The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-01-07
san Bs,l,gsrsns.


1t 10 the duty Of every citissn 70 en-
courage the rest amid al The saveFss cir
cumstances Of the war which il upon N
Subjugation is the horror Of which VI
must not so much as think, except TO avoit
it at whatever sacrifice and By vhsteveI
toll and endurance. Tho mind "a moi
conceive Of SO terrible condition, % aw
full doom. Happy in comp arson wouid
be The traveller dragged downby pursuin,
wolves. Happy the captive who nigh
fall into savage banda. Their fate,
though terrible, would be brief in its sut
feriugs. IL would be agony, indeed, i
We. the living men and women Of these
Confederate States, should have to lie in
the dust before the most sbhorrent people
on cath, with their hoofs on our necks,
and have to endure the Low, malignant IT,
ranny of men who hate us IS they do ;
but, oh, when We add to this, the Thoughts
that our children would TINS be troddsn
down by their children, and our children's
children by their chIldren's children, the
very idea becomes . torture too intoler-
able to be Contemplated II We were base
enough to yield our own rights, We could
not dare thus to betray our pusterity. For
them the battle must 60 on. We're We
to cover, our children would curse our
memories in the bitterness Of their souls,
and the world would say amen
Seeing, then, that We have no election,
no choice but to persevere, lei ~ animate
each other to the exercise of . cheerful
courage aud an accomplishing testitude
Let us do this as an obligation Of duty
and of principle. When the Israelites
had nearly reached the end o their wan
derings, snd were about to confront their
enemies, there we're found those who
caused their hearts to faint BY their evil
prophecies. The land they said, 10 in
deed, good land, but I've be not able 70
go Up against the people; for they are
stronger than we - Il was in vain that
the courageous Caleb and Joshua endeav-
ored to inspire them with Drawer senti-
ments. 1t was 10 vain that they assured
them that they we're "well able" to con
ouer. would to God We bad died in |
tn land of Egypt" was the bitter lans en-
tation "Aud they said one to another. |
let us make a Captain, and let US return 1
into Egypt What was the effect of this
fa,u,hearteduess and cowardice? $50
morrow turn you, and get yon into the
wilderness by the way of the Red Sea-
At The CLOSE OF their pilgrimage, and in
sight Of peace and happiness, they we're
turned back again, aud condemned to |
wander forty years in the wilderness
Such was the. effect on the public in
teresls. As to their individual fortunes,
OF all that multitude, the only persons
who lived to conquer, were the men who
affirmed the ability to conquer and en-
couraged the effort.
Shall we not learn the lesson? Alas,
how often have We, too, BEEN returned to
our wanderings by our fears. How often
has the peace which was near by, and
needed only brave hand to seize it, been
LIST or delayed by cur timidi.y II the
war has lasted four years instead Of one,
let us blame ourselves. II there be some
among US who are forgetting aud forfeit
ins that Divine favor SO signally disy!ay
ed 10 cur behalf in the psst, and who are
iuquiring whether it would not be better
to reconstruct the Union" better to IRE.
turn into Egypt" let them remember, and
LEI the peop'e remember, that it is such
unmanly trembling, such treason to our
blrthright, as this. that prolongs the war,
aud gives advantages to our enemies. No
man can tell how many years have been
thus added, or will be thus added, to our
season. of trial. Let Ne indignantly turn
FROM all such Forward croakefs, and take
as our counselors the brave men am ng
US, the Calebs and Joshuas of our land
Let us all catch thei, courageous spirit,
and animate each other TO the display 81
faith and zeal. This is the way to con-
qner Az for The man who, on every re-
verse and ia every season Of discourage
men', cry cut. would to God we had re-
mnned in the Uniou]." "were it not
better that we return into the Union]-
they oosht to be ashamed of themselves
The people ought to hiss them the boys
ought to boot at them. Away with such
craven cowarcice ole that hath no s.o-
mach for this 6 .ht, le. him retire." Lei
him go to England--to Csnada-to Mexi-
oo-or to Egypt" again. But let our
men, our real men, the men whom God
will bless, and for whose sake he will bless
the country-let those unite to cry out.
"Let US go up at.ouoe,' and meet our
enemies, "for We are well able to over
come hem]" II j. such faith. such
generous zsal and courage, that We must
cultivate in our, elves and encourage in our
fellows. We shall 6pd in them at once
the safe road TO independence. and the
short road to peace.