The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-01-08

country by Shareholders during the gen
Grafton in which they administered tn
Government That idea is that Slavery
not freedom, is the chief thing guaran
J teed by the Constitution to the people o
the United States. And the policy O.
government wherever our armies 60, car
ries that idea with them. Whatever sac
rifce Of life, or of property of an inferior
character may occur, our Generals com.
handing have assured the Shareholders
that their rights in human property shall
be rehgiously respected under the sane
tons of the Presidential oath. Thus it
occurs that the opposing armies are con
fessediy arrayed for the preservation of
Slavery the one under the corrupted
idea Of the Constitution which regards it
as the charter of Slavery, and the other
under the new Confederate Constitution,
which has expressly constituted Slavery
its corner stone" Practically the diff
ference is one of form, not of substance,
and were it not for the underlying ideas
which make it an "irrepressible conflict
terms of compromise might eventually
be suggested and accepted by the contend
ing parties.
| But "deep down in the American
heart" lies love Of justice and of liber-
| ty, and devotion to the rights Of human
nature and the freedom OF mankind, which
glorles in the ideas and spirit of the faith
ers, and regards with loathing and scorn
that Slaveocratic perversion of the Con-
stitution which has made ii the charter,
and our flag Of Stars aud Stripes the Orr
famine of Slavery. Can that sentiment
be eradicated from the American heart?
Will it yield to the exigencies Of expedi-
| eaeies2 Isthe "irreprcssibie conflict the
mere catchword Of a political campaign,--
the dogma of demagogue; or is it the
eternal truth of history and philosophy
| If the former then this war is wicked and
unnecessary, aud should be speedily CON-
promised on whatever terms. But if the
latter be true, then the war is but nat
ural outburst of the conflict, and We will
be false to liberty and to humanity II we
fail to prosecute it to a bloody and final
issue, under the flag baptized in the blood
of our fathers-the heroic champions of
liberty aud the rights of mankind. This
rebellion kindled BY the ungoverned pas
sions and ambition Of q Slave oligarchy
and bursting forth in the lurid flames Of
despotic hostility TO freedom and free
government, must be quenched in blood,
or long night Of despotism will settle
down npan mankind
1t is time the Government had decided
the question for itself. 1t is time for
Congress to declare its con victions. The
long suffering patience of the people is
well nigh exhausted. They were called
10 war, and their sons by tens of thou
sands have persisted in the hospitals and
camps from disease and neglect, but they
have not been suffered to engage even in
the mimicry Of war on scale and under
policy suited to the hostile attitude of
the contending hosts Complaints are
rife through the camps, and they are
echoed too generally by the people that
our troops are made police force for the
protection of Shareholders, and nothing
more and that the war exhibits no other
progress, or benefits than the mulliplica-
ton OF useless officers with high salaries
and swarms of army contractors and spec
ulators growing rapidly and fabulously
rich, and intent on an indefinite con,inu-
ance Of this police war. From the pres
en-, temper Of the people it seems clear
that this thing is about played out. The
Administration must enter upon system
Of effective warfare, or II will be left even.
tually to compromise as best it can. Had
the people supposed six months ago that
the SO called Confederate Territory and
forces would remain intact to the present
time, and that the prospect Of opening the
blockade Of the Mississippi would be
more remote in mid winter than at mid
summer, there would have been no such
haste on their par. as they did exhibit in
placing six hundred thousand men in the
field. What was not dreamed of then is
reality now, and the people are impressed
| that all has been conducted in accordance.
with the wishes and purposes of the AID.