The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-01-09


Isle has brains, more than most Of BIZ
fellows, but multiplied volumes fall o
inveosives against the existing. surl,
fsult6nding, walking on the stiits Of ,
pompous diction, and . tangled and intro
ver,ed style, have made him . reputation
only as the Coryphsus Of literary grun
blers Men Of smaller calibre can emu
late his spirit without attaining even th,
honor Of being criticised. or the notice O
digni6ed rebuke. scarcely harder than I
cavilsr lie il TO bs dsstrustienist. Ts
pull down is easy. The process Of build.
ing is the labor. Erostratus fred the
Philadelphian library. The most ignorant
Ind brutal slave could have done the
same. But it took king, and treasure,
and many scribes and the rssoarcss Of an
empire to found the library and collect
and write the volumes tina. composed it.
IL this trite? Yet you know how often
We have to be told the same things. and
then how perversely We won't learn and
practice them. Glove to God and love
to man." That is trite, TOO, but how
often must all Of us hear 1t ss the phiioso.
ply of christian life aod The sum of reli-
gious duty before it becomes the rule Of
our life. But We will quit talking reli-
giously, for We we're going to talk about
the Democratic party.
The opposition act on the principle that
to iind fault with the Administrations and
the Union party is the cousummation Of
political wisdom and righteousness
Grumblipg is their mission. Their plat
form need contain but two planks.
"Resolved, lst. That this Administra-
ton should be opposed.
"Resolved, I'd. That We are the party
to oppose it,"
And recognizing this principle. as soon
~ one ground ot difference is removed by
the inexorable logic of events the Democ-
rscy look about them for other causes Of
variance. Do you say this is necesstated
by the very existence of an opposition
party Yes, but isn't it strange that at
. time of so great national peril as the
present, the individuals composing par
ties should seek for grounds Of difference
instead Of agreement? Is not this the
G,vernmen, of the American people p
Is not the SAFETY and we'll being of all our
citizens at stake? Are they no. all equally
interested in the preservation Of The
Union aud OF our free institutions Yea,
verify!
So long as the Democracy saw in slave
ry an Institution to be perpetuated. one
which would survive the war, then indeed
was there difference, an aotagonism be-
tween the Union party and the D-moe
racy which was wide as heaven. But
when the opp ,sition. with the New York
World for their organ and mouth piece,
get their eyes open and concede that
slavery is ''gone up" and that il will no
longer serve as basis Of party aetiou
aud party hostility to the Administration,
then the great bone of contention, the
great ground Of difference between the
two parties is removed. and instead OF
entering upon a search for some other
measure aud method Of assault, would il
not better become democratic as patriots,
as "wise m su engaged 10 great and ar
daoas struggle for liberty" aud for =
united Government, 70 take . stand, not
only negatively Of no opposition to, but
positively Of co operation with the UInion
party?
The World says that quitting slavery
the D emoorscy must tura TO the question
of the finances as new bsse Of operations
against the Union par =. When the Ad-
mia,stration came into power It found a
democratic rebxlIion, b gun under deno.
cratic administration, on it, hands, to
oppose and subdue which, would seqnire
an army and . navy, and increase ten
fold tho annual expenses Of the Govern
ment. The rebellion has been met. The
funds nesessary to prosecute the war
bean provido1 on the plan which seemed
visess and nost practicable. But the