The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-06-21

Having bad domestic engagement o
an absorbing character on hand the latter
part Of last week, we had no time to devote
TO the proceedings of our State Conven.
tion, and hitherto the public have not b I'd
our views On the matter. On inspection
of the resolutions adopted on the occasion
we find them in the main most admirable
enunciations of the policy and principles
Of the Republican party and accord them
our hearty concurrence. But while con-
curing most heartily in the general action
Of the Convention. We fail to appreciate
the propriety or the policy of the amend.
ment in favor of negro suffrage. 1t is a
new issue upon which the Union Repub
hcan party Is not entirely hsrmoaious,
ana Its presentation is calculated 10 dis
tract the party TO some extent during the
present political campaign. while the cleo
tion, however it may go, ~ill leave the
issue undecided. The true policy for the
Convention was to have stood by the real
practical and important issue involved in
the amendment of the Constitution pro-
hlbiting slavery in the United Sta es.-
On that issue, however widely the men,
bcrs of the Union party may have diff
fered two years ago. they are agreed now,
and the State could have been carried by
majority of fifty thousand votes. And
notwithstanding the attempt of the Con.
vension to foist ryder on this issue by
the amendment in regard to negro suf-
frage, we trust that the loyal Union party
will stand by the main issue in the COM
ing canvass, regardless of the dust that
may be kicked up by members of either
party over the minor Question, which
must perforce await final decision by
direct vote of the people. And it may
be that after the Union party, which has
stood together during the war, and
sphieyed victories at the polls over the
kopperheads in the North and sabjugated
be rebels On the battle fields of the South,
hall have. annihilated the Copperhesd
Party at the approaching election, we
nav come to better understanding on
he question of negro suffrage, also by
The time it..sbal be submitted to a vote of
the people.
At all events, whatever blunder the
Convention may have made in the premi.
ses, we hold it is utterly out of the ques-
ton fer any true loyal Union man to unite
with the Copperhesd party under the lead
of the.peace sneaks who pronounced the
war failure in their national platform,
and who, by their party principles and
conduct. gave aid and comfort to the
enemy throughout the war. The true
plan is for Union men to stand by each
other now, as they did during the war, on
the broad basis OF general principles, and
not permit our rebel and Copperbead enc
mics to triumph because of difference of
opinion 10 our ranks on matters of minor
consequence. We take it. that it is rather
too late in the day for loyal men to ven
ture to shoulder the odium attaching to .
party led by such men as Clay Dean and
Vallandigham, and the Indiana and Chi
cago conspirators of the "Golden Circle
stripe. Aud, therefore, we hold that all
sensible men will stand by the old Gag
and the comrades with whom they have
been bound in the bonds Of patriotism
during the war, and leave minor issues
till the opportunity is presented for theil
final settlement at the polls.