The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-08-27
A. II. KANE.

write soon as convenient.
rem lin, &C.,
A. II. KANE.
The Basis Of RecOnsiructton.
The pro slavery Unionists, very small
and rapidly diminishing party, labor under
the p'epo.terous delusion, that when the
Uaicn shall be restored, the shareholders
will obtain all the guarantees they desire, in
addition to all the old and cumbersome ma
chinery which the whole nation was former
ly pat under bonds to run for their cxclu.
sive benefit The only basis these conser
vative gentlemen can see is the protection
Of the slave property of their Southern
brethren The people have had quite
enough ofthis, and very generally think
that an institution that demands the DOS.
session and direction not only of the local
Government Of the States where it exists,
but Of all the other State Governments, and
the Federal Government ITSELF is nuisance
aud and an imposition. and should be abat.
ed. For It is not enough for slavery that
it should CONTROL all the slave States and
the National Government, but every Cover.
nor, Legislature and Sheriff from the Ohio
river to the Canada Line, and the Atlantic
coast, must be an obsequious serv,nt and
slave catcher for the stakeholder. There
never can be a restoration on such a basis
as the revival Of the African Code. 1t is
idle to talk Of harmonizing on the very
ground ofdisunion. It il incomprehensi.
BILE how any man who desires reconstruc-
ton of the Union, and the establishment of
harmony between the various sections,
should select as the basi, of reconstruction
the very thing about which there has been
for three generations the fcrcest dispute,
and VIII Oh at least 81, 900 900 out of 80, 900
600 of the American people, to say nothing
of all Christendom abroad, thoroughly de-
test. d. the p.oslavery Unionists hold sla-
very to be more valuable than the Union.
that hey ask that the Government shall be
in the future, as in the past, the servant in !.
stead Of the master Of that unpopular sys-
tenn?
Slavery is to be protected, by new guar
antees, if asked for, and all fugitives are to
be surrendered. Is that the proposition p
Well we will consent to it when JEFF Davis
gives back to the United States her 200 900
manly sons, who have lost their lives in
qnell'ng this heinious rebellion against free
government. Never mind until then =
We advise our friends to be quiet on the
subject of slavery protection. The coun-
try has had little too much of it already
the day for such protection is past We
have paid heavy price in blood for that
s,rt of work already. and do not care to re-
peat the exhaus,ing process.
| There is one broad, elevated basis of res-
toration, which is as strong as adamant, and
on which the people may all securely stand
1t is the painciple which underlies our gov
ernment and all its institutions. That
principle is freedom. Everybody admits
that freedom is right as a principle. Now
freedom and slavery are the warning ele.
ments which have brought about this con-
t.>t /! Each is struggling for the mastery
Which shall we take as the basis Of harm, /.
ny and restoration the principle which
everybody approves. Shall we adopt the
method Of an oligarchy, and let slaverJ RUE
Yor shall we adopt the method of democracy
and let the majority rule Shall the many
Yield to the few or the few to the many p
Whose interests, tastes, and prejudices are
to be consulted, those of 5000, 900 or those
Of ~ 200, 600? 1t is not in the nature of
slavery to be at peace with anything It's
like the pike, which is said to devour all
o'her fishes. Suppose slavery be relnstated
in its old authority, what them Will We
have peace or war in consequence . Let US
take Tennessee for an example. A restora.
ton Of the State on the slavery has is would
instantly revive an ultra pro-slavery party
throughout the middle and western Divis.
ions. No candidate could be elected or ap
p tinted to any office, who was not intensely
pro-slavery. Slavery would be the only
topic discussed in the newspapers or on the
stump. Judge Lynch, would be enforced
against every writer or speaker who should
question the justice or policy of slavery
1t is nlso certain that every man who sup
ported he present Republican administers.
ton, either directly or indirectly, in civil
or military capacity. would be forever ex-
cluded from all positions of trust and profit
by the slavery faction.
Now, does any ,nsible loyal man desire
to see Tennessee restored to the UGion in
sich way as this, in which the elements of
discord are all increased, and their fury ag
g awaited instead Of being Iessened One
might as we'll try to cure patient of ra-
ging fever by making him drink boiling hot
water, and hold red hot iron The lust of
power, The thirst.for gain, the distrust of
all interests except Its own, and its conse-
quent efforts to monopolize all political pow
er, would grow out Of slavery in future, just
as they did before, and would in a brief
space engender another rebellion, more dan
geraos, because better planned, than the
present one. We see but one safe basis of
restoration. 1t is the basis of freedom in
cOrporated in our national edifice, approved
by sage experience, and heartily applauded