The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-02-23

tuas IL snnii pc swept away. 4 never eX
e pected 10 discuss the demerits of SLAYER,
/ again, for / deem it unnecessary. Tn,
7 fat has gone forth, and il is dead unless
: the body snatchers on the other side O
this House shall resurreet it and give il
galvsnic life.
: You may say to me that slavery is Z
, divine institution; you may prove to your
own satisfaction from the word Of God
! perhaps, that slavery is beneficial institu
tion; will say to you that all this may
be entirely satisfactory TO your mind, but
your beloved friend, slavery, is no more
This is a world of bereavements and
changes, and | announce to you that your
| friend has departed. Hang the drapery
of mourning on the bier. 60 in long and
solemn procession after the hearse, If YOU
please, and shed your tears of sorrow over
the grave, but life is too short to allow
me to waste an hour in listening to your
fearful eulogy over the deceased.
NO PEACE WITH THE REBEL LEADERS.
| come now to consider another poin.
in this question. / hold it as a settled
| ~ utA tuaS tue VI tuis iGLGEitDu can
never live in peace in this Republic.
do not say it IN any spirit Of vindctive-
ness, but as matter OF conviction. Ask
the men who have seen them and met
them in the darkness Of battle and all the
rigors Of warfare; they will tell you il,
can never be. | make. of course, an ex-
ception In favor OF that sad array Of men
who have been forced or caioled BY their
leaders into the ranks and subordinate
Offices of the rebel army. [ believe a
truce could be struck to-day between the
rank and file Of the hostile armies. | be-
lieye they could meet and shake hands
joyfully over returning peace, each re-
spectiDg the courage and manhood of the
ot!ier. But for the wicked men who
brought on this rebellion, for the wicked
men who led others into he darkness,
sach day can never come. Ask the
Representatives of Kentucky upon this
floor. who know what the rebellion has
been in their State, who know the vio-
! lence aud devastation that la: swept over
it; and they will tell you that all over
the State neighbor has been slaughtered
By neighlor, feuds fierce as human hate
can make them. have sptung up, ard SO
long as revenge has an arm TO strike, its
blows will never cease 10 be struck, If
such men come back to dwell in their
midst. This is true Of every State over
which the desolating tie OF war has
swept. II YOU would not inaueura.e an
extcrminating warfare, TO continue while
you and | and our children and our chill
dren's children live, set it dowl st once
that the leaders OF fhis rebellion au.. be
executed or banlsned from the Republic
4 They must follow the fate of the tories Of
the Revolution
believe, Mr.. Speaker. that the army
Is unit on these great questious aud
must be here permitted to quote from one
OF natures nOblemeB, a man from Niryi-
MIA, with the price OF the Old Dominion
In his blood, but who could not be Sci acei
from his patriotism-one who, amid tie
storm Of war that surged against him at
! Chickamauga, stood firm as a rock IN the
sea-George II. Thomas. That man
wrote communication to the Secretary
of War nearly year ago, saying, in sub
stance, tor ] quote from memory, II
send you the enclosed paper, from su-
bordinate officer; endorsed It's senti-
ments, and | will add, that We never make
solid progress against The rebellion until
we take more sweeping and severe meas
ures We must make these people f., | the
rigors Of war, subsist our army upon
| fkgm and laaya
there will be little in it for them to de-
sire" Thus spoke man who is very far
from being what the gentlemen upon the
other eide OF The House are pleased to
call an Abolitionst or a Northern fanatic:
and IN saying this be spoke the voice OF
the army.
HE Is AsroNIsHED At REBEL sYAPATnrz-
KRs N CONGRESS.
Mr.. Speaker, am surprised and ainaz
ed beyond measure at what | hsyc seen
in this House. Having been so long
with men who had but one thought upon
these great themes. it is passing strange
, to me to hear men talking of the old Is
:. sues and discussion of four years ago.
, They forget that we live in actions more
than in years. They forget that some
times nation may live generation in a
single year; that the experience of the
last three years has been greater than
that of centuries of quiet and peace.
, They do not seem to realize that VIC are
at war. They do not seem to realize that
this is a struggle for existence a terrible
fight Of flint with flint, bayonet with bay.
onet, blood for blood. They still retain
, some hope that they can smile rebellion
into peace. They use terms strangely.
, Ia these modern days words have lost
, their significance. If man steals his
thousands from the Treasury, he is not q
| thief; oh, no he is a defauller.. If q
roam hang shackles on the limbs of hu-
man being and drives him through life as
a slave, it is not man stealing, it is no,
t even slavery, it is only another form Of
civilization We are using words il
that strange way. There are public
| Journals in New York city, | am told
1 that never called this rebeiion-it i.
only "civil commotion," /" fraterna
strife" 1t was described more vigorous
ly in this Chamber few days ago as .sar