The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-04-25
KEOKUK IOWA FRIDAY, APRIL Is, 1862.

ment aud under the command Of Gener-
/ al Halleck-were sent in pursuit of the
fugitiyes. The hunt was successful. The
slaves we're caught and returned to ther
tair masler, but not until one Of them
had been shot by order OF the soldier in
command of tho pursuing, party.
Mr.. President, how long shall We per-
NIT such conduct as this to 20 unrebuked?
Docs any one suppose that the people will
quietly submit 70 the imposition Of taxes
to support State militia IN the field that
is to be employed in the capture of slaves
for the benefit of officers in the rebel army?
IL ii supposed that the Senators from Iowa
will silently, patiently permitthe gallant
officers from that State TO be outraged iA
the manner have described
II is quite time, Mr.. President, that
some definite policy should be established
for the treatment Of escaped slaves; and
/ am of the opinion that Congress has
been grossly derelict in permitting the evil
to 60 SO long unregulated and unchecked.
We have almost us many diverse systems
of dealing with this class Of persons as we
have military departments. In one mil
itary district fugitive slaves have been
pursued, logged, and returned 10 their
masters BY our army; in another they
have been simply pursued and returned
Without fogging; in another they have been
pursued and shot in the attempt to return
them /; in another they have been termed
"contraband" and received within our
lines in the mixed character OF persons
and property. In the absence Of any au-
thoritatise declaration of Congress, none
of these modes may be held 70 be in con-
flict with law other than the law of COM
mon sense and common decency.
1t is obvious that the article Of War
which have quoted does not meet the
case presented by Major Gen. Halleck in
his order No. 3. That celebrated mani
festo declares in substance that oil per-
sons from the enemy's country shall be
excluded from our lines. The plain pur-
pose u this order is to prohibit fugitive
slaves from ESCAPING. from the rebellious
districts, and thereby securing their free
dom. 1t was doubtless compeient for
Gen Halleck to issue such an order, and
has nsdo ana can,;n.as ~ ,naLs s,.;.,as
- -.r for ~. rnvs-nmsnt oe IL 49,
and N.rv - eoun,ermand i And i.
!, onah, + H. conn,ermandad w;ll -,
pause to discuss the humanitarian features
Of the question Public policy, no less
NJ r. fara.ar a,.saa Tha.a naas. -
-ss var waaed n tho h;storv &c ,ha
world where he means of acoui,inr infor-
nation of the enen,y's position and mum.
bers from people in his own midst was
more annie than here. and there never
was one where the com mandinp officers
have suffered more from lack Of such in
formation. Order No. 8 proposes to in
corporate the fatuity and blindness which
remained unvritten in other military de.
partments lnto historica aErecord md nub-:
i,c advertisement Il proposes % warn
All persons against bringing information
az the enemv,s movement r. onr camns
under pensltv Of be;np turned hack 10 re.
ceiye such nuni.hment IS tI,e enemy
NAV choose 70 ipf3ict for betrav;np them
or for running avay and betravipr com.
bined. No organization Of secret service
can meet all the requirements Of an army
operating in an enemy's country unless
aided by some portion of the Inhabitants
Of the country. What folly, then, to
wall out and repel the very inhabitants
who might bring us the information We
most needed, and who have everywhere
shown m eagerness to do 80.
II is the undoubted right and the duty
Of every nation, when engaged in right
eous war-and no other than a righteous
war is justi6able 1t all-to avail itself Of
every legitimate means known to civilized
warfare to overcome the enemies. What
win be Thought BY postsrity Of thn ma
ton, IL. in the present ameroency. ne not