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

Iiusisdietioa induced 10 neasly ohe-thir1
Of it, original limits, ard surplus pop
ulation crowded within them to subsist
upon their meagre harvests; impending
death, or exile, 70 The leaders, ruined
fortunes and dssolate homes to the I'M
willing masses--thiS i the end of treason
and The doom Of traitors
Supported and elected BY the loyal and
patrioiis people Of Iowa. in contest pre-
senting the grave qnestions which here,
rs elsewhere through tho loyal States,
alone pervaded the public mind and de.
tsrmiaed the result OF the recent elections,
but discharge plain duty to them,
when / express the convictions Of my own
mind upon the portentous issues vet to
b. decided BY the vslor of our arms
While entertaining profound respect for
the opinions Of all loyal men, in whatever
locality they may be found. am aware
OF no rule requiring Difference to the
opinions of their enemies, OF of any obi
cation ] am under to consult their views,
or wishes, in the discharge of my official
duties.
There is no longer any middle ground
where loyal men can stand and find ref
uge from the stern and positive vbliga-
tions of the hour. The times are fraught
with mighty events, involving the welfare
of the present and future generations,
aud impose the most solemn duties upon
every patriot in the land. 1t is not the
mere domination of political party, nor
territory, nor empire; but liberty, and
the eternal principles of natural justice,
born of God and, under Him, establish
ed on this continent by our fathers, which
are staked upon the issue of the strug-
gle.
1t needs no words of mine to show that
the vigorous and successful prosecution
of this war is life to the Republic, while
to hesitate for a single hour, upon any
pretext whatever, or stop short OF the nm
conditional recognition Of Federal author
ity BY all the revolted States, would be
but hollow truce, and death to our unity
and nationality.
Great and holy interests are involved
in the contest. There is no longer any
hope Of their preservation by the ordinary
modes Of adjustment. They are, there
fore, to be saved or lost by the arbitra-
ment of battle. In the terrible ordeal
through which we are passing, many old
conditions are likely to be rejected, and
some things which have been. may not
be again but the patriotic heart may
find reasons for its faith, that all such as
are good aud substantial will be retained
and consecrated in the new life of the
Nation. Let US hope that enemies in the
disguise of friends will never again occu-
Ply the high places Of power; that the
peoples Treasury will no, again be robbed
BY official hands, their arms, their arsen-
ais and Notifications turned against their
own Government; that the bligh,ing curse
of Human Slavery will no longer receive
protection by the statutes of the land.
nor exist in any form under the National
Flag and the traitors may never again
sit in the Council Chambers OF the Ma
ton, nor plot their treason beneath the
dome of its Capitol. Let us pray to
righteous God that such scenes may never
stain the coming annals of the Republic,
and If need be, that the havoc of blood,
desolating war, may abate not until the
day OF regeneration shall come
The events of the hour, grand and ir-
reslstible IN their course, are rapidly
fastening to their legitimate results. He
who disposes while man struggles and pro-
poses, has pronounced His imperial de-
cree.
Those who hesitate now to yield an I'M
reserved support 10 the Federal Govern
ment, or fail to sustain its constituted
authorities unmis,akably array themselves
on the side of its enemies, and will be so
recorded in the history of The times. If
treason is crime, to sympathize with trail
tors is also clearly criminal While there
is treason in the heart the man csnno,
be truly loyal, and we know not how soon
his hesitaling courage may nerve him to
commit the overt act. The line of de-
narration between loyalty and treason is
plainly defined, and exceedingly narrow.
Obvious as these considerations are to
all discerning minds. it is painful re-
fiection, that there exists faction in the
Northern States. which has persistently
opposed the action of our Government in
its efforts to subdue the rebellion. and
clamored for peace upon any terms
While protesting to be loyal, the mem
bers of this faction have given strength
and courage to traitors, and by their con-
duet proved themselves the most insidi
Gus. and dangerous foes of the Union. Re-
cent events, however, have demonstrated
the continued attachment of the patriotic
masses of all parties to the perpetuity of
our free institutions; and shown that
they cannot be deceived by mere pretences
of loyalty, or misled by the cry of peace,
when there is no honorable or permanent
peace, short of vigorous and successful
war.
systematically opposing every measure
yet devised for a successful prosecution
of the war, and having M mode of their
own for an honorable solution Of existing
troubles, these malcontents seek to iusti-
fy their course by creating a distinction
between the Government and its Admin
stration; confronting us with the novel
doctrine that the Government is the Con
stitution and the institutions founded Their
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