The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-12-03
rHs EnA OF PoLIrloAL rsAcE,

The ERA OF P0LIrICAL PEACE
We are promised IL Many of the o.
position papers who carried aloft the Den
ocrasie banner and worked for the succes
Of Mcclellan and Pendieton in the lot
contest are now willing to ground arm
and ask quarters, or rather an armissic
with the Union party. Whe.her it Va
the overwhelming defeat of their caudi
dates and the hearty support of the Ad
ministration by the masses, or whethe
they have become convinced Of politica
sin, have fallen in with the current Of
events, caught the spirit Of freedom, and
oeased to be the fossilized representatives
of efe.e ideas, does not appear.
The change of sentiment end presen.
spirit of the Louisville Journal are
healthy, aud mark wen the mighty and
constantly growing resolution in popular
ideas aud prejudices. Il viii be longer
before the National Intelligencer emerges
from the chrysalis Of conservatism and sees
in wrong and slavery something to be ev-
erywhere and at all times lcaihed and
combatted, and yet it is now desirous that
. great calm. settle down upon the sea OF
political passion Lately stirred to ils depth,
some omui6c peace be still' shall still
the waves and abate the storm Itwants
the era of good feeling established. It
says:
The times are propitious to such de.
Pirsble cousummation. Party names have
ost their power TO charm or repl. As
has ben we'll said by another: sParties
may retain their name for the sake OF the
prestige, just as the makers Of Cologne
water all call themselves JeaE Maria Fa.
Fins; but the iden tity will Be gone. They
may even show some vitslity. like snake
hat has lost its head, (does it refer to
he. Copperhead party y but they are
hdne the less certainly dead. and destined
oon to be absorbed into other more liv.
ng bodies Parties cannot, any more
hsn families, subsst on their mere ira
litions; they must connect themselves
Nth the realities of the day, with the 40.
aAl life of the time and place. and be |
otmed and take their color as we'll a.
heir inspiration from the controlling ne.
essities of the nation. With every rad
cai revolution 10 the 81 uation OF the
oaatry there must be inevitably no less
adical revolution inthe relations of opiu-
pp; and the parties hichrepresent that
pinion will undergo . corresponding
Modification.
Il is strange the Intelligencer should
uote the above extract approvingly. for
has persistently ignored its truth. To
all things have been as they are even
rom the beginning, or if not this, that
Fe had reached that point in the develop
bent OF political ideas where the Almighty
ad written boundary: Hitherto shalt
bon come and no further" The nation
hight grow in material prosperity. but
OF in ideas; it should make no further
dvance towsrds pure democracy. And
ere, with the lnteliigencer, stood the en-
re Democratic press. Darkness was
pom the lace of the waters. and they
hlled i, light. Those that observed the
2ns of the times said there was an ire
fessible confic. between freedom and
avery, but the Democracy said no.
DDS own angel was troubling the waters,
I'D they said it was the Aboitionists.-l
the crucible of the worlds progress
berty was being purified anew, and they
euounced The process as unjusti6abie
avery agitation. Under the deceptive
brface of free government where slave
was legalized we're smouldering heav
. own lit ires, that, burstins forth with
plcanic energy, should utterly overthrow
nman bondage, and the Democracy said
is peace. And then, when the storm
lne; "when the wontsd lights in the
bsven were darkened and the old land
arks we're washed away when oil
liugs were to pass away and all thing.
bcome new when America vas entering
pom new destiny and the battle Of the
kes being fought, the Democracy refused
see the nature Of the struggle and tried
trammel BY the "Constitution as it ie,
le mighty contest which is to give uni.
prsal freedom to our continent, and which
ould never have been fought but for the
Constitution tsas it is" Had the Consti-
tion not recognized slavery We would
ps have had this war, and the var cannot
fought to its inevitable end inside of
y Constitution. We are glad that the
bteAigencer sees in this struggle Grad
al revolution" snd that the mission Of
d parties is ended. But shall there be ! |
noe between the Union party and the
bposi,ion !! Shall We join hands all and
hry political differences and have the
bra OF good feelisg re. established ?"-l
nd will it BE- donei This can bs an
Rered only by the developments Of the