The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-01-15

md detain his sUidiefs, and tnke their
lives if We can, in Legitimate combat. All
this We ass allowed to do, because it is .
right which belongs to every nation ct
vsf, = derived from and attaches to d
state Of war; These we'll established and
fundamental principles have been recog-I
nissd by our Government in it's inter-
course with other nations, sustained by
repeated decisions OF the federal courts,
and never denied or doubted, except dur
ing the present war by certain northern
politicians, who have throughout mani
tested more interest in the rebellion than
love for the Union of these States. As
it is proper here to remark that the char
acter of belligerents has been given to the
insurgent States by the legislative and
executive departments of the Govern
ment; that we have SO treated them
during the entire war, and that this ac-
ton has been sustained by late well
considered opinion of thu Supreme Court
of the United States, in case fully and
fairly presented. This question may,
therefore, be regarded as settled, so far as
the action of this Government and people
can settle any question.
During the first months of this war, in
common with what believe to have been
a decided majority of the people. both in
and out Of the army, I INDUCED the hope,
and expressed the belief that it could be
successfully terminated without direct
attack upon the local institutions of the
South. The Government itself seems to
have entertained the same view, for a re-
markable tenderness characterized its
dealings with traitors, and the war was
prosecuted during the first year with
eminent success, upon the theory of doing
the rebellion as little damage as possible.
Bitter experience and observation how
ever finally convinced me, as it did
others, that slavery was n BIT only "the
corner stone Of the Confederacy,' but
was the posoer which sustained and the
motive which impelled the rebellion.
Every negro that worked with a hoe, or
drove . mule on = southern plantation,
was as much enlisted again st the Union,
as the soldier who served with his gun in
the ranks OF the rebel army; and more
effectively 50 because Tho grain upon
which our enemy subsists. renders him
more formidable than his shells or his
bullets
Slavery stood like mo hntain before
the advance of our armies. ana could
neither be avoided nor deded 1t enabled
the insurgents to place their entire mil
tia force in the field against US, and add
ed more than half 10 their available
strength. While slavery existed, treason
had power and object, and so long would
the rebellion continue, and the war be
pto,rscted.
At the commencement of this rebellion,
the four millions OF slaves i&habiting the
Southern States were peace ful and loval
subjects OF this Government: owing ale
glance TO It. and amenablk to its laws
And although they became the unwilling
instruments OF treason. yet their allegiance
has not been aud could not be dissolved
Upon this people. therefore, as its legiti-
mate subjects. the Govern ent had as
high claims As ii had upbn the white
population Of :he South. By State laws
only they were held as SLAVES, but this
was In subordination 10 lht cir status as
sabjects, for, st any time the Govern
neni could have taken them from their
masters and punished them. like other
men, for violation of its laws, and the fact
that they were slaves would have been
no defence. BY no act or deed has the
Federal Government ever relinauished
its claim upon this class Of its people :
and it could not have done So. with due
regard to the peace aud safety of the
| MON. No wise Government would
permit large and permanent population
ID reside within its limits who are beyond
It's ultimate control. Whatever NAV be
the character given them By mere local
regulations, Fan not affect the authority
of the sovereign power over them. These
people are not only denominated as per-
sons by the Constitution, but they have
SO been treated By the Government, for
all purposes, during its entire history.
In all these respects. at least, the slaves
we're the equals OF their masters; they
SouAd PIt pGhdSc kur eAlHS tfiieS. DC Ifte1
therefor by the same tribunals, inearee-
rated IN the same prisons, and hung upon
the same scatfolds. And while their
masters commit atrocious treason against
the Government which shelters all, have
not these oppressed subjects right to
fight for it, and shed their blood in de-
Tense of its flag?
If by the offer OF freedom we could in
duce these bond subjects to leave their
reasonable masters, and return to their
legitimate sovereign, whom they have
never willingly offended, what principle
of law or right would be thereby contra
vened Has not any established Gov
erpmeut an absolute right to exercise this
sovereign authority overits own subjects
If it be alleged that this would be yio-
lation of our faith with the Southern
States, the conclusive answer is, that they
had already violated theirs with US by at
tempting to dissolve the Union. We
could as rightfully do this as we could
induce the soldiers in the rebel armies to
leave their ranks and return to their al
legiance by the offer of a general pardon.
And to deny that we can rightfully do
either, is TO hold that the Individual