The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-10-29
A GREAT DOCUMENT.
LETTER FROM LIFE LONG DEMOCRAT.
Opintons ~ George Bancrss en- the
war and National PoIlsHcs.
New YoRK, Oct. Is. 1869.

tude tor the good Will which mas leo your
convention of delegates from "the Peo-
pies Union Association" by an unex-
peoted and spontaneous vote, to nominate
me uDan,m. usly as their candidate for
| representative of the eighth congressional
district. This act receive as coming
from mon who are awake TO the perils
that overhang our beloved country, and
" no pledge themselves as citizens to be
governed by loyalty to the people.
The next Congress will have before it
the most important subjects that ever en-
gagged the attention Of representative
body since the convention that framed
our constitution and yet we seem to
await the day of election with fearful
levity or want of considcrateness as though
the old methods of preparation. which
may prove sufficient in q season Of un-
clouded prosperity. would serve for this
hour, when our system itself is threaten
ed with over brow. /, is hcart-breaking,
nfter the lavish outpourlng of the blood of
those dearest to us, to contemplate the
chances of failure from divisions and wa
vering in the North. Yet after VIC have
sent out from this city alone troops
enough to constitute formidable army,
we are advised to manifest at the polls
our consent to disruption OF the coun-
try. We send men from every house
hold to the war they show in the battle
field the most heroic courage, and yet we
are asked to vote that the war has no OBJ
ject, that we fight only to retreat with
shame if we are beaten, and to submit
with shame if We are Victorious.
The only possible chance for speedy
end of this war is in its instant aud vigor
Gus prosecution. Hesitation brings chaos
and prolongs the strife indefinitely
There must 10 one soul in the president,
the army and the people, or the contest
will drag along under the distractions of
conflicting and uncertain opinions and
the short sighted desire to gair peace by
submission nay change it into seven
years war, q thirty years war, OF a
war for generations. Quick, united ac-
ton can alone bring i 10 an early end.
The voice Of The Ssaterof New York, as
pronounced inythe elections, viii ring
through the civilized world Shall we
not do eur part to make that voice clear
for the Union Are We to devote all our
resources to carry on the war and then &c
TO the polls to express the opinion tina,
the war, which certainly was forced upon
us an1 could not have been avoided. was
unnecessary and a mistake! Are the cit
izens of New York to be so inconsistent
as to strain every nerve to gain the mas
terry in tie field, and then to signify at the
pulls readiness to faint and succumb
When the oligsrchy of the South began
the war by wantonly insulting our flag,
this people rose up with calm and reso-
lutte earnestness which was surpassed only
by the sublime patience and moderation
with which they bore defeat and misman
agement, aud uncertain guidance Shall
we now proclaim that this zeal was de-
fusion
The tory party of England, all the old
hereditary enemies to the perfect develop
ment of our free institutions, have beer
from the beginning eagerly hoping to Sc,
our beautiful flag rent in twain forever
and have been unremitting in their advice
to us to let half of the Union go. Shall
We adopt them for our counselors 1t i.
one of the saddest things, in this time o.
general sorrow, that an effort is made tt
persuade our fellow citizens of foreign
birth to give their votes in the interest o.
the very party of the English aristocracy
which from generation to generation op
pressed them at home.
1 Our bankers, with noble patriotism
+ placed their wealth at the service of tn,
government. Are they now TO be toll
that their loans were offered without q
purpose and without any Iced? That the
government should have sought peace at
any price, even at the sacrifice of our ma
tional character. by covering before the
conflict which all the possible depreca
tions Of pusillanimity could not have
avoidedY Will they consent to see tn
government 50 paralyzed and its policy 81
uncertain, as to jeo pard the restoration o
public credit, and to invite the intcrposi
ton Of foreign powers?
Are our merchants prepared to wear
themselves from the free use of the Ches
apeake and the Mississippi Will they
after having won back these great high
ways, give them up to confederac.
which is the child Of rebellion and which
from inherent causes will, in case of it
. separation, be necessarily hostile to us
! True, our interests are bound up with
the South. But is the surrender of tn,
|, capes Of the Chesapeake, and Of the Tor
tugas, and of the Mississippi. to restore
profitable commerce. Will the relinquish
/ ment forever of vast tracts of country
D the Italics of the United States, unsur
passed for beauty, fertility and heathful
!, ncss-prove the best mode of promotin,
y the exchanges of domestic products
e Will the bar Of custom houses, stretche,
i across the channels Of our mighty rivers