The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-09-20

We have called attention to the combina-
ton of the South to effect the payment of
their debts, and conceive it TO be beyond our
power to admonish the people and our public
men against them. That they will, unless
sternly checked, become formidable there is
no doubt. The foreigners interested in what
are known as " confederate bonds" lately
held meeting in London for the purpose Of
taking steps to secure the recognition of those
Infamous obligations; and by the subioined
article from the Philadelphia North american
OF yesterday it will be seen that even the Mo-
bile RegsSter-a paper now under the man
agement OF John Forsyth, one of the Ala.
bama leaders of the rebellion. who at its
downfall, asked to come back to his.allegianee,
does not hesitate to insist upon the payment
of what is called "The Rebel War Debt OF
that State. 1t will be recollected that some
weeks ago Occasional of The Press, was
complained of by some of the friends Of the
Government, because he intimated that these
very designs were on foot. The preparations
We have referred to are q rather early realiza-
ton of his apprehensions The sentiments of
the North american viii meet the approval
of all patriotic citizens:
The Mobile Register expresses regret to
see IN the proceedings of the convention of
the State OF Mississippi some symptoms of
reputation of the war debt of that State.
and the Register proceeds to protest earnestly
against the policy, and to argue in favor Of
paying these rebel obligations. The same
trouble will arise in all of the rebel States.
and may as well be contemplated and prov.
ded against. Virginia has already legun to
show her teeth on the same question, We
have national war debt, which these people
will have enough 20 90 to pay their share of,
without burdening themselves in addition
al,nl
presume, will provide effectuallv against any
State taxing her citizens TO pay rebel debts.
1t may be said that these people have a right
u tax themselves for this purpose if they see
proper, but they have no right to tax loval
residents of those States for purposes totally
opposed TO their conscences The taxation
mostly falls in the end on the poorer classes
who, in these rebel States, are mostly loyal.
and were so throughout the war; We see no
good reason why the negro half of the popu-
lation OF Mississippi should be taxed to pay
debt incurred to keep them in bondage. The
United States Government has from the first
emphatically denied that these debts we're in.
CURED by any rightful State authority For
that very reason it everthrew the State Gov
ernments as soon AS peace was established.
Inc DEBT rests on the same basis as the act of
secession, and should fare the same fate.
moreover, we can give no more effectual les
son against future rebellion than TO mako
every dollar of debt incurred in ito sunnort
dead loss. That would effectually cripple
any subsequent revolt. Again, if we allow
this assumption St rebel debts, the taxatio n
for both that and our own will become SO on.
erous that the poorer classes will be unable
TO bear 1t. Perhaps this may be the object OF
the rebel politicians who are agitating the
subject, Our approaching Congress will. of
course; legislate severely to prevent this. but
the administration could materially aid the
movement by insisting upon provision being
made by the State conventions against the as.
icle. SN'' o'' y"