The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-09-07
Secession Acc npssshed and NAas
1hcNt

The war we are waging is felt and con-
fessed to be terrible calamity. No man
denies it, But what is the alternative
Is it simply "peace - Clearly, call it
what we may the alternative is submis-
sion to rebellion, the dissolution of the
Federal Union. But is this all? Sup
pose We yield this, shall we then have
millennium Will our troubles all be
ended 7 Will peace again wave her scep-
ire, and Ceres empty her cornucopia over
prosperous, happy continent, and both
entail their gifts as an eternal heirloom to
posterityy So some seem to deem. But
let us face the music.
Let the rebel confederacy realize its
aims, and we have on our southern border
nation which boasts Of slavery as its COR
ner-stone, and as the basis of liberty and
civilization. The fierce championship Of
slavery which marks the would be nation
now, peace would have no power to exer-
else. 1t would still remain in spirit the
rightful, benevolent, christian champion
of human bondage.
In its political character this new re-
public would be an oigarchy of slavehold
-ers and capitalists. The elective franchise
would be restricted One foot of it's gov
eminent would stand upon the neck of the
slaves, the other upon that of the "white
trash, who would yet be allowed the
semblance of liberty on condition of be-
coming the domestic police, the standing
army, the hllibustering agency of the slave
holding aristocracy, with whom would re-
side all but the shadow of political power.
The character of this would be confede-
racy, should it ever grow up into nation
has already been sufficiently developed be-
fore the world. Where in the history Of
people claiming to be civilized have un-
scrupuiousness, treachery, rspacity and
reckless disregard of all political and NOR
al obligations been more unblushingly dis
played' This confederacy has shown a
capacity for any future wrong, however
atroeious, that will serve its purpose.
Upon the designs Of the Confederates
light has been thrown by the revelations
OF the Louisville Journal and New York
World, respecting that military league, or
gained as early as 1854, and known as
the X g. &. A convention of these trait
ors, held at Raleigh, n c., in MAY, 1860,
In their address to the people Of the South
ern States proclaim their great object to
be the possession Of Mexico, together with
complete control Of the Gulf They coyet
Mexico as territory adapted to slave la
bor.' They ayow their aim to be to ssor-
ganize and remedy the peon system OF
that country, and ito protect by law
all Africans landed on its shores. They
declare 1.-The conquest policy and slave in
stitutlons' to be the only basis Of an en-.
during republic II, now, the X. G. c.
be the soul of the present rebellion of the
rebel government and confederacy, then
the policy aud purpose Of the nation il
would create are boldly declared, conquest
the revival of the African slave trade, and
the propsgandism and perpetuation o
slave institutions.
The present rebellion, if successful, "a
tablishes such government and nation o,
our southern border. And have the fire,
North and West no concern in the rise O
such an empire on this continent? Bor
uering on our territory along defenceles
frontier OF thousands Of miles, holding tn
mouth of the Mississippi and some fiftee
hundred miles of seaboard, hating the fire
States with hatred intensified BY all til
memories Of the present struggle, actuate
by new national rivalry of our prosper
ty, fearful of our power and jealous Of on
armed opposition to its policy, maintai,
ingan army aspiring topolitical ascendenc
hthe western continent, can we hatter on
selves with the prospect Of peaceful ind
pendence and unchecked progress Too,
widely extended and exposed territol
they will give nopeace. Policy, fear, jes
ousy, ambition. the antagonsm Of primo
pies and aims will arm them against us.
Diplomacy, bribery, and all political al
hellish articles will be employed still flu
ther to divide and weaken the Unit
States. California would be at once !
saulted and their emissaries would