The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-01-08
WAR FOR CONVENTIONAL LIB.
ERTY.


tration came into power. the Preslden,
called for sevesty-iv thousand troops to
protect Washington, dc. protesting, at
the same time, that he had no intention
of invading the disloyaf States. In spite
of the protest, which was not at all ac-
ceptable to the people Of the North, vol
unteers rallied and offered their services
five times as fast MS the Government.
could provide clothing. arms and mum
tions for them Washington was reliev-
ed and made safe Then came the rec
omendation for authority to raise four
hundred thousand men, which Congress
increased to half million, and under
which more than six hundred thousand
men have enlisted. Hundreds of thous-
ands of men, tens of millions of money,
unlimited and unquestioned authority,
have been freely granted by the people
and their Represe natives, to the Presi-
dent of the United States, for the purpose
of crushing out this gigantic rebellion of
the Shareholders, which is rapidly bring.
ing ruin and daso'ation upon the country
at home, and sinking it into derision and
contempt abroad
How have this Grand Army Of the
people, these immense treasures, this die
tatorial authority been used TO Whist end
and with what results Six hundred
thousand men in the field through the
fall and now into mid winter, and but one
single battle fought in which the forces
on our side amounted even to six thous
aud men, and that one battle "scream-
ing and disgraceful rout" of our troops.
That tells the whole story. The
thoughts of this Administration are bent
on peace. Six hundred thousand men in
the field at cost of two millions Of dol
lars per day, exhibits, as the total effect
i've results, Judgment at Hatteras and
Port Royal, and everything quiet on
the Potomac" The entire policy of the
war thus far. lis sicklied Ger by that
pale cast of thought" which Honest
Old Abe used to regard as ''donghface. !"
and which q greater than he denounced
as doug headed" also.
For twenty years or more, the course
OF political discussion has been such that
the conservation of Slavery has become
the prominent idea involved in the men
tion Of the Constitution of the United
States. AS to most minds, Presbyterian
ism signifies simply Predestination, SO to
the people Of the United States the Con.
stltution seems to mean the pretensions
OF Shareholders. And looking, as we
have, with some care into the public docu-
ments OF the country during a score Of
Yeas past. We find that in ninety-nine
cases of a hundred in which the Constitu
ton is appealed to, it is as the charter
and bulwark of the peculiar rights and
privileges Of Shareholders. So that when
Abraham Lincoln came to take his off,
eial oath as President Of the United States
and swore that he would support and
maintain the Constitution, the people CIV.
erywhere instinctively apprehended that
he swore to maintain Slavery whatever
else might fall And it was taken 70,
granted that Mr.. Lincoln would become
Impressed by and act upon that public
, sentiment of the country, and which had
become In some sense the common and
essential idea of the Constitution.
The casual and accidental clauses of thu
institution recognizing the rights OF per
sous IN certain State. to the services o.
4 certain other persons escaping to neigh
During States, have in the progress o
time and events assumed such huge pro
portions OF practical importance as t,
overshadow all the principles and provi
nons OF that grand framework Of Gov
eminent. establishing Constitutional Lib
erty, which used to constitute the plor,
o. our Fathers, and the pride and boas
Of their children The idea of the Con
stitution a. cur Fathers made it, was cor
rnpted and degraded BY Shareholders j,
authority, till, instead Of Charter Q
Freedom and equal rights. it became t
be regarded as charter Of vested ripht
IN. perPetnity TO Shareholders to ope
marts tor their human chat,els whereye
on land or sea the flag Of our countr
might BE- nafurlcd to the breeze. An,
then when the ,.ao,,1a alarn.a a.