The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-02-28
IFrom the N. Y. World.1

from the N. Y. World.1
But, let come what may, the Northern peo-
pie will be eternally disgraced il they barter
away one iot Of their manhood. Whether
they save the Union or not, their self-respect
must be saved. Whethera nation has larger
or smaller limits matters little; but it docs
matter that it should have character--it
does matter that it should have seal Fer
oil the efforts Of high minded and true heart
ed men to bring back peace, We arc properly
grateful-msn who loyalty labor to remove
passion and prejudice and misconception,
and, as they are men of principle themselves,
are as incapable Of asking as they are Of ma
king any base compliance. We say, God
speed their noble work. But there are other
spirits in the feld-Northern men without
serious purpose or coDviction-wretched
creatures whose very nature it is to cringe
and to beg, who have always had Southern
him-the same tribe that Webster spoke of !:
"Doughfaces, with dough heads, and dough
hearts, and dough souls they are all dough !;
the coarsest potter may mould them to vcs-
sells of honor and dishonor-most readily to
vessels Of dishonor." These people are for
propitiating tho South at all costs. There
is no degradation they are not prepared to
stoop to, if so be they may keep the border
States in and get the cotton States back
They 20 for compromise, - they say; bat
the compromise they 60 for 10 simply tho
sheerest surrender. Slavery makes no claim
they are not Wiling to grant, imposes no en-
gagement they are not ready TO make. Many
Of them, beyond ell question, would willingly
consent even to the most infamous OF infa-
mies-ths re-opening Of the African slave
trade itself-if slavery we're yet prepared to
demand it. To call these soulless towards
pescemakers 10 the grossest abuse Of the
word. Peace is blessing for freemen; it
rests ON law it fnds its guarantees in ins-
toe. Submission to arbitrary demands is
not peace, nor does il bring tho fruits OF
peace. 1t il vassalage, and its end is death.
We say, then, the Union If possible, but
Union or no Union, MANHOOD FIRST and man
hood always. How much, not involving alb
solute moral wrong, il may be meet 30 yield
TO relieve the present complication Of affairs;
how long it will be wise, under the new ad-
ministration, to continue TO enforce the laws
upon an unwilling people, must be deter
mined by shapes and aspects yet to come; but
never, mere, Haaef- ANY, circumstances, ia
any extremity, must the North humiliats H.
self by surrende. which its conscience and
its sense OF honor cannot approve. 10 these
last years change has come over the South
ern mind, 80 thas what they once confessed
40 evil, they now boast to be their supreme
social good. That change, attribute il to
what We please, 10 an accomplished fact. We
have no power, and want no power over it.
But We do have the power Of preventing its
being forced upon %, and il is our duty to
exercise it. We do have the power OF pre-.
venting its turning our glorious constitu-
tional Bsis, which Was consecrated to free
dom by our fathers, into an Internal device
for the perpetuatioD and extension OF bond
age; and every consideration OF honor, every
mandate OF conscience, every sentiment Of
respect for those who have gone before us,
every aspiration for influence among the ma
tons, every interest Of civilization, and ev-
cry dictate Of humanity, oblie@., rs to thwart
this unhallow ed business. We must not ma
tionalise slavery. We mus. not consent that
iss sole interests shall shape the policy OF
the country. Not yielding this, tho Union
may end. So be it. Fifty Unions could
not be vorfh the sacrifice Of honest conrfc-
tion and the prostrofion of manly spirit in.
volved in giving in to such bshests a. zoe
hare heard, and are yet daily hearing. No
honorable effort is to be spared to maintain
the governments on its old basis. Whatever
just authority can do, or generous concilia-
ton can do, to secure that, let il be done TO
the full. But when it comes to be.raying
our faith and beiylng our principles, there
must be stop; consequences must cease TO
be regarded; we must stand firm, and, trust
ing to the God above rs, take what follows.
Nothing can ruin US il We only hold fast to
our integrity.