The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-06-23

prayer alone that becomes our great duty
THE PRESIDENTS EMANCIPATION POLICY.
I do know that there are still four mil
lions Of slaves in the United States, two
millions in the rest of America, together
six millions of slaves in christian coun-
tries eighteen hundred years after the
cruriGxion; what ! do know is. that the
horrors of civil war have bsen let loose by
this fearful question, and that the peace
of the world is threatened, and Is already
disturbed
And what | am more happy to know
IL, that, by recent and important act -
a message of the s;h March, sent TO Con
gress by the President of the United
States, and adopted BY great majority
measures prudent, equitable, peaceful,
have been proposed to put al end Il
slavery, anti passed,
COMPENSATION is proposed to all the
States which agree to undertake in their
territory the gradual abolition of slavery,
No one can tell what will be the conse-
quence Of this proposition, because it de-
pends on the response Of the States. No
one is under compulsion; limit is as
signed to the evil, and q vent is opened
for it. For the frst time 10 sixty years
the central government takes part and
commits the whole nation to a vigorous
effort against the evil
Without being solved, the question
is then seriously under consideration, the
step has been made, . hope is opened
That makes another motive for me, and
an inexpressable need to pray God thai
he may deign TO bless an enterprise ths
pacific solution of which must lie ardent
" desired.
THE PLAGUE OF SLAVERY.
understand the objections Of thos,
who plead for slavery; / do not desire t.
discuss them 1t length. Not that they
do not tell me that the slaves are happy
and besides, that established fact be
comes lawful through duration Of time
Slaves sre happy. Yes, perhaps, unde'
good masters; they eat, they sleep, hay.
some hours OF repose. perhaps even may
be dissipated at pleasure, but have they
The domestic hearth--have they family
have they freedom, Poor disinteresiet
ones of the human family, they have los
no: only the right Of primogeniture, bu
all rights, and because they are some.
times allowed plate of lentils, proclama
ton is made that they are happy
AS for the doctrine Of established lacs
\ 1.ya ,,.S, af,av .ttt..xit.t -. "a
cation to the temporaliiies Of the church,
TO accept it's extension to its spiritual do.
main, which it most cherishes. Imnor,
tai souls, All the church knows the
price OF souls: and if she has sometimes
made sacrifice of part of her rights, even
the most incoatestible, when the higher
interest Of her mission has not made ii
her duty to maintain them, it has been
to reserve the right of saying to all the
world, with all the ardor of her love,
"Your souls, give me your souls, and
keep the rest Da mihi arimus; eoelera
tolll tibi.
Nor LET me be asked either to discuss
theoretic questions of slavery-let me
not be reminded that all ancient social
conditions have rested upon that--do not
seek to demonstrate to me, by force OF
hypothesis that can never be realized,
that slavery is not unlawful in itself, con-
sidered in certain way, under certain
conditions.
/ let alone abstract theories, and | look
at the facts. ! look at the number Of
times these conditions have been met in
history, and why, humanity being consti-
tuted such as it is, they might occur. l
look not at tho exceptional case, but at
the State, the foundation even, of lite and
of human dignity, condemned by slavery
to remediless abasement.
] do not trouble myself about abstrac-
tion and hypotheses. Certainly, | would
have much to say upon the origin Of this
obstinate and protracted universal plague
spot. How did mau reduce man to slave.
y? ] defy Its explanation 70 me unless
by original sin. How did the slave again
become the equal OF his master? l defy
its explanation unless through the Re.
demption. Slavery is so odious that its
0bbHOt OC UC CUMpTCucuuCuI
and 50 convenient, that its ending eaHaet
be comprshsnded.E Y
If touch upon the theory, | would
show that the unity Of the human family,
which, with us, is not an opinion. but q
dogma-let it be we'll understood, dog
ma. and even one of the grounds of our
faith has become also dogma Of science
would show that the unity of the hu-
man family, the principle Of dignity, Of
equality. of freedom, of humanity among
mankind, condemns and rebukes slavery ;
and ! would refer 70 the works Of Bru-
meubach and Of Tiedmanu, of HUMBOLDT
and Of Goelrey St. HiIlaire; would eall
upon my learned brothers N. dc Flod-
rens and II. Quatressges, and the celebra-
ted report Of the Duke de Broglio on this