The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-08-11
THE PEACE DISTINGUISHES.

Lively uhy duue 10 the evidence OF
widespread determination of the peac,
leaders to control the Democratic Ma
iional Convention, and to place thei
party on platform of secession, identi
cal in principle and in logic with that o
the JEFF. Davis rebellion. Under sucl
principles national government is i'm
possible, and the Union would be resolved
into Its conlituent elements. Oul
fathers OF Revolutionary memory trieo
the experiment of a confederation of in
dependent and sovereign States. and found
that it would lead them into anarchy. And
undera pressing sense of the evils of such
government, convention assembled
with George Washington for President,
which adopted national governmer,
under constitution which declares itself
and the laws made in pursuance of it "the
supreme Law, of the land. anything in any
State constitutions or laws to the contra.
ry notwithstanding
There Is no room for national doubt
upon this great vital point, and only trait.
ore have ever questioned it.
The secesh platform was adopted by
the Peoria Convention Of Peace Copper
heads, and we quote below the remarks
of the Missouri Republican, an organ Of
the other wing of the party, which has
the nerve to speak out in condemnation
OF the peace traitors Of the party.
The Republican says:
The resolutions reprobate coercion of
sovereign States as Unauthorized by and
impossible under the Constitution. A
large number of the peopled oppose coer.
cion at the beginning OF our troubles as
impolitic, believing that war might be
averted by compromise, and desiring the
Republicans to contemplate and adop,
this method of settlement rather than that
of war. But we must not forget that
military coercion was commenced by the
South, and that nowhere in the North
at least up to the election of Mr.. Lincoln.
was the right of secession acknowledged.
Senator Douglas, at Norfolk and else
where, declared that the success of the
Republicans would give no excuse for se-
cession, and that there could legally be
no such thing under our Government
We have never heard that any portion of
the Democracy of Illinois objected to
Douglas position on that subject, but, on
the other hand, we believe it was univer-
sally applauded in that State. Gentle
men who now profess to see in the Fed
eral res solutions OF 1893 and 1899, the adj
mission of she right OF States to secede.
are estopped from quoting them IS sus-
tanning their present position, when those
same gentlemen denied the alleged right
In 1860. The Democracy of Illinois will,
We think, long hesitate before committing
themselves TO doctrines which logically
rebuke DoUeLAs and CHrrTENpEN and
more than nlne-tenths OF their party In
the North.
One of the Peoria resolutions, referring
to tue Administration, rectes: 1T has de-
MED to sovereign States all constitutional
rights, and tier, Ly obsolced then, from all
aHeyi ,nce." This is most execrable doc
trlne, aud the portion We have italicized
is alike monstrous. wether taken as an a.
dependent statement, or as an inference
from the preceding branch Of the SEN
tenee. 1t is giaring non seguitur that
the alleged denial of sovereign constitu.
tional r.lghts to the States, by Abraham
Lincoln aud his associates in power. ab.
solves those States from their allegiance;
nor, in our belief, can there be any such
absolutlon, unless by National Conven-
tion OF all the States. The resolution We
have quoted will be interpreted as
virtual recognition of the independence
of the Southern Confederacy, or, what
amounts to the same, rs an acknowledges
ment ofthe dismenberment of the Union.
We feel right sure that the Illinois De-
mocracy are not prepared to acqniesce in
this, any more than they are prepared 10
uDqualliiedly denounce a war in which
nearly every family is, or has been, rep
resented by the brave and gallant soldiers
from that State. Conscientious Union
men, no matter how much they may de
plore the grave offenses of the Washing.
ton "Government," will trample such
resolves under their feet and all platforms
made up Of the like.