The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-12-27
Two Presidential Messages.


acter of this cou htry has been ennobled
during the war, let him compare the late
Message of Presiden. Lincoln with that
of President Buchanan in December,
1860. A century of civilization seems to
have elapsed betw cen them. In the lat
ter document.tw o astounding doctrines
were set forth: ohe that the Government
OF the United States had no right to de-
fend itself from destruction; the other,
that constitutional resistance to the man-
ifes, designs Of the Southern leaders was
virtually treasonable. The depth of ma
tional degradation was touched in the last
Message of President Buchapan. The
height Of true national glory is toretod
in the present Message of President Lin
coin, because it contemplates a return of
tie faith OF the nation to the principles
on which it was founded. Neither Mr..
buchanan nor his masters, the rebel
chiefs. bad the dinmest conception of The
character or significance OF the American
Government They hated its principles,
and ,aey were ready to destroy it the mo-
| ment they lost control of it. Their n
duct hiss opened the eyes If the people
as nothing else could have done. We
nov perceive the necessity as well as the
| truth of our fundamental principles; aud
at the same time the real spirit and Ill
teu,ion Of the men who directed The Gov
eminent i've years ago are plainly re-
vealed,
Contrast this calm, simple. concise
staten ent of public aff.irs-thls firm,
manly expression of the noblest national
aspiration for equal justice with Buchan
! ans feeble whine OF submis. ion to the
Slave power, OF with the hysterical cry o.
Jefferson Davis at Macon, or bis elabor
ately false representations in his message
in iavor OF o war upon the miidest Gov
/ eminent, in order 10 perpetuate slavery
and you see what an American State pa
per should and what it should not be.
| The prospects of peace as set forth by
the President are exactly what ever,
faithful citizen supposed them 10 be
J When the men who began this war upoI
the Government lay down their arms, am
yield to the Constitution and the law
and acts in accordance with it, the wa
will end. 1t can not end before, excep
in the overthrow of the Government
! Those whom four years have not taugh
this truth will never learn it. Thos
who think that The authority of the Gov
eminent should lie maintained by in
cesssntly requesting the rsbels to men
G ton The conditions upon which they wi
be pleased n obey the laws belonging t
q the rebels in heaHl, and have been u
terly repudiated by the people. In com
mon with the rebels, they think the me.
sage very 'sunconciliatory.'
t But its tranquil tone of faith in th
c people, and in the cause of the people a
q lacked by shareholders; its respectful an
!, dignifed bearing toward all other power
: its plain and pleasing statement of h
!, steady increase of population and of II
= unfailing national resources; its heartfe
D congratulaton upon the release of Mar,
r. land from the deadly spell of slavery; i
truthful and encouraging representatit
of the progress of the war; its direct ar
n conclusive dealing with the proposal
=, ssnegoiiations. and the lofty confden
4, ia peace aud union immutably found'
!. upon Justice which brealhes all throus
it, make the message. which is now
miliar to the country, one Of the sincere
n- most noble, most honorable and INC
le truly American papers in our polite
ID history.