The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-10-23

and the only identity Of them, which is
extant. is found in the exhumed remains
or skeletons which are found in the bow
els Of the earth. 1t has never been proven,
and doubtless never will be, that these
extinct specimens of antediluvian exist
ence belonged to any species of animal
which was of utility to man in any Of the
pursuits Of life. although some of them
we're of enormous size and strength, and
doubtless in their day exercised great
power and tyranny wherever they
roamed.
1t seems to be wise provision of ma
ture that only the useful and valuable
existences shall be preserved, whilst those
which have no utility, as applicable to the
great end of science and art, or the ad-
vancement of man in the scale of intelli-
gence, shall perish.
As in the material, so in the moral or
political world. The history of the past
is strewn with the skeletons or remains Of
defunct ideas and dogmas; aud the
thoughtful reader is reminded of the fact
that the world moves whenever he meets
with these fossil remains OF the past
These reflections are naturally suggest
ed in view of the persistent effort which
the so-called Democracy continue to pat
forth to arrest the great idea which finds
utterance in the proclamation Of President
Lincoln for the emancipation of slavery
in the Southern States. For more than
two hundred years the Christianity OF the
world, as we'll as the consciences of men,
has cried aloud for the extermlnatlon OF
this foul blot upon the civilization OF the
world, and now that the "power which
shapes our ends, rough hew them as We
WILL" has prepared the way and the
means for the extinction of the great evil,
these men cling to it as an idol that should
be worshipped.
The idea the men entertain, who, at
every sacrifice, are determined to perpet-
uate African slavery on this continent
is that something may turn up which will
necessitate the resembling of the procla-
nation of the President. and that thereby
the system of bondage will be reinstated
in all its strength aud power. They have
no hopes Of this only through disaster to
our arms, and the Inability of the Gov
ernment to conquer the rebellion hence
their sympathy with the enemies Of the
Government which has shown itself in ali
their actions.
1t will be the sadest duty of the histo-
rian when he comes to record the history
of Democracy in America to have to write
the bitter truth that the name which has
had associated with it so much which
seemed to assert the rights of man as con
sistiug of "life, liberty and the pursuit.
of happiness, was prostituted by men fo
the purpose of propping up system o
bondage which robs men of all thei
rights.
1t may be confidently asserted that il
: the contest which now convulses the ma
ton, freedom or slavery will find tomb
To the hopeful and enduring patriot it j
J already apparent that slavery is doomed
and its history will only remain to remin
t men that another monster has ceased
exist on the American continent.
Let the men who seek TO prostitute tn
public mind to purposes SO base, SO muc
at variance with all the teachings of th
. progress of the nineteenth century, II
! civilization and its humanity, be reminde
> of the lasting infamy which must be a
tached to them as the leaders in crusad
against liberty as she plumes herself f
a nobler and sublimer height than 81
ever attained in the worlds history.