The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-04-06

oomuletelv disrsearded % th6otheft hs
have mentioned, BY the terfosism which |
guards the citadel " AVERY. II s1AHery
persecuted rsligioeists, denied the pfivi-
fege of frse diselssiea, prevented free
elsctions. trsnpled apen the constitation-
al guarantees belonging to the citizen,
peaceabIe assemblsges Of tho people to |
consider these gsisvancss with view to |
petition the government for redress could
not be held. II non-slaveholdiDg whites
became alarmed at the bold announce
ment that slavery is the natural and nor
NAL condition Of the laboring man, whether
white or black" seeing therein the an
nouncement Of An effort intended to re-
suit in the enslavement Of labor instead
of the mere African race, they were priv
LEGGED TO peaceably assemble and petition
the government in regard thereto. or dis
cuss the barbarism and to aroua. the peo-
pie in opposition to it. Slavery held po-
Iitical and social power sufficient to crush
all such attempts on the part Of the In
jured people. Slavery could hold its as
semblages, discuss, resolve, petition,
threaten, disregard its constitutional OBJ
legations, trample upon the rights Of labor.
do anything its despotic disposition might
direct but freedom and freemen must be
deaf and dumb and blind. Throughout
al the dominions Of slavery, republican
government, constitutional liberty, the
blessings of our free institutions we're
fables. An aristocracy enjoyed unlimited
power, while the people were pressed to
the earth and denied The inestimable priv
ileges which by right they should have
enjoyed in all the fullness designed by the
Constitution.
Sir, l might enumerate many other
constitutional rights of the citizens which
slavery has disregarded and practically
destroyed, but have enough to illustrate
my proposition; that slavery disregards
the supremacy of the Constitution and
denies to the citizens of each State the
privileges aud immunities of citizens in
the several States.
The proposition needs no argument
We all know that for many years before
the commencement of the gigantic rebel
lion now in progress, the supporters Of
slavery enforced this disregard of the
supremacy of the Constitution and Of the
privileges and immunities Of the citizens
By every power and influence known to
the communities cursed by the presence
of slave. Legislatures, courts, execu-
tives, almost every person holding poili-
cal or social power and position in the
Southern States, were all arrayed on the
side of slavery, aud what they could not
accomplish was turned over to the mob,
which, without law, with abuse, indigni-
ties. cruelties, and hempen hal.ers. did its
work with fearful accuracy aud terrible
exactness. Twenty millions of free men
: in the free States we're practically re.
dueed to the condition of semi citizens Of
g the United States; for the enjoyment o.
: their rights, privileges and immunities as
citizens depended upon perpetual resi-.
dence north of Mason and Dixons line
2 South of that line the rights which have
mentioned, and many more which might
. mention. could be enjoyed only wher
debased to the uses of slavery. Slave
e holders and their supporters alone were
j free to think and print, to do and sal
;, what seemed to them best on both side,
of that line. They could think. read
talk, discuss with perfect freedom in eaci
and every State, and fearfully they usee
this advantage to destroy the liberties o
this country. 1t is quite time. sir, fo
the people Of the free States to look these
facts squareiy in the face and provide ,
e remedy which shall make the future saf
for the rights of each and every citizen
9 Had slavery not possessed this advantage
civil war. freighted with sorrow, desola
ton, and death, would not have visi,e,
: this nation. But since it has come, th
people of the free States should insist OF
ample protection to their rig hts, privilege
} and immunities, which are none othe
y than those which the Constitution wa
u designed to secure to all citizens alike
70 and see to it that the power which cause,
I" the war shall cease to exist, TO the en-,
. that the curse of civil war may never b
visited upon US again, and that the Cit
= zen whose home is in the North shall b
Is as free to assert his opinions and enjoy a
of his constitutional rights in the sunn
y South as he whose roof-tree is the magne
'e liza shall to the same ends be free ami
81 the mountains Of New England and tn
sparkling lakes Of the North and th
- West. An equal and exact observance
~ the constitutional rights of each and ever
!, citizen, 10 each and every State, is th
:" end to which we should cause the lesson
q of this war to carry US. Whatever STAND
- between US and the accomplishment {
Nc tits great end should be removed. Ca
e. We reach this end and save slavery? Ca
., we reconcile the antagonisms which ha,
r. produced this war Can we mix the q
C. aud water of despotism and republica,
ism Can we harmonic the contendin
e. elements of absoiutism and free gover
Dc ment? No, sir; it is not given to HUNS
60 power to accomplish these results VIVA
al then, shall we do Abolish slavery
D. How? By amending our national CO,
re slitution. Whyy Because slavery
at incompatible with free government
ne Peace, prosperity, national harmony, pr
"a gress. civilization, Christianity, all a
r monish us that our only Safety lies
n universal freedom.
ne Sir, have endeavored to show In