The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-08-16

services Of her four millions Of laborers.
without action Of ours; then throw into
the scale against us the thirty millions of
England, the forty millions Of France
aud who shall say how many tens Of
millions besides2--and what chance for
success, or Tor reputation, shall we have,
struggling for nothing nobler than self
existence, in equivocal attitude before the
world. matched against opponents who
shall have forestalled us and assumed The
initiative of progressg
While the contest assumes no higher
character than that of a portion Of
great nation desiring q separation from
the mother country and forcibly casting
off its authority, what more sym pathy can
we expect from Europe than we ourselves
gave to Spain when she lost Mexico, or 10
5icxlco wien Texas struck for indepen-
dencey Un..l the issue is changed, so
that the great question Of human liberty
becomes lnyolyed IN / we must expect
from European powers at the best only
indifference; coupled, probable, with the
feeling that as Mexico succeeded a against
Spain and against Mexico, SO will a
southern Coufederacy finally maintain
itself against US.
That declaration of emancipation was
not issued year ago, I do not regret -
Great changes must mature in public
opinion before they can be safely carried
out. Extreme measures. to be justified
and to be effectual, must often be preced-
ed by long-tried Cancellation. Yet in ma
tiepai emergencies it may be as danger
Gus to disnppoint as to anticipate public
opinion. And / confess my fears for the
resaitot decisive measures are longer de-
layed
Stand where we are We cannot and To
60 on is less dangerous than TO retraee
our steps. We ought never to have
pf posed emancipation with compensation
- ioynl slaveowners, nor declared to the
disloyal, as by law We have, that their
slaves shall be liberated without com pen
sation, if we did not intend to follow out
the policy we commenced. We hsve IN
Cured the odium lei us reap the ben
eft
Nor do perceive ow ae can free the
lslares of rebels. YET reasonably expect 10
retain slavery in the border States, even
in case they persist in refusing the offer
of the President Having intefvened so
far, extirpation Of slavery, lhe only effect
ual policy, becomes the safest also.
All men in the North will not acaui-
esce Neither did all acauiesce when
the war was commenced: yet who that is
/ yal opposes it now? Aud what would
lave been the result had we waited, ere
sc commenced the war, for unanimity
Some will fall of. So beiti There is
small loss in that. Aud there is some
gam Better an open enemy than a
worthless friend. Il is time that men
We're taking sides. AZ things now stand
! sec no use in conciliating the half-lovaI.
lie who is not for US is against us.
i think the people are ready. ! belieye
that the loyal citizens of the North, with
such small proportion of exceptions AS 10
radical national changes must be disre-
garded. are to-day prepared for emanci-
patton. They have paid for it in treas
nre. in blood; not BY their option. They
feel that the sacrifices they have made,
and have still to make, are too vast 10
have been incurred, except in purchase
Of great pledge of perpetual safety and
peace, -
Rejecting men feel, too, that such
pledge is . national, not merely North
ern, necessity. The South. exhausted
and suffering, needs il to the full as much
as We. She viii soon perceive, If she
does not already, that TWO parts. of one
nation, or even two coterminous nations,
can never again exist in auityrpn this
continent, one slave and the other free
She cannot but see that iagllve-slayy,es- yy,es
Law difficulties, if no others existed, would,
suthce 70 prevent this. 4, - s..se,b n !
ltls not the question wh athers . paper
deaarstion,, easily issAedv will or viii not
be followed BY . thousand practical diff
cnlties. The uprooting OF ADoaent and
gigantic abuse always involves snch.-
Nor should We be called upon 70, predict
IN advance ( for who can entirely fosesee,)
how each Of these will ultimately be solved.
The true question il, whether great al H.
cultiesy even issupenble ones, do not beses
any other policy. Z Pressed home, as We
are,to ayoid obstacle. i impossibls.g We
can but select the least Formidable, The
lives Of tho best Of Us ara spant sia choos-
ing between evils. aor-,,o5 u
When dangers surround us, We must
walk, in measure, by faith. Let us do
what We can, and leave to God the issne. !.
We may best trust to Him when We enter
His path of progress. He aids tn ore who
walk in it, s71s
] feel assured that final success awaits
us in parsuiDg such path. And 1 see
no other road out Of the darkness. ss
ROBERT DALE OWEN.
Ncw York, July IS, 1862. =