The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-06-24
For The GATE CrrY.
THE PRESENT STATE or The
COUNTRY.
NUMBER THREE.

1t is asserted that the personal liberty
laws enacted BY the Legislatrues Of sew
eral Eastern States stand ont q an eff
Gent cause in producing the present re-
bellion. This. we thiak. cannot be true.
In 1892, when South Carolina was ON the
verge of insurrectiou, there was then not
only no organized abolition party, but
there were no personal liberty bills in ex-
istence. And in 1861, in Congress, MIR.
PIverson, of Georgia. in speaking upon the
subject, and in answer to q similar asser.
tion, said: "You talk Of concessions. You
"talk about repeating the personal liberty
bills as concession to the South. Re-
"peal them all tomorrow, sir. and Il
"wouid not stop the progress Of this revo-
"lution. 1t is not your personal liberty
bills that We dread" Such is the de.
iiberate opinion expressed by dissin-
gulshed secessiouist and placed on record
among the Legislative debates of the
United States.
1t is said, that the fear of freedom to
the slave through the action of the North
operated powerfully upon the Southern
mind in resolving upon resistance. This
is only another excuse offered in pallia
ton of q great wrong; and we have be-
fore US the most conclusive evidence of
this fact in the emphatic avowal of the
Confederate Commissioners sent to Eng.
land to represent and vindicate the South
ern cause. Messrs. Yancey, Mann and
fost constituted that commission. In
letter dated the l4th of August, 1861, ad
dressed to Lord Russell. they use this
language: " 1t was from no fear that the
slaves would be liberated that secession
took place." and added, that "Lincoln
proposes no freedom to the slave" The
elaboration with which this letter va.
written, and representing. as this commits
sion did, the sovereignty and the opinion
OF the Ccnfederacy in it's communication
with the British Government, demon.
strates, irrefutably, the entire falsity of
his assertion.
But it is insisted by Northern men that
the election Of Mr.. Lincoln to the Pres;.
dental chair, and the administration Of
the National Government consequent upon
that election, formed the real and imme-
diate cause Of the rebellion. They say if
any other candidate had been elected, no
revolution would have occurred. Thew
say t hat if the Government had been .d .
ministered by other hands. We would have
had no separstion-in other words, if the
South had succeeded in acquiring posses.
sion and control Of the reins Of Govern.
ment, there would have been no sece ssiop
And because she did not thus acouire
posse ssion, then it is gravely urged BY
sympathisers IN our midst. that she was
] justified in her rehallious eou rse,
MIR. Lincoln was constitutioDaIly elected
President, and the South participated
volu ntarily and actively in that election !;
aao yet in the face of these facts, North.
ern men will extenuate the mighty wrong
OF the rebellion. Were the slave States
reie assd from their federal allegiance BY
any such oct /? They could not be. Had
the United States Government committed
any overt oct Of wrong against them when
they rose up in rebellion? No one pre.
tends this. Was simple anticipation Of
probable future danger q thsis i,stitu-
tons . sufficient casse 2 We thipk A.
why are SO many of our own citixeps 40
anxious 70 throw the fault Of this isssr-
rection upon the North, and relieve tia
south from ~ crime and il hura,1g de.
grace, unless it is 70 strengthen the rebsl
arm and deepen and widen tAs eplf
which already separates the parties to hi. |
sanguinary conflict n Hs}
These seni-traitors go further than n. |
South 'tseh dare 60 IN defending her Own |
course and conduct. Let us look int -.
record Of her doings. .ss4ra@ ia
Mr. Stephens, the Vice. Pfe,;de.. al
the cOnfederscy, speaking Of tAs pzss.r.1
observes:
we vent into the election With mi.
people. Phe result was difFsr..e a..
snas ss wished; bat the election =.
!" constitutionally held. Wer, veto-.l. Il
"a psist q Essissancs % az -Goy.,.s;...
" and g 90 of ~ zUnses a 1872