The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-06-21
NUMBER TWO.

1t is not my design 10 these articles to
go into an elaborate investigation and
analysis of the original AID proximate
causes of the present rebellion. This be-
longs more appropriately to the historian.
In the present con vulsed state of the pub.
lilo mind, different persons would reach
conclusions: and much, very
much, would depend upon the stand point
Of view from which the subject was con-
A few general remarks, how
ever, will not be inspposite.
In the excitement of partizan feeling,
many causes have been named a, having
contributed to bring on this war. 1t is
said Abolitionism was the cause, and that
if slavery had been let alone there would
have been 20 secession. Let US look int
this reasoning. Abolitionism, as a prac.
tical thing, could not exist unless there
was slavery; but slavery could exist with
out abolitionism. As political element,
the one must preeede the other-slavery
is the cause, abolitionism the effect. The
South justified the one; a large portion
of the North justified the other. The
difference of opinion up to and subse-
quent to 1889, was not so much, in re-
gard to the constitutional guarantees and
securities yielded to the slave proprietor,
as to the moral relations and bearings
growing out of the slave question. This
matter touched the Christian heart of the
nation as it affected considerations of
duty, liberty and humanity. The politi-
cal position of the citizen could not regu-
late and control his moral conyictio1l and
religious obligations, while these did not
come in collision with the former. The
very essence of our institutions consists
in freedom of opinion and action, subor-
dinate only to constitutional and legal
limitations and spcnsibi,ities. 1t was
the right, then, of every American citi-
zen to examine the moral question OF
slavery and act in accordance with his
own convictions, subject, as we have said,
to his political relations. This is all that
the great mass of the abolitionists origin
ally done, or claimed the right to do
Many Of them, it may be, erred in the
excess of their zeal, and gave q promi.
hence to their idea Of immediate emanci.
patton entirely disrroportiona.e to its due
weight in the practical solution of this
political and social problem. But how
ever this may be, slavery was viewed al
great wrong Earnest men protested
against it. They could not let IL alone
Their moral convictions rebelled against
its continuance. 1t would not remain
quiescent. 1t was aggressive. seeking
new fields in which to plant the seeds oil
its bitterness and misery Under these
circumstances conflicts Of opinion aud in
dividual action were inevitable.
The Richmond Inquirer, the chief or
gan of the slave power, avowed that eve
(the South seek, not merely to retain il
(slavery) where it is, but to extend it in.
to regions where it is unknown !" and in
speaking of Northern Aboliaionists it fur.
Their says: They are clearly right, il
slavery be morally wrong" This slave
organ does net stop here, but vindicates
the higher law doctrine in the following
significant language: aIn truth, the Con
stitution cannot help slavery, if it be .
violation of the laws of God and of moral.
lty. In that case, the Constitution should
be changed, or the free States should Sc
cede, rather than continue to guarantee
what they consider immoral and profane. .
has the Abolitionist ever preached .
holder doctrine than that? We think
not. 10 1889, it is well known. South
Carolina declared the tariff law uucopsti.
tutional and threatened resistance to i,
even to rebellion; but the masterly expo
sition Of constitutional lsw and duty mon
this subject, embodied in the proclan..
tion of Gen Jackson, supported, as /,
was koownit would be, BY the strong arm
:
iron will and in6exible patriotism Of tina,
distinguished chieftain. soon Quoted the
spirit of resurrection and restored peace
TO the country. Up to this point, aboi.
tionism had not become an organized .ele.
menf IN the political movements of the
e'untry' nor did it become so until driven.
Into it BY the aggressive action Of the
slave power. The South complained Of
the large number of slaves that escapsd