The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-04-30
THE GATE CIEY
SATURDAY. APRIL go
THE ABOLITION or sLAvEhrs

United States on the bail to amend th,
Constitution of the United States 20 as {.
prohibit slavery, furnishes striking con
trast with similar vote in that body foul
years ago. At that time, only a briei
four years since. resolution passed BY q
strong majority in the Senate proclaim
ing that slavery was the normal condition
of this country and existed in all the ter.
ritories of the United States by virtue Of
the Constitution. AL the Southern Sena-
tors, We believe, voted for that resolution,
save Crittenden, and all the Northern
Senators on the Democratic side except
Douglas and Pugh, and possibly one
other.
And now we have passed through the
wonderful revolution in the public senti-
ment of the country and in the character
of the Senate, that only six votes are
found recorded, three against the propo-
sition prohibiting slavery as we'll in the
States as the Territories Of the Uniou.---
Only two votes we're cast against the
proposition, from the North, and those
were given by Hendricks, Of Indiana, and
McDeugal, of California, in direct oppo-
sition to the wishes Of large majority of
the people of those States. At the same
time, four votes from the South are re-
corded in favor of the proposition, and
Reverdy Johnson and John B. Henderson,
both shareholders, made powerful speeches
in support of the measure.
We have heretofore quoted literally
from the speech of Mr.. johnson, and We
now commend it to the perusal of our
readers. He said:
cit is sometimes said the Republican
party is dead, and the Democracy can re-
store peace to the country by bringing
back the old regime. AS an organiza-
tion the Republican party may be dead,
but the principle of anti-slayery 10 not
dead. A deep conviction of the injustice
and impoliey of slavery yet lives. The
conviction is now stronger than ever. 1t
has been made SO by the many crimes re-
Gently committed in the name of the In
s,itution. In my honest Judgment, Mr..
President, slavery and rebellion, By the
action of parties, by the course of events
which none of us can now control, have
become so closely and intimately allied
that they must share the same fate. Ii
the rebellion succeeds, slavery for many
years may be cherished institution in
the South. Ii it fails, the rebels them
selves will be found too honorable to ask
its continuance. Ii my position, then,
be correct, the following propositions are
true: first, slavery, being detrime ntal 10
public and private interests, anti-republi.
can in its tendencies, and subversive Of
good government, should now be abolish.
ed second. the Constitution, as it now
stands, confers upon Congress no power
to abolish it and third, to attain the
ends which are SO essential to the estab
lishment and maintenance of peace, 1
change in the Constitution, the peaceful
and effective mode of governmental reform
wisely provided by our ancestors fol
throwing off such evils as now affi,cs us
and for utilizing the experience of histor,
as developed in natural progress, shoull
at once be made.
"Our ancestors acknowledged the trutl
when they proclaimed the inalienabl,
right of liberty unto all men, That de
clsration gave them liberty. 1t fred tn
world, and enlisted the sympathes of civ
. ilization. So soon as they obtained it fo
themselves, however. the false counsels O
expedieney came to refuse it to olhsrs.--
When the test Of practical goverlmen
was to be applied. they were content t
declare in the preamble of the Cons.i.u
tion one Of its objects to be TO secure til
blessings Of liberty TO themselves an
their posterity.. In the body Of the il
strument the liberty of the African is nc
secured. His return to slavery 10 enjoir
ed. In this contradiction is the elemen
of strife. Truth and e. ror cannot be re
coneiled. Right and wrong cannot dive
together in peace. The effort to recon
cile antagonisms was vain Il first brough
pOiNaS@i SOhh uictVus, ~ shCH brought Wal
In the kingdom of nature volcanic dis
turbances follow the union of fre an
combustible material. From various caus,
the disturbance may be unfeIt for u,an
years, but eventually they return, IN
cease not till the material is consumed
This thing of slavery is heresy. III
fire of truth is upon it, and the NOR
world win be convulsed until it is col
sumed. The strong desire for peace ms
induce some new concession in iss fave
This might smother the fsmes for ! fe
years. Such peace would nobsbs perm
nent. In process of time oar cities wou
again be blasted by its suphsAyings; o
fields again scofched by it, burniI
lava = "a
The fate of the measure rests With 4
Democratic side Of the House cf Rep
seutatives, as it requires two-third 70,
We shall see whether the Rsprsssusaav
of that body in Congress are viIHne
yield to the wishes Of the Union men q
the South and wips out this blos ! !
curse. thiS dRsful causs sof ali 90 =