The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-10-12

politics that 10 wrong 10 morals.
This il 20 clear that it Is unnecessary
"a arxue the point; oil admit it.
Thsrs are duties and obligations We
owe 20 civil government, that " cannot
throw Of, bnt must meet them and al
true citisens will do 90 most cheerfully.
Nothing is more PLATA than the fact
that oil persons 10 any given civil COM
Tect or republic. are in duty bound 70
observe its laws, and obey it's authority.
This is especially true in the American
Republic "Sabmit yourselves to every
ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, :
/" Pm. them in mind 70 obey magistraiea =
Honor the King" uhe Presideut.)
TREAsoH.-It appears that the very
foundation principles of our Government
are to be tested in this terrible struggle.
All true and loyal citizens should be fully
prepared to meet the issue, whatever that
may be. If it comes only in arguments
tive treason or rebellion, meet it With
logical power; but if it comes IN the
shape Of armed rebellion, meet it with
armed authority. and never cease till re-
bellion has laid down its arms.
Either some persons are very ignorant
Of what treason is, as defined BY the Con-
stitution, or else wofully misrepresen: it,
or coutemptuously disregard it.
Treason is of two kinds-direct OF
indirect. First, direct: Those making
war on the Government Second, indi'
rect: Persons befriending those at war
with the Government. The 6rst arc prin.
cipals; the second are accessories, or
parficeps criminis.
Treason against the United States
shall consist only in levying war agains,
them, or in adhering to their enemies,
giving them aid and comfort" Il Consti-
tuition.
1t seems to some that treason cannot
be committed unless that person has taken
up arms against the Government. II
will be perceived from the Constitution,
that person can be guilty of treason
and never touch deadly weapon.
No one can commit treason IN the Sec
ond sense unless war exists.
Treason can be committed in the Sec
ond sense anywhere in the Government,
whether in an insurrectionary district OIL
not, a. they can adhere to its enemies
anywhere.
No cause can ever exist to justify
treason of any kind
There is vast difference between true
criticism and either abuse or treason.
Treason is levying war, taking ur
arms against the Government, whatever
may be assigned as the reason. 1t il ad
herring to its enemies, giving aid ant
comfort, independent of all other cir
cumstances.
No act in the execution or administra.
ton can ever be, in the least, a ground
for adhering to the rebels.
Hence, all this hue and cry about abo.
litionists causing this war. is Of no force
Suppose that abolitionism is as high /,
crime as treason. it could be no justi6ablt
ground for the act of treason. Because
another person commits crime, 10 that
any reason Why should commit one
Because person may commit the Grim,
of aboli,ionism, is that any reason that
should commit the crime Of treason ant
rebellion? At such rate, what would
ever become OF any Government? II
abolitionism is punishable by the Consti
tuition. then infllct the punishment, en-
force the law, and not 90 to committing
another sin equally bad because of il.
Our argument is upon the ground thai
abolitionism is as bad crime as treason
bat if the crime Of abolitionsm is les,
one, then the crime of treason, on it,
own account, must be the more aggra
waiting and 90 on, in proportion as thu
crime of abolitionism may be less. And
finally, if abolitionism could be no crime
then We have no language BY which tc
describe the blackness of the crime Of
/ treason and rebellion inaugurated on ac
count Of abolitionism.
| But the Constitution nowhere describes
abolitionism as any crime whatever; 81
far as the Constitution is concerned, MI
abolitionist is as innocent q person a,
lives in the Republic.
The agitation of the question of SLAYER,
is contrary to the Constitution or it i,
not. If it is, it must be a crime, ant
consequently should be punished; bu
where is the clause 10 the Constitution
in which the agitation of the question il
forbidden, or described as a crime?
But if the agitation of the question il
not contrary to the Constitution, VIII,
then has right to stop or interfere with
it? If the agitation Of that or any othe
question, is not forbidden in the Consti
tuition, then to forbid the agitation Of sucl
questions must be unconstitutional, for i
is unconstitutional to forbid whateve
the Constitution allows In forbidden,
the agitation of the question, you abridg1
the freedom Of speech. and of the press
for we are evidently free to speak an,
write on any question that is not forbid
den in the Constitution, or contrary to il
II Gin. Chris. Adv.
E Maj. E. B. Hunt, brother Of Ell
Governor Washington Hunt, Of New
York, was accidentally killed at the Brook
Ign navy yard on Thursday. He Va,
engaged upon submarine battery of hi,
own invention, and, in experimenting,
shell was burst, the gas from which .,
i overpowered him that he fell into tho bol,