The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-09-29
nd freedom, without let or hindrance

!. and freedom, without let or hindrance.-
/ The whole coast is clear of treacherou
rocks and breakers. No possible rctur
is dreaded. No appeal to Courts 0
Judges 10 necessary. Let the slave nov
almost or quite alone in the field or work
, shop, clear the clutches of his master
} and he has made the goal of coveted free
dom. The absence of so many men il
The army has greatly increased the oppor
tuniti,s 10 ,.eape with safety. The fea
of instruction and Tie massacre Of tht
| loved ones ut home, will call many home
thus depicting the army. The seculil,
pledged to the slave will cast the die fol
i thousands The corn and cotton fields Of
the stakeholder will be abandoned for the
heritage of liberty new smiling upon them
across our lines. Work is abandoned
agriculture and the mechanic arts, il
arts may be mentioned in this connection
are neglected. A State of misrule and
general wretchedness ensues--grant it
But the grand object of the proclamation
is attained, the rebel army is impover-
ished with the country and its power
weakened if not broken.
1t may be said that the slave will not
find out the dangerous privilege about to
be extended to him. | am wont to be-
lieve that the sscret as too great to be kept.
1t will be published in the newspapers,
talked of in every circle, and very soon
understood by white and black Already,
they know enough to excite desire, and
inspire hope. What shall check the pro-
gress of the knowledge o. til, el,ctrify.
ing fact or suppress the rising hopes OF
these oppressed millions, or who can tel,
how many III have to leave the army TO
take care Of the "Niggers" at home?
The fact is. many of them will defy
the power that enthralls them, How
many have escaped to the United States
and TO Canada, despite all law and gov
ernmental espionage! How many have
welcomed the advance of the Union army
southwark How many have thronged
our lines, notwithstanding opposing or
ders. and the fearful probability Of being
returned to infuriate masters Let For
tress Monroe and Port Royal, speak their
words of warning. Let the welcome ring
out from our nations Capital, sustained
by the greatest army and navy that ever
shook the earth or ploughcd the ocean,
COME AND BE FREE. and who shall restrain
the multitude, ignorant and misguided
though it be. You are ready to exclam
what can be done with them. God only
knows what can be done with them. |
suppose the President does not presume
10 know what can be done with them
He is not SO much in the interest Of the
negro, as of the white man. He is not
now deciding upon the future fate of the
Slave, but upon the present fate of the
Republic. What though they perish by
the thousand What though the voice
Of woe may rcsound through the land,
and humanity shudder at the sight of ne
gro wretchedness; we can only hope for
the best, and act for the best, when
we come to know how we can serve them
best but the power of the foe must be
broken. The necessities of war alone
the measure. Those who have
sown Ito the wind" must expect to "reap
The whrlwind. The best blood of the !
nation is being poured out as water in
the effort to save the country, and the ul-
Innate fate Of the slave or of his master
in the event of emancipation. cannot lon.
ger bar the most vigorous efforts of the
Government to crush its foes. Res pub
ltca, perpetud esto- E. w. GRAY,
Camp Lincoln, 3Oth Regf
sept. 10Th. 1868 iowa Vol
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