The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-08

The Commercial Aspects Of Dis.
union--in Economic View Of rhs
/ Contest
The Aussicsh Railroad Journal. which
has always been among the .nost.uscfn
and inielii.ently conducted OF the trade
journals Of this country, has recently con-
tanned some excellent articles on the
bearings OF the pr, sent war and of dis
| union on the commercial interests of the
whole country. One of these papers, By
Mr.. 8. DeWitt Bloodgnhl is entitled
An Economic View of Tile resent Con-
test 1t has been reprinted from the
Railroad Journal in a separate sheet for
general distribution, and II deserves To be
widely read We commend the follow
iny extracts from this able article to all
who have an interest in the continued
prosperity of the country and its speedy
development:
Let us never forget that all our
greatness has been derived from the pro-
tective power of the Republic. las unity
Of constitution and of Law has made the
people of this country until now a band
Of brothers, and the Obstacles TO our pro-
gress have becu comp ratively nothing !;
nothing in the character Of oar insiitu-
tions has ever retarded ii for moment
Thus all our public works have had 3
noble national character. Our Erie Canal,
though purely State work, opened .
pathway to remote States, and actually
benefited them as much if not more than
,nsss!ves. 1t depressed the price of land
East, and raised, it at the West; it less
ened the value of grain here, it enhanced
it there, yet it's construction increased the
comfort, the wealth and the happiness Of
millions, and these in q reciprocity, guided
by interest, have crowded our marts, and
have given US full share of their general
prosperity. s., of our railways; these
have been stretching themselves along
mile after mile, until aii the States,
North, South, East aud West, were con-
nceted by apparently indissoluble ties.
lie pulse Of business beat regularly
through the body polite alike through all
its veins, and the current OF life and &C
tiyity Was full, healthy and strong. So
in the navigation of orr rivers and lakes.
The steamers built In New York piled on
Southern waters as if in their " native
element" The merchant was one day
at his counting house in the city, the next
day transaeting peacefully his business in
ST. Louis, and two days afterward at New
Orleans. In every form, in all varieties
of action and business relations. VIC were
homogeneous. friendly and prosperous.
All the States had one grand and power
full representative and an -Egis that pro-
tected all.
"Ours was a National Government,
with strength and authority enough not
only to decide oil domestic differences be
fore common and venerated tribunal,
but TO shield the hunbiest citizen, native
or adopted, in every part of the world.
But let Us imagine for moment what
is to become of us and ours if the Union
is to be severed, and whot is TO be the
end Of even peaceable separation.
In the hrst pllee all further security
in our future politica! engagements and
contracts is gone forever. 1t the solemn
agreement of the people to remain for
ever III perpetual union.' for this was
the compact, can now he broken with
IMMUNITY, what in this world can we ever
trust agains
But besides destroying all future con-
6dence in political constitutions, il will
leave the States in the most unprotected
and hopeless condition. Internal differ
ences which cannot possibly exist under
the Constitution rs it is, win rise up in
endless forms when We have none. The
weaker States, now politically as strong
as the strongest, will have to seek alliance
and protection from their nearest and
more powerful neighbors. These, if hu-
man experience is guide and history not
lie, will not give the required protec-
tion without some equivalent for the SER
vice, which will be state of vassalage at
once. The question of boundaries will
be source OF perpetual vrangling; the
navigation of the western rivers, which
pass through many territories and empty
| luto tue OuHy tnost winch ueUoucut IN
the Atlantic or the Lakes, will be inter
rup,ed by local duties, - on the Elbe and
the Rhine, for each party will seek to
diminish its own taxation BY laying it on
others. Long lines Of connecting rail-
ways viii become an impossibility without
tribute Of tolls, or payments for the right
of way, and for the same reason. The
tariffs on imports will be a. numerous a
the States that are in want OF money
currencies aud coins Of these win also be
different. and a. unstable rs the legisls-
tion which creates them, for this will q.
ways be for local advantage, and of course
always selfish. Travel from one part oil
the country to the other will always be