The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-09-15

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the chancellor of the exchequer tells as, the
interest is Sl31, BOG, $50. Ours, when all
shall be funded, will be nearly double.
The plan we have proposed would pay at
least three fourths of our debt. The balance
could be managed with our present taxation.
And yet to think that even that is to be per-
petual is sickening. Ii it is to be doubled. as
Il must be, if restoration " instead of ''re-
construction is to prevail, would to God the
authors of it could see themselves as an exc
Grating public and posterity will see them.
Our new Doctors of National law, who hold
that the "Confederate States were never out
of the Union, but only insurgents and TRAITORS,
have became wiser than Grotius and Pnffen-
dorf and Rutherford and Nattel, and all mod
ern publicists down TO Halleck and Phillimore.
They all agree that such a state of things as
has existed here for four years is pubiaf scdr
and constitutes the parties independent bel
| iigerents, subject to the same rules OF war as
the foreign nations engaged IN open warfare.
The learned and able Professor at Law in
the Cambridge, Theophilus Parsons, lately
said in public speech
.'As we are victorions in war we have a
right to impose upon the defeated party any
terms necessary for our security. This right
is perfect. II is not only in itself obvious but
it is asserted in every book on this subject
and is illustrated by all the wars of history
The rebels forced a war upon us; and now
| that we have conquered them, we have all the
| rights which victory confcrs.
| The only argument of the Restoratlonist IS,
| that the States could not and did not go out
of the Union because the Constitution iorbids
| it. BY the same reasoning you could prove
| that no crime ever existed. No man ever
committed murder, for the law forbids it !
4 He il a shallow reasoner who could make
theory override fact
| prefer to believe the ancient and modern
publicists. and the learned Professors of legal
science. to the extemporized doctrines of
modern Sciolists.
| If "Restoraton. as it is now properly
christened. is to prevail over ''Reconstruc
ton. will some learned pundit of that school
Inform me in what condition Slavery and the
Slave laws are | assert that upon that the.
ory not a slave has been liberated; not Slave
law has been abrogated; but, ON the ''Rezto-
ration the whole Slave code is in legal force.
Slavery was protected BIZ our Constitution in
every State in the Union where it existed.
While they remained under that protection no
power III the Federal Government could abol-
| ish Slavery. If. however. the Confederate
States were admitted to be what they claimed
| an independent belligerent de fdctO then the
war broke all treaties. compacts and ties be-
tween the parties, and slavery was left to It's
rights under the law of nation. These rights
We're none. for that law declares that ''Man
can hold no property in man. (Phiilimora.
page 316.) Then the laws of war enabled rs TO
declare every bondman free, so long as we
hold them in military possession. And the
coucueror, through Congress, may declare
them forever emancipated. But ifthe States
are Estates in the Union," then when war
ceases they resume their positions with all
their privileges untouched. There can be 80
''mntilatedH restoration. That would be the
work OF Congress, alone, and would he Re-
construction
While hear ii said everywhere that slavery
is dead. | canno; learn who killed H. No
thoughtful man has pretended that Lincoln :
proclamation. so noble in sentiment liberia
ted single slave. il expressly excluded from
its operation ,il those within our lin4s No
| slave within any part Of the rebel States in
our possession. or IN Tennessee, lfat only
those beyond our limits aud bevond our power
| were declare free. So General Sinil CON
Guered Canada by proclamation, The Presi
dent did not pretend 10 abrogate the slave
laws of any Of the States Reservations
therefore, will leave the :. Union as 1t was e.
a hideous idea. am aware that a very able
and patriotic gentleman, and learned hisfori-
an. Mr. Bancroft. has attempted 10 place their
freedom on different grounds. He SAYS. what
is undoubtedly true, that the proclamation Of
freedom did not free slave. But tie hber-
ates them on faudal principles Under the
fedual system. when a king CONQUERED his
enemy, he pareeled out his lauds and con
gnered Sl}yects among his chief retainers
the lands and scrfs were held ON con
diilou Of fealty and rendering military service
when required, IF the subordinate chief re-
helled. he broke the condition on which he
held them, and the lands and serfs became
forfeited to the Lord paramount But II did
not free the Sefis. They. with the planors.
we're bestowed on other favorites But the
analogy fails in another important respect.
The American slave holder does not hold. hv
virtue OF any grant from any Lord paramount
least Of all by grant from the General
Government Slavery exists bv no law Of
the Union. but simply by local laws. by the
laws of the States. 8 Rebellion against the
National authority is l. breach of no condition
of their true tenure. Ii were more analapouS
to say that rebellion, against State under
whose laws they held might work a forfeit
ure. But rebellion against neither Govern
men would per Sc have any such effect. On
whom would the Lord paramount again be.
stow the slaves? he theory is plausible,
but has no solid foundation
The President SAYS to the rebel States. BE
fore you can participate in the Government
you mast abolish slavery and reform your
election laws Tint is the command of a
conqueror. Tint is demonstrations not res
toration-reconstruction too bv assuming the
powers OF Congress. This theory will lead 10
melancholy results. Nor can the Constitu-
tional amendment abolishing slavery ever be
ratified by three tourths Of the States. if fbeu
are States to be counted. Bogus Conventions
OF those States may vote for it. Bat no Con-
yention honestly and fairly elected will ever
do IT. The frauds viii not permanently avail.
he cause OF liberty must rest on a tirmer
basis. Counterfeit Governments, ike E,r-
ginia, Louisiana, Tennessee. Mississipn; and
Arkansas pretenccs. will be disregardcd nv
the sober sense of the people, bv future law.
and by the courts. i" Restoration is re-plant.
ing the seeds Of rebellion which, within the
next quarter OF a century, will gerininate and
produce the same bloody strife which has lust
ended.
But il is said by those who have more SYM
pathy with rebel wives and children than for
the widows and orphans OF loval men, that
this stripping the rebels Of their estates and
driving them TO exile or TO honest labor, would
be harsh and severe upon innocent women
and children. Il may be so but that is the
result OF the necessary laws of war; Bat It
Is revolutionary, they say. This plan would.
no doubt work radical reorganization in
southern institutions, habits and manners. II
IS intended to revolutionize their principles
and feelings. This may startle feeble minds