The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-06-02

John G. Whittier writes 10 the villaser
(Amesbury, Massachusetts, his views Of
the present danger of our country and
duty OF her loyal people, from which We
quote as follows:
In spite OF all revelations of the utterly
barbarous character of slavery and its
direfuI effect upon all connected with il,
We we're on the very point Of trusting TO
its most criminal defenders the task Of re-
establishing the State governments Of the
South, leaving the real Union men, white
As we'll rs black, at the mercy of those
who have made hatred a religion and
and murder sacrament. The nation
needed one more terrible lesson. Il has
it 10 the murder of its beloved Chief
Magistrate and the attempted assassina-
ton Of it's honored Prime Minister--the
two men of all others prepared to 20 far.
thest to smooth the way Of defeated re.
bellion back to allegiance.
Even now, the lesson of these terrible
events seems blu. half learned. In the
public utterances hear much Of punish
ing and hanging leading traitors, fierce
demands for vengeance, and threats of
the summary chsstisement of domestic
sympathzsrs with treason, but com para
lively little u.s. said of the accursed cause
the prolific mother Of denominations
slavery.
The Government is exhorted to renem.
Der that it DOES not bear the sword in
vain-the Old Testament il ransackcd for
texts Of Oriental hatred, and the exam.
pies of the reyepges of semi-barbarous
nation-but as respects the 1000, 600 Of
unmistakably loyal people Of the South,
the patient. loDg-suffsring. kind hearted
victims Of opptession--oniy here and
there voice pleads for their endowmen nj
with the SAME rights Of citizenship which
are to be accorded to the rank and file Of
disbanded rebels. The Golden Rule Of
the Sermon on the Mount is not applied
to them. Much is said of executing ius.
tice upon rebels; little of justice to LOYAL
black men. Hanging few ringleaders
Of treason, 1t seems to be supposed, is all
that ID needed to restore and re- establish
the revolted States. The negso is to DO
left powerless in the hands of the "white
trash" who bate him with bitter hatred
exceeding that of the large shareholders.
In short, four years of terrible chaa.ise.
msnt-of Gods unmistakeable Judgments
have not taught Us, as people. the
lessou, which could scarcely be palmer il
it hsd been written 10 letters Of Gre on
the sky. Why is i. that We are 60 SLOW
10 learn. 80 unwilling 10 confess. that
slavery is the sccursed thing which whe,s
the knife Of murder, and TRANSFORMS men.
with the exterior Of gentlemen and Chris.
t'a,s, into 6eudsl How pitiful is our
exultation over the capture of Booth and
his associates The great criminal. Of
whom he and they we're but paltry instru-
ments, still stalks abroad 10 The, pine
woods OF Jersy, where the State hss
thrown arouod him her legislative sang
tion sod protection He is 10 Psnnavl.
vania thrusting the black man from p.h.
lilo cosveyances. Wherever God's Mil.
dren are despised, insulted and abusad a.
account Of their color, there i ia rs.l
assassin of the President still q ler..
do not wonder at the indignation vhish
has been awakened By the late outr.oe
Tor have painfully sharsd It. Bat IA 8
- e It that il is rightly direeted. Ths@
hanging Of : score Of Southern ff,itn..
will not restore Abraham. Lincolr. .c,
atone Tor the mighty loss. In wrast;..
revenge upon these miserable men, we