The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-10


Buchanan and during the first months Of
MIR. Lincoln. advanced to the encounter
with so formidable : power. 1t will
never doto me coercion, said the more
timid rs well - the more interested coun-
sellors; the sople will never submit to
such an infruction of State rights; we
must be concilistory, compromising
and wary. At length, when sevent ~ five
thousand volunteers we're called for, not
to crush the rebellion, but Ito retake and
repossess" the stolen fortresses of the
Union, the people answered with four
times seEenty-fye thousand men, al eager
not only to reconquer the purloined
property, but TO subbue the men by hom
il had been purlolned. That dread Of
coercion which 50 many had expressed
was the dread Of mere ghost, which as
soon Is it was touched was laid.
Again, We may recall how long the
efficiency Ut the Administration was
hsmpesedby = vague fear Of what wan
called the border State influence.
1t would not do, IL was said, to assault
slavery, though it had been the cause
Of the war, because il would aiienate
the affections of the border State
loyalists from the Union, and
produce q terrible diversion Of sent.
ment in those powerful communi-
ties lying all along the medium line
Fremont raised his battle axe against
that terror in Missouri, and the digni-
taries at Washington we're so frightened
that they instantly displaced Fremont
Hunter did the same in South Carolina,
and Hunter was disavowed. But it
would now appear from the result Of the
recent elections, that the terrible border
States are more strongly devoted to the
Administration than many of the free
States. Mary land, on the fret oppor-
tunity, chose decided Unionist Cover
nor and Unionist Legislature, and when
Lee crossed the Potomac and tried 10
charm her into rebellion with the most
-oo.hing promises accompanied by the
dulcet strains of "My Maryland, my Ma
ryland," she gave him kick instead of
a Welcome. Delaware has voted Tor
Republican Governor and Republican
Congressman, while Missouri, best of al,
late home Of the border ruthuns. has sent
avowed and Jealous emancipationists 10
Congress and to the State Legislature
Thus another frightful ghost was laid by
simple effort TO bring it to the light.
Again it was predicted by The imagin-
alive wiseacres of the nation, that if the
President issued proclamation declaring
the freedom of the slaves, about two
thirds of the officers of the army would
resign, and at least three-fourths of the
privates throw down their muskets We
are not aware that the President himself
WAS restrained by the fear OF any such
result we viii do him the justice 10
suppose that he was not but be that a.
it may, we know that when the procla-
nation was issued, it was found that the
prophets of evil had 80 far belied the
character Of our gallant men in the field
that not single resignation or single
act Of mutny Was recorded. On the
contrary, both officers and men seemed to
be inspired with new hope for their cause
by such an indication OF renewed energy
on the part of the superior authorities.-
Even among the volunteers from the
border States, engaged in the war in va
rious parts Of Missouri, Tennessee and
Kentucky, fresh life was infused into
the ranks by the manifestations of new
vigor in the Administration. That
dreadful ghost which had been conjured
up BY the politicians, of military insub-
ordination, was found to be no ghost at
all, and only the ghost of a ghost
We might, if it were worth while, find
an illustration of what we urge in the re-
moval of Mcclellan, which we were told
would disorganize the army and precipi-
tate the indignant masses upon the Gov
eminent, while the truth has been that
| McC lelhn retires more and more into
obscurity, the army moves steadily on,
and the whole affair would be forgotten
in = week i the newspapers and few
! politicians did not keep it alive.
i A thousand other instances, indeed,
from our own and other national histo-
ries, might be adduced to confirm the
conclusions that the safest a. well as W
sest course for statesmen is to adhere to
principles; to shrink from no imaginary
terrors of consequences and. when the
time comes to assert and do what is right
and just in itself, without regard to the
results which timorous minds predict.
They may rest assured, particularly in
country as enlightened as this is, that
the great mass Of the people are never
afraid Of truth, justice or humanity
They may be misled, for time, by mis-
representations Of the character of speci-
DC measures but when this is once un-
derstood they will rally effectively to the
right side.
- The war seems TO stimulate rather
than retard railroad improvements