The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-01-09
CONSERVATISM LAGGING BEHIND
Men who felt and understood the spirit

CON0ERVAT1SM LAG0lNG BEHIND
Men who felt and understood the spirit
of the age and the teachings Of history,
knew from the START that the rebellion
against the Government in the interests
of slavery would result in the overthrow
of slavery and not the overthrow Of the
Government. But conservatism couldn't
see it. In fact, conservatism didn't knew
what the war was about. It thought, in
deed, that it was kind of political party
war, which would soon end in an old
fashioned compromise. But conservatism
learned after while that it was lsboring
under great mistake. and straightwsy
it began to shiver and blubber and be
very sweet on the rebels and very bitter
against tho aboltionists. It couldn't see
any good reason why JEFF. Davis & Co.
shouldn't return to their old seats Of
power and rule the country IS before, and
was disposed to propisiate them by =
promise of leaving New England out in
the cold and hanging number Of the
most prominent Republicans. But not
withstanding all their efforts to put down
the brakes the car Of revolution still rolled
forward, and conservatism finally began
to look as foolish and in as much of A
maze as the bull that the locomotive
butted off the bridge. And 1t is but ,e-
Gently, since the fall elections, that some
Of the smartest Of the " conservative
chaps begin to come to their senses and
manifest slight appreciation of the pro-
gress of destiny.
The Newburyport Herald is evidently
beginning to see it and announces the
fact as follows:
slavery is to be abolished before this
war closes, come what will. oppose it
what will, aud cost what it may. The
political opposition may say that the peo.
pie do not have freedom 10 express them
selves that does not matter; they will
not stop upon any nice points; an express
sion will be had, and recorded. They
may tell us that the Unon-as we have
understood it--csnnot 50 be restored. or
the Constitution preserved. Let i, be so;
sone Union-a union of territory-can
be had from the Lakes to the Gulf. and
the Constitution will be in force with all
'the modern improvements
The past is closed book, and what.
ever we may have wished or believed. or
labored for, We may as we'll prepare for
the present as it is, and let the future
look out for itself. If it is better than
the past, we SHALL be the gamers and if
worse, we shah only share the common
lot; but better or worse, II is useless 10
whine and grumble about what The peo-
pie have determined shall be; aud If we
read Alright the signs Of the times, the
popular decree runs thus First, that
this country shall be one nation not au
acre or rod OF it to be given up. ii the
war must 20 on forever and esernalY for
its unity. and though we shall have 10 lsy
waste state after State. till territory
bigger than all Of Western Europe shall
be turned to desert--depopuia.e and de-
nuded-for that end. Second, that slave
~ shall be wiped out. The cause nf the
war shall be removed, more completely
than was the human race destroyed by
the great food, not eight persons surviv-
ing in servitude to tell the story of the
past. Thirdly, that the present Admins
tration-the Government-is to continue
In power as long as the war lasts Abra-
ham Lincol1 who was conssitutionally
add properly elected to be President OF
all the States, to be President Till his au-
thority is recognized in every State that
was within the Union at the time Of his
election. If THE is not the meaning ol
present history, it is written 10 characters
that We do not understand; il this is no,
he decision of the late elections we iai
to appreciate them; If this is not the
popular voice, then the people misuse ths
words they utter.''
That will do pretty we'll for one Of the
oiindest and bitterest pro-slavery conserv
ativc journals Of the country. And ths
following from the Pit,sburg Post, anoth
er of the same stripe, follows close upor
the heels Of its Eastern brother:
awe feel satisfied that the future peac,
| Of this now bleeding and distracted coun
try requires the total extinction of SLAYER,
among us. We do not allude to its era
dication this year or next, or whether i
1 shall disappear in this generation or il
the next; our idea is that its final aboli
tion. at some fixed period, is necessary
for the future peace Of this Republic
One Of the results of the present rebel
lion will be the weakening, or, perhaps
destruction OF one of its causes--slayer,
in the Sonth. With that will follow tht
death Of Abolition among ourselves -
Then, after the terrible experience of tn,
present times, our country will be re-cre
ated, and increased civilization, on lumi
nous wings, will spread its blessings upoI
q regenerated Republic, destined to b
the greatest nation upon which the su
has yet shone."
| The Boston Transcript publishes
sketch of Deacon John Phillips, Of Stnr
h.:Ir, M~~r - IL. -