Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-06-16


tects them. They suspect the loalty
of those who, protesting sympathy
with our cause by their words and &C.
tons give aid and comfort to our ene-
mics. They cannot understand the
logic that would teach them that, un-
der the laws of war, we can take the
life of q rebel, but cannot touch his
property. They cannot believe that
Justice requires that the burdens of
taxation shall fall upon the loyal men
Of the North, who have lost sons and
brothers in this war, while those in
armies against us shall be protected
in the fnll and complete enjoyment
of their property.
We must wrest the power of the
southern States from the hands of a
land-owning, slaveholding aristocra.
cy, and restore it to the rightful pos.
session of a whole people. We must
labor for the elevation Of that people.
To do this we must destroy the pres
ent land system, first by confiscation
in fee, then by placing them within
the reach Of every man who has hand
to labor or family to support. We
must make the masses landowners if
we would perpetuate the Republic.
Those who till tho soil are and ever
have been the hope OF the Republic.
They fill our armies to-day. Look at
the quotas of troops furnished in the
loyal States and you find nearly al.
ways that the rural districts arc in
advance of acquisitions. The very
nature Of their pursuits inspires a
love of, country, and patriotism to
rally at its call.
The establishment Of this system
will be the forerunner of the establish
ment Of the free institutions of the
North among that people. With
small farms and productive labor
come free schools, pure religion. free
churches, thriving villages, manufac-
turing towns, colleges OF learning, the
growth of commerce, and all the bles-
sings Of republican government.
These established, we shalt realize as
the result of our policy the enthrone-
ment of republicanism which has
lived in theory but not in fact except
in the free States of this Union.
Mr.. Speaker our legislation should
be for the whole people and not for
class, thus dealing justly toward those
who have experienced long years of
oppression under the banner Of the Re.
public. If we hope to attain success
in this contest we must guaranty to
all the privileges of religion, of family,
Of property, and Of liberty. Then our
final triumph over the rebellion which
seeks to deprive the poor and oppress-
cd of all these is certain under the
guidance of Him who rules all and
governs all. ''
Though dark the ways of justice seem,
Impartially she holds the beam:
Though oft her sword be welded slow,
UnfaiIing falls the booming blow .a|
Right to exa!t and wrong t o'erthrow.
That justice requires that we shall
extend the protection of the Govern
ment to all those whom We have call
ed to battle in it's defence by giving
to them the right to acquire and hold
as their own the fruits of their labor. .
But We must not permit the discus
sion of this or kindred measures to di.
vert US or the country from the para
mount duty before us, that of prosecu.
ting the war vigorously and earnestly
until the military power Of the rebel
lion is destroyed, until all the men
now in arms against us shall either
voluntarily or by compulsion lay
dow their arms. In this consists our
only hope and safety; and to this
primarily all our labors and efforts
must be directed. There is no road
to peace except through bloody war.
Men may talk of peace by compro-
mise and concession, but the day Of
compromise is past. Concession is
impossible. Radical principles cannot
be compromised. War and restora-
ton by conquest on the basis Of liber-
ty. or peace and disnnion on the basis
Of slavery are the only alternatives
presented to tho American nation
to-day.