The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-04-26

ccptod BY tho world abroad in this r.
spect except the abolishing or initiating
the abolishing Of slavery. Whatever W
may think on the subject, those commu.
mites and countries to which We must
look for immigration, capital and credit
do so regard it, and that is conclusive.
Abolish slavery, and the embarrassmen,s
Of the financial crisis may be tided orcr
in view of the broad foundation thereby
laid for future solvency; but on the other
hand refuse to do so, or even do nothing,
and | can see no other fate than iepudia-
ton in store for Missouri.
Gratz Brown il man of the people, and
even the !" butternut mudsills" Of his
State can appreciate the following:
The thing--the practical deed slavery
extinction, can be accomplished in Mis-
/ souri, In defiance of the bold attempt that
has been made by early law givers to tie
the hands Of all after generations, and
that At almost a nominal cost to the peo-
pie Of the State. 1t can be done without
infringing line Of the Constitution, and
without the cost of Eve millions--far less
| fifty millions Of dollars And foremost
in the discussion Of this subject in its Pc
cuniary bearings, let the fact be borne 10
mind that the institution Of slavery in the
hands of its few proprietors rests as a
blight upon the industry and property Of
niue hundred and City odd thousand non.
Shareholders, and it is matter of vital
self-defence on their part that the speed.
est methods should be used to initiate its
extinction. They have the right to use
oil the moral and political appliances to
relieve their own property from this incu.
bus, and the duty they owe to posterity
demands that they exercise that right
1t needs only, then, that the non-slave-
holding people Of this common wealth shall
take into their own hands lite ordinary
government and say. no longer shall it be
administered in the interest of slavery.
but rather in sympathy with freedom, and
they will have accomplished, in great
part, the desired result None knew bet
ter than the advocates Of the slave system
how entire it is dependent for vitality
upon the public opinion Of ths communi-
ty where il exists. And none feel more
keenly the frst breath Of moral condsm-
nation that comes from the governing
classes. l affirm, therefore, that it is
mot only necessary to give body and form,
to the public will Of Missouri--to utter
the deliberate verdict of our grea. State
against the longer continuance of slavery
within its confines, and the hours will be
few that it will lingsr in the land. In
proof Of this position ! cite the fact that
within the last two years, in presence Of
the bare discussion of the subject Of
emancipation, in view Of the uncertain
tenure of that species of property, and
consequent upon troubled and conflict
ing state Of society. the number Of slaves
In Missouri has been reduced one half
And this has not cost the State Treasury
4 single dollar Of outlay. But if the half,
why not two-thirds-why not the wholsy
The process is the same. The mere sus-
picion that there was freedom on the mir,
has made this no longer congenial home
for slave labor. Let the question, then,
Of emancipation be agitated freely. The
non-slsvehoiding community owes thus
much to itself Let its merits be broueh.
to light in every town and county. Let
its influence be shown upon industrial
wealth, social elevation, public prosperity,
manners, morals, religion, patriotism, lin
short, upon whatever slavery has blight
ed. Let the landed learn they would be
richer, and double the yearly gain from
their cultivated farms if they would lib
crate their slaves forthwith. and employ
free labor instead. Let the landlsss know
what it is that deprives them of home
steads, and holds it degradation to work
Let none remain who either from fear or
Ignorance or remoteness are not familiar
with every vulnerable point in the slave
system, and in the broad light Of such
discussion there need be no fear but tina,
the end will come quickly. Like all 9th
er great reforms that spring from the pop
ular heart, this, too, must depend in \
great measure upon the incessant agita-
lion. l do not hesitate to confess myself
an "agitator" in this behalf, and intend
to continue an agitator, il life be spared
me-, unti9Hissouri takes her stand amid the
free States Of the great West. And il
matters really very little through what
process Of bsllotting, or demonstrating,
or census taking the determination of the
people Of Missouri to have done with sla-
very, and put il out amongst them, shall
be made manifest only % that it be made
manifest, 30 that it be felt and seen and
known BY I'll that such il the verdict, md
even though in the mysterious providence
OF God, the insincerest Of political trim
mers be used TO signal the fact, the end
will have been accomplished just ~ we'll.
When that i shown, the number OF
slaves that will become the subject Of the
constitutional clauses Of emancipation will
be few indeed.