The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-04-07
THE GATE CITY.
Dscl.rs the National lsavv.

X E OK u X:
MONDAY, APRIL


Declare the National Iaw.
Liberty is God given right, the her
itage Of mankind. Slavery is an infrac
tion Of the Law Of God and the order OIL
nature, having Its inception in violence
and piracy. God and man condemn
'9man-stsaliag," and all slavery has il
origin in that enormous crime. Our great
national charter is not based on that in
Equity; it is charter to protect liberty
Freedom is national, slavery is sectional !;
liberty is the Law of the land, bondage is
the custom of locality; freedom is the
rule, slavery the exception. Slavery is
repudiated by our national Constitution
even to the exclusion Of the idea and the
word from the language in which its pro.
visions are couched; and only infereniially
is it recognized as relation existing in
some Of the States Of the Union. As !
matter Of fact the relation is one peculiar
to State laws and State customs, in dero-
Cation of universal right and national law
Such is the fact now, and such was the
idea of the founders of the Republic and
the trainers Of the Constitution. But the
aim of the advocates and propagandists Of
slavery for generation or more has been
to change this fundamental idea. They
have sought to make slavery national, Ia
extend it by virtue Of the Constitution
into the Territories Of the United States
and to peryert the Constitution into o
charter Of slavery. Hence they have in.
sisted, in direct and palpable contraven-
tion of the plain language of the Consti-
tuition, that it expressly recognises prop
erty in man, and that il carries this re-
cognition by the simple force of its pro-
visions wherever on land or sea the flag OF
the country floats.
The idea is preposterous, and in its
logical consequences subverts the liberties
and the constitutions of the free States,
yet the Supreme Court of the United
States and nineteen ,twentieths of the Dem
ocratic leaders Of the country gave in their
adhesion to the doctrine under the bred
Scott opinion. The advocates of tina.
idea were met, answered and defeated in
the canvass which resulted in the election
Of Mr.. Lincoln to the Presidency. But
those whose interests were directly Ia.
volyed, refusing to accept the verdict o.
the people, rebelled against the Govern
ment, repudiated the Constitution anc
organized Government for them
selves on the boosted "corner stone =
of human slavery. Whatever may b.
the issue of the contest into which
they have plunged the country by ar
appeal to arms, the people demand oil
Congress the fruits of victory achieved al
the ballot-box last November. Let Con
gress declare at once in unmistakeaba.
terms and in practical legislation tha
freedom is national. Abolish slavery II
the District Of Columbia, exclude ans
prohibit it in the Territories, Navy Yards
Forts. Arsenals, and wheresoever the "a
of the country floats over land or sea IN
der the exclusive jurisdiction Of the M
tional Government. Let the sentimen
Of the nation, the voice of the people, fin
expression and be heard the wide-worl
over in favor of liberty in the exercise .
the powers of legislation to the utmo.
limits of the Constitution. And havin
done what We could in behalf Of freedor
by direct legislation and BY the tender {
aid to the Border States in the project {
emancipation, We may hope for the favo
Of God and man in the final issue Of on
distresses flowing from this "fount Of a
our woes