The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-09

Lhe meeting OF congress. ne Eaiieffe
of both House and Senate were packe,
full yesterday, as in the times whe
Douglas used to fay the administration h
had placed in power, or Seward, befor
he had committed the unique folly o
transferring his back bone iato soft soap
used to charm even Mr. jefferson Davi
by those fine exhibitions of The strength
and stretch of the human understanding
| sat amidst a young paradise of ladies
endeavoring now to think whether eve
had seen so ordinary looking woman n,
Mrs. Stove, who sat not far of, no doubt
trying to determine which we're the bet
ter man, Uncle Tom or Senator Davis
aud anon trying to study out precisely
what the President was driving at, in such
parts of the message as could not be dis
,lnctly heard amid the rustlings of satin
In the gallery, and the senatorial hum
from below When the last splendid
paragraph was read. and "ADRAHAn
LINCOLN" fell loud upon the ear after
tina: fine sentiment of giving freedom to
the slave and assuring freedom to the
free, tie ladies' Involuntary began to
clap their hands and the men began to
stamp, but loud applause was promptly
stopped, as derocatory to the dignity of
the State-a very good joke on Powell
and MeDougal.
"And how was the message received at
Washington 7" some kind reader may ask.
1t was received in the true Washingtonian
style. The politicians looked wise, got
OH 'onnnerable slittcring generaltiss Of
praise or censure according to their feel
Ings; tho Kentucky assistant rebels,
Crlttenden, Wicklifs, Davis, ETC., went
10 their rooms to drink and growl; the
hearty, bluff Westerners swore cmpha,i-
'ally 1T would do, especially the practical
portions of it, whilst the more staid Yam
lees proper were sure there were many
good, and amiable, and honest, and ex-
'ellent things in it, though they regretted
hat such miserable word as .compro-
mise" should have been allowed TO appear
in II. To this the true men generally
assenfed, and agreed to attribute that to
Seward-which was done accordingly,
With great detestation, when every body
got amiable all around. Favorable opin-
on far outwcighed the unfavorable,
hough il is certain those who liked the
document most did not 60 off into any
cry sentim entail heroics, about it. The
avorablc criticism was like deep, broad
'lacid river, the unfavorable, like one of
Tour swift, turbulent, little streams, en-.
mored of its own fuss, full of foam, and
hurting bubbles.
The full reports of the heads of De-
'artments Except of the Treasury, which
S not yet completely have attracted un-
Usual attention and remark. That of the
Secretary of War WILL no doubt, be the
most read and a1mir,I by the people. 1t
) the production OF master mind and
intense patriot. From it we learn that
ne military capacities Of our free govern
lent are well nigh mex austable-greater
o doubt, then were the military capaci-
les OF Rome when "the tramp of her Lee
ions echoed round the world" or Of
rance, when the TRAD Of Napoleon's
rmies Numbered from the Russian Capt.
III to Gibraltar. and from Paris to beyond
he Pyramids. And yet, Secretary
TIA nton, lifelong Democrat, declares
alphabetically that to put down the Rebel
lon.we must put down Slavery--that even
'ur armies, of unparalleled bravery, num-
'ers and efficiency, cannot conquer an
honorable peace, but by the help Of Free
om and of Heaven.
The reports are all able documents and
vill be more generally read by the peo-
Die, l do not doubt, than any of their
predecessors have been.
"All is quiet along the line of the |
Army OF the Potomac" Burnside, when
le changed McCIellan's programme, and
determined upon the march to Freder-
cksburg, did we'll. He performed that
march in SO incredibly short time, that
{ must make McClcllan's head swim to
hink about it. 1t was the finest march
If the war - days with Burnside were
IS good as months with Mcclellan, But