The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-01-15

Imsntcas junctufc, ~ h1d man q the
helm Of this Government who fully real
lied the situation, and possessed the sub
lime courage to perform his duty, and
place the seal Of condensation irrevoca-
bly,, and forever, upon this convicted
criminal Of mankind. The deed is done
the righteous judgment has been pro-
nounced, and from his honest heart the
author tells us, ait cannot be retracted."
No earthly power can send back to slave
~ these millions Of freedmen; for be-
tween them and such power stand more
than twenty millions Of other men to de-
fend the broad seal which that proclama-
ton bears.
In its diminished and attenuated form,
slavery still fingers; but it is robed in the
habiliments Of the grave, waiting only
for the rites of sepulchre. How these
shall be performed the world may not
care; for over its accursed remains the
star of freedom shall forever shine, and
the loud hosannas of an emancipated race
be sung through all succeeding ages.
The victim of morbid and REASONABLE
ambition, slavery has been murdered in
the house Of its friends. Upon them, not
US, the responsibility Of its death must
forever rest The Union as it was, the
people of the North were willing to
maintain ard abide by; bat, as the South
have determined otherwise. it is our duty
now to inss. upon the Union as it should
be. and as our fathers intended it.
a =
war may speedily close, and the nsurgent
States resume their political right in the
Union.
That we may properly understand the
theory of reconstruction, it is important to
avoid misspplication Of the term. The
rebellion having failed of success, the
Union is not dissolved; and, therefore,
the dIsorganized States, only, require to
be constructed. Had they succeeded
in achieving their separation, the Union,
to that extent. would have been dissolved,
and the question of reconstruction have
presented different aspect.
Having, by treason to the General Gov
eminent, and the inevitable consequences
Of civil war, accomplished the destruction
Of their local organizations, and not their
disseverance from he Union, they stand
in the attitude If States, with their gov
eminent subverted and overthrown. Re-
organization, therefore, becomes all indis.
pensable pre- requisite to the resumption
of their powers aud privileges as soyer-
eign States in the Union. Without
this, they have no appropriate me-
dunn through which their constitutional
rights cab De secured or exercised -
They cannot choose Senator'S or Repre-
sentatives - Congress, participate in
the election Of President, or enjoy any
other regulation designed for the COM
mon beneht Of the States. Ard it is only
by means of State Governments that thew
can perform the functions Of States and
discharge the various obligations aud du-
ties they owe TO the General Govern
ment. Until then the people of these
disorganized States must, from necessity
depend for protection upon the Federal
Government, under the arm Of its military
power. Bat this theory by no means i'm.
plies that these States mus. be reduced to
4 1ouaiSApns Quf
their territorial minorage, under Gov
eminent provided for them at the expen Sc
of the National Treasury, and be readmit-
ted into the Union as States Il simply
means. what is obviously true. that they
have State limits. territory and the peo-
pie, without the essential machinery Of
State Governments, which are the test
ard means of their political existence.
Government represents, not merely
land and certain defined territorial limits,
but the people who established it and who
speak and act through it as their political
organ. These people, in consequence OF
their treason, having disqualified them
selves for the exercise Of political rights
aud privileges. their State Governments
have thereby become suspended and must
remain in allegiance until this disqualified
ton is removed by act of Federal author
lily
| Reduced TO this condition, the provis-
lonal control over these States, until fully
reorganized and restored, is vested in the
Federal Government bu: when restored
II must be under governments which have
emanated from their own people under
Constitutional restrictions. | recognize
the right of every State to regulate and
shape Its own institutions, but this right
can and should be exercised only in clear
conformity with the letter and spirit Of
the Federal Constitution.
The Constitution prescribes that ''The
United States shall guaranty to every State
in this Union republican form OF gov
eminent" This provision clearly i'm
plies an obligation on the part of the Uni
ted States not only to guaranty this form
of government to "every State but the
guaranty is 10 all tn e States, that the go7-
eminent Of each Sta te shall be republican
10 form whether the people thereof will
Ii or not. This is the plain spirit and
and intent of the compact other
wise, the right already adverted to, that
each State may regulate its institutions,
would become source of imminent peril
to the Union Withou this salulary
check upon the action of States we might
soon have cluster of anti republican gov
ernments springing up w thin the limits
OF the Union to accouplis b its retrogres-