The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-05-06

The public has learned much since this
rebellion broke out, with regard to the
character and designs of the Southern OIL
igarchy, and i, has unlearncd much more.
At FIRST it was believed that the great
mass Of the people of the South we're 10y
al--that they had been carried out of the
Union by designing and ambitious poll
ticians. The large shareholders were sup
posed to be conservative, aud the com
mercal classes most deeply impregnatcd
with secession. We had to learn that
slavery, and not visions of commercial
greatness, was the virus which had poi
soped the whole social system of The
South We had to learn that the leading
aud influential clssses-All who were in
terested in slave labor--were loyal. We
had to learn that Parson Brownlow and
Gov. Johnson and Gen. Hamilton were
the types Of the only truly loyal men of
the South, aud not tho border State poll
ticians who held back the government
from dealing effective blows al the rebel
lion. We had to learn that this is con-
fict Of ideas, and not a-mere struggle for
political supremacy. And having learn
ed all this by the sacrifice of some of the
best blood of the North, by an expepdi-
ture of treasure and resources which no
other war ever cqualed, and BY the loss oil
precious time aud opportun " which can
never be recalled, it would be strange
indeed If opinions as to the manner Of
dealing with the rebellion had not been
materially modified in the meantime. Il
is only those political Bourbons who for
get nothing and learn nothing that hav.
not arrived at different and juster view,
Of the rebellion and its causes. 1t is only
those who are politically blind who fail tt
see that the fell spirit of slavery is the
handspring of this rebellion, az it avow
eddy is the cornerstone Of the govern.
ment which the rebel leaders seek Il
found on the ruins of this republic. Ii
the first year of the rebellion it was b.
no means apparent that we must strike Il
slavery to save the Union. But he is in
deed blindly prejudiced who cannot nov
see that slavery must be shorn OF its pow
er for evil, both material and political, Il
save the country, and preserve for on
pesterity its free institutions and Repub
lican form Of government
We need not vindica,e the President
emancipation policy. Time is the bcs
exponent of its wisdom, and while many
loyal men at first reluctantly supported i
as government measure, its policy ant
necessity. as we'll as its good results, ar
becoming more and more apparent. l
it bad done no more than to avert for
eign Intervention, with which that polio,
is generally credited, it would have win
dictated ito own wisdom. But it ha,
materially weakened the rebellion. and al
an earnest Of more vigorous policy OF
the part Of the government, it has largely
contributed to the revival of the public
hope and confidence in the success of oul
cause. So far from having intensified
the struggle, as many predicted it would,
we find no increase Of bitterness at the
South, and no disposition to enforce
threats Of retaliation; but rather an en-
HANGED respect for the earnestness Of pur-
pose of the North, and shall we add, an
increased contempt for those among us
who will not realize the magnitude Of the
struggle and pusillanimously plead for a
peace which will leave the real issues I'M
decided. The emancipation policy leads
TO the abolition of slavery, and toward d
Union such as the fathers Of the Repub
lis designed to establish