II the
former, he can carry them nowhere heysnd
the legitimate authority Of tho law by
which Slavery exists. Which of these views
10 correct, this IL net the place TO DISCUSS
All that we wish to say on the point is, that
this il the sum of difference in principle be-
tween the North aud the extreme South; and
that, As q historical fact, the doctrine that
Slavery is = municipal institution, that no
man has ths same right 10 hold o rlave in
bondage in France or England that be has
to keep possession Of his books or clothes,
was the doctrine OF all parties in this coun
try until within the last 20 or 80 wears. IT.
therefore, holding this opinion ia Just cause
for separating from the North, it was JUS
ground Tor refusing TO submit TO the Admin
istrsti6n Of Washington, Jefferson, Madison
Monroe, and every other President, unles,
Buchanan be an exception. Holding thi,
y opinion US to the foundation Of Slavery
therefore, does not constitute the Rapnb
licans an abolition party, and does not AZ
ford reason for disunion which can satisf,
the Judgment or conscience Of any reasona
BILE man.
In regard to the chargrth Anti SLAYER,
papers and Republican orators cause discon
. tent among the slayes and incite them to In
surrection, be says:
For one communication that reaches tn
minds OF the slaves tending to promote dis
turbance, coming from Northern fan atics,
hundred, probably . Thousand, come iron
Southern men and their political allies in th
North. The circulation Oh abolition publ
cations is prohibited bv Law and sedulous
guarded against; abolition emissaries, if sue
there Be, not at the imminent peril OF thei
lives. So far as the minds OF the slaves ar
concerned, little can be effected BY thes
agencies. Whereas, Southern papers, an
those OF Ties political party from tn
North, circulate freely through the South
Those papers TEEN with extracts from tn
extreme Anti-Sl&yery publications. The
labos TO convince those who read them tha
the North with its Is 900 900 Of people is 0
one mind, that slayeholding = a great cline
They constantly sndeavor to prove that tn