The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-01-01

joys ana SORROWS, us stupendous crimes
and heroic achievements, has gone to the
grave of the buried centuries. On this
nation, the year opened in the tumult of
political dissensions. 1t closes in the
presence of gigantic civil war. The
year found us a nation of mammon-wor-
shippers. Itleaves us nation of soldiers.
With sudden velocity we have rushed
from piping peace to grim-visaged war
To day million men stand defiant, clad
in death dealing armor. On the one hand
loyal hosts arrayed for LIBERTY, on the
other rebellious traitors fighting for SLA-
vERY-such is the stupendous spectacle
presented to an astonished world, and the
Nations look on with trembling anxiety.
"Watchman, tell us of the Night" -
VIII Liberty triumph? or must Slavery
take new lease of life, and with its
clanking chains fetter the struggling limbs
Of humanity for indefinite ages! Is the
life of our nation exhausted Has il run
its race aud finished it's course as Nation?
Or is this one of those ife-or-death strug-
giles incident to the existence of oil ma
tons, as well as to individuals, from which
it may come forth purified though scathed,
aud strengthened by the conflict for new
career of prosperity and glory? Who
shall answer these questions Who shall
say what the new year has in store for us ?
One great truth is established BY the
light of history. Since Christianity dawn
ed upon the world, the Human Race, ia
king one age with another, has made a
steady progress toward the perfection
which. under God, it is capable of reali-
zing. Nations may have fallen. but ever
more the Race has been advancing. Bar
barism has steadily reccded before Civil
zaiinn- Science has crowded upon ieaer-
ance, and Christianity has never ceased in
its career of peaceful conquests. Here
and there tribe or nation, failing in
the elements of true manhood, may have
gone down. but Man has steadily gained
gained in knowledge, in power over the
elements of nature, in freedom.
Is this progress to cease? Is barbarism
to return? If We can trust human Reason,
No. If there is any truth in History. No.
Ii there is any certainty in Divine Reve-
lation, Man must go forward. With the
same confidence that the Christian can
trust in God, he can console himself with
the assurance that truth and justice shah
triumph. and Righteousness and Peace be
established on earth.
But from this conclusion, what may we
infer for our Nations Not necessarily
that it must escape the wreck of former
nations, because God has destined HUI.
man Society to ever-advancing progress
and final success. The life of the Race is
distinct from that of nation, as the life
of the Nation is distinct from that of the
individual And rs an individual may
fail to achieve his destiny, and be cast-a.
way, while the life of the Nation flows on
IN the full glow Of health, SO may natior
be wholly wrecked, and Get the Race con
tinue in its onward and upward course.
DO not these reflections suggest the
conditions of national permanences /,
there not one and the same basis for indi
vidual and national character and great
ness. The latter. though distinct, is We
dependent upon the former, and the lif,
of the one flows into the other as tn,
river into the ocean. Dry up the foun
tains of the rivers and what becomes 0
the ocean, The individual can not empt,
himself of his manhood with IMMUNITY
For virtue and manliness, love Of jus.ic,
and conscientious respect for the rights 0
others, mercy and self-sacri6ce, are tn
indispensable elements Of healthy exis.
erce, whether individual or national. An,
if in the place Of these manly virtues th
lower passions get the sway, and the indi
vidual gives himself up to the iyrrany 0
vainglory and selfish greed, and di.bones
self-seeking sPd filthy self qualification
how speedily does he become misersbl,
failufe.--a nuisance in society, offensiv,
70 God and man. All that was mani,
and generous and noble vas csrrcsse,
BY the early Roman in the word rsr-tus-
mAnllness, and Roman virtue" was .
Proverb. And Set in the latter days Of til.
Empire, see that fearful catalogue Of dis