The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-02-17

Republic. We expect to see the power
Of the Southern States taken from the
hands Of "cruel and remorseless" aris-
tocracy and restored to the rightful pos
session Of whole people. We expect to
labor for the elevation of that people, and
knowing that the first step toward that
elevation is the destruction Of that aristo-
| cratic and semi-feudal system which has
heretofore existed in the South, we favor
the pending resolution, favor it for the
masses against the despotlc and uaitorous
few, favor it for democracy against sris-
tocracy We would make the mass land
holders by breaking up the land monopoly
of the rebel slavehoiders of the South,
and placing land within the reach of the
poor, and thus add to the dignity and as
sert the individuality Of every man. We
are working out the problem which the
fathers bequeathed to us, the establish
meDt Of pure Republic. BY the reduc-
ton Of the great land power Of the lead
ers of the rebellion, through the operation
of our system of sales OF land delinquent
under the law for direct taxation, and the
enforcement of the constitutional power
Of forfeiture. we expect TO reach the
grand result OF general distribution OF
the land of the South among the people.
An accomplishment OF this expected re-
suit works the death OF that aristocratlc
power which is composing the destruction
of the Republic.
Sir, we are looking to the ultimate ele
walton Of the "common people" of The
Southern States. We expect to make
them power in opposition to that which
has heretofore crushed their spirit and
made them political slaves. We expect
our policy TO result in the establishment
Of those great Industrial, economical, and
educational principles which have made
the free States supreme in this great con-
!. test between 6esp1ilsm and liberty. We
+ expect TO reaiize as the fully ripened fruit
of our poiicy Tie perfect establishment OF
a republicaElsn which has ever lived in
theory but never enthroned itself on the
continent Of America except where the
sway Of freedom Has perfect and no slave
appealed TO the God u justice. We look
forward to the tine when tue school
house, tue academy, the college, a8d the
church shall 10 the SOutn measure nu-
mericai strength with tue sane great
guardians OF r-pubiicanism aid morals in
the dsinely favored and Of the North
. We look forward ~ the time when the
child OF the ''poor white OF the South
snail possess the same educational adyan-
tages which the free spirit OF tie North
, has accorded to the offspring OF the rich
aud tie poor III common. We are look
Ing to the advantages Of whole people,
. aud not merely 10 the privileges OF a
( caste, as seems to be the case with gem
iltmen who oppose this joint resolution.
We keep pace with The measured step Of
: the civilization oil the nineteenth century,
and urge those who are b4hiud Us 10 ad-
vance to our position. Whatever Of good
I We possess, We desire to extend TO Others
not as towards to those whom they
, fe4r, but as msgnanimous people to
: those whom they can conquer aud for
give.
5 | will consume No more Of the time Of
J the House with this subject. The case IL
! made up aud luily understood. Those
who oppose tue passage OF the JOINT resp
lat;eu must stand before the country as
: opposed u the Constitution, opposed 10
5 tue tue interest ii tue country, opposed
) to the elevation Of the poor whites Ct the
South, and 10 favor If snielaing tie lead
ers ot the rebellion from the punishment
2 which their euormous crime deserves.
Ihey have made their own issue, aud all
lie speeches they have d-liYered-hled
: with hollow preIens.ons ol devotion to the
: Constitution, love OF the Union, regard
for the nights OF the people. ard rever-
ence for the teachings OF our civilization
$ will not enable tuem 10 disguise the
! true character OF the issue. Fine words
: will not mislead the people. Talking for
: the Union, and acting and voting Tor a
) disunion rebellion, is a mask too thin to
/ conceal the complexion OF the lace which
it covers. Pro,estations OF loyalty to the
Government, coming from lip. which, 10
! regard to cur armed defense OF the nation,
AK, " When shall this helhsh crusade ct
blood and famihe ceasef" are no more
: sincere than was the Hiss OF Judas. The
! latter was an act OF betrayal, and the
former are Intended to accomplish no no.
bier end.
! Mr.. Speaker, | cannot close without
/ calling tie attention Of the House and Of
, the country to one significant fact. For
some two weeks we have been listening
, to speeches made By gentlemen who OPP
pose this Joint resolution, filed with the
bitterest denunciations of the Admins
) sEation, of congressional action, OF every
act resored to by the Government for the
suppression Of the rebellion and the re-
! storation of the authority OF the Republic
throughout its entire dominion, but in no
one OF these speeches can be found sem
timent which would excite the ire or even
} wound the feelings of Jefferson Davis and
those who are holding up his hands in
Richmond. Sir, this is not the result Of
accident. The speeches are too numer-
4 GUS and the practice too uniform TO admit
Of any such explanation. Sympathy with
reneis and traitors alone could produce
such shameful and extraordinary result.
leave this TACT with the country, feeling
assured thet the people will fully under