The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-15

/ - It is feature Of the Copperhead De
mocracy that it has arzayed itself against and
wages war upon the moral and religious Con.
victions of the masses Of the people. Slave.
worshippine--it has caught the spirit Of
deyilish hate that the "barbarism Of slavery
engenders and it makes churches, and clergy,
and religion, the objects of its vituperation
and malice, because churches and clergy and
religion are opposed to the dark divinity of
human bondage, at the shrine Of which the
Copperhead Democracy are willing Worship
pers. Rebel-loving- filed with bitter
ness at the success of the loyal people of the
country in putting down treason and saving
the Government, they would pour out filth
and foulness upon churches and clergy and
religion, because the churches and clergy and
religious sentiment of the loyal States are
earnestly loyal, and was a mighty power in
preserving the national integrity. Our own
city denominations and their ministers have
been, and are STILL the objects Of Copperhead
malignity. The war involved moral and reli-
gious ideas. Its results affected the most
and the christian. 1t was the battle of Liberty
and Right and Gods own Truth, against
Slavery and Wrong and Satanic Error. And
| because ministers would not close their eyes
to this fact, because they would not be I'M
| faithful watchmen, because they would not be
recreant to duty and right, because they would
not be passively Indifferent in struggle
where passive indifference would have been
almost crime and ill-become any that filled
the sacred Office, because pastors and people
showed An interest in the result OF the war,
and in churches and at home fresides invoked
Gods blessings and protection upon fathers,
and husbands, and sons, and brothers, who
were in the grand army of the Union bathing
for the old flag, and because they asked OF
heaven that those soldiers might return to
them in safety and in triumph with the Union
of the Fathers preserved and perpetuated-on
account of this have the ministry and religious
people of the land become obnoxious to Q
party, which, drawing its vitality from treason
and slavery, is destitute of moral principle or
religious convictions. But, yilli6ed and ira
duced as are the ministers and the churches
of our city, as well as throughout the whole
country, by this crew of quondam treason
mongers and moral Tor immoraD reprobates
and abnormities, we apprehend they have
more to fear from praise than from censure
emanating from such a source. We are GER
tain that the Copperheads cannot override or
uproot the churches and the religious senti
ments of the land. That, fell and fixed as is
the animus of internal bitterness the butter
nuts display, our religious denominations will
survive their wrath and be stronger from the
opposition.
Certainly they have suffered none here from
it. Our ministers, for the met part, are
earnestly loyal, and lovers Of Freedom. For
| this, small specimens of street, barroom,
doggery and whisky saloon politicians have
taken it upon them to read them lectures on
duty. Men who are morally leprous, who
have not been inside of churches or listened
to the sound of worship for years, who are
Giving epistles seen and read of all men, :"
of the total depravity of man, whose vernacu-
lar tongue is profanity who will eventually
lpetrify from the daily absorption OF lager
beer and bad whisky, who evidently learned
their every day phrases from bar room roughs
and their morals from blacklegs, these men
to whom truth is a stranger, honor vaga-
bond and morality lie-brand the ministry
of our city with opprobrions epithets and
would teach pure christianity to our
churches Tell it not in Gath. There is too
strong an odor of birthstone upon their gar
ments for them to be considered as inspired
teachers.