The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-05
wonx ron COxonsss,

-. -
wonx POI COHonEss.
OouSress il again in session. How shortt
he insrval - seeusd siposits sajeuFunsnt.
~ Acw csovted Nm eyn1s sna what ~.
rxrhable events hsve taken place in the ~
pecs :of our political skyi Congress I'd
journed with much Of its proposed work lsft
undone that il night g y the people and So
cure their full support for its measures. That
support now 20 heartily resumed and 20 unan-
imously given, the adjourned body a.
.embles again for the completion-and, We
trust, the satisfactory completien--of itsgreat
work. What is this work. The following |
article from the RigM Wy fully answers this
question:
To Make Life, &C.. Secure In shs Unrs-
stored States
1. First of all, we must say, to make suits. !
Bile provision for the security Of person and
properly in the unrestored States. This Sc
carity is the first object d government. II i
is for this that men content 70 part with .
portion Of their liberty for the formation of
government. There IS no law more impe-
rioas .has thss Of ~ Preservation. = The
mAXim QOES ftO& CO1uc HUI We ultEX6 * 8ONfCe,
and set 1t veil expresses the Law u ordinary
action; "All that a man hath will he give for
his life. The very end for which govern
ments are instituted among men, accordinr
to the Declaration Of Independence, il to se-
cure "inalienable rights" of "life, liberty,
and the pursuit Of happiness. A govern.
rnent therefore, failing TO do this, rails Ia the
very object Of its own creation, condemns it,
self as failure. sia
We are in danger Of losing sight of the obs
legation which our conquest of the South has
imposed upon Us. By that conquest, the ma
ton either destroyed the governments exist
ing there, or made them its instruments. II
it destroyed them, it is bound to substitute
others in their place. If itmade them its in,
strumenss, tits bound 70 use these Instruments
efficiently and anghs 10 seesre the objects Of
government. The nation, acting through the
General Government, is bound 10 see that the
conquered communities are we'll governed
1t has here q responsibility which il cannot
shake off. 1t cannot divest itself Of the OBJ
legation by indifereptly leaving the conquered
10 govern themselves, unless satisfied that
they are prepared to do it well.
Is it SAID that the nation cannot govern the
Southern States efficiently? This 10 mani
testify false. If it had the power to conquer
them, it certainly has the power to govern
them when conquered. And, il it vas prop
sr to use armies for their conquest, it 10 no
less proper to use them, if needed, for their
good government If the present national
forces are not sufficient for this, let others be
raised. Let the rebel militia Of the South,
wherever organized. be disbanded for it is
an instrument of oppression and misrule.
And let loyal militia be organized through
, the unrestored States, consisting of faithful
men, whether white or black. This will pre-.
vent the necessity Of supporting these large
bodies OF regular soldiers; and viii serve to
educate the depressed, down. trodden, and
dispirited loyal men to energy, courage, And
independence.
With the passions still raging from the war,
and the disposition of so many to wage !
guerrilla warfare, some martial rule will. 70,
time. be indispensable. The more energetic
tins is made, the less will be needed of il. And
for shorter time. Let Congress- take the
insurgent States in its hand with q firm CRASH
so that they will understand that il is abso.
luiely in earnest, and there will be but litti.
need OF applying force, and that need will be
soon over.
IL Is said that the President, who has the
power OF making appointments and of com
nanding the army, will thwsrt the efforts OF
Congress to this end. If so, it is in the pow,
er OF Congress 10 remove this obstacle out O.
the way and 1t would be itself partaker il
his crime II It did not do so. 1t has no righ1
To sacrihce the welfare of the country anf
the lives of good citizens, to mere point q
ofhe,al courtesy. II is bound to protect, b,
erery means in its posrer, the loyal people o
the country, rhtte or black. If It does not d,
this, 1t will involve itself in deep guilt; vii
incur remorSe of conscience, and the con
demnation OF the present and coming genera
tons. 1t 1t fails in this, its FIRST duty, hov
will its record stand on the pages of history
TO CHANGE THE POWER PROM REBEL TO IoYa1
HANDS.
2. Another great work for this session is Il
take the local government of the unrestore,
States out of rebel hands and place il in Iowa
hands. The President professed that this
was his intent, in all his schemes of recon
struetion. But these schemes were 50 de-
vised as to have I've will not now discuss the
question whether through treachery or stu
pidity precisely the opposite effect 1t i.
the objectionable duty Of Congress 10 re.
verse this effect. 1t has full authority and
power to do So The guilty or laundering at
tenipts OF the President TO restore these
States were, OF right merely provisional
through the exercise of his military author
ty, or Of an Executive discretion in the dis
persion Of Congress.
Whatever he might thus have done. tbs
whole matter fell into the hands of Congress,
on their assembling. 1t is still in their hands
Nlii they delay longer to act, and suffer suct
evils as now exist to continue and become 81
tabLshed through precedent and tolerance
lhey are not fulfilling their duty in simpl,
saying to those States, "You shall not hay,
the privilege Of representation unless you d,
rlea. II Is the business of Congress t.
make them do right. Obligation is commen
surate with power. Congress will itself b.
guity-and can We say how weak and COW
ardiy!-h 1t continues to permit the disloys
TO rule over the loyal the rebel to murder o
Cypress the patriot.
is It asked in what way can Congress es
tablish loyal performance in these States
and still leave them those forms of local self
government which are 80 desirable? Tn,
general answer Is obvious 1t must be don,
py so ordering matters that the LOYAL shall
oatvote the dlsloyal, and hold the coutrollin,
omces. The balance now dips to tie disloys
side. To change this, additional weight ma :
be put into the loyal scale, or weight mus, i,
taken from the disloyal, or both these mus
be done. In other words, the power of yotin,
and holding office must be given more gone
Ally to loyal men, or must be taken, to tn,
needed extent, from disloyal men, or both.
TOT various reasons, enfranchisement il
much easier, more agreeable. and moi,
etfectoal, than disfranchisement. Sill y,
cannot say that the latter may not be reouir
60, TO some extent, Is . Temporary resource
Let equality Of rights, without distinction or
account OF race, color, orprevious inequality
be established in these States, and let needed
military control be continued till the new
system of things is fully established, not onl,
In theory but in practice, not only in Law bu
IN habit, and the work is done. This equal
NY Is the sure panacea for the monstrou
eFns OF Southern society, and there can BE- y,
DINER Co btete remedy.
AS to the means for bringing about III,
needed results, there are two ways in vh;cl
Congress can act. II can legislate direc,l,
for the conquered States. as having fnlle;
through their rebellion and was @ completel
md r their direct authority a. territories xre
The Freedmans Bureau bill and Civil Right
bull we're excellent measures; but for want Q
additional leei.-iian and proper execution
while they do ea' good, they fail Of accom-
pushing their ii.. ids. Let Ill be done thu
rs possible to sasals the defect.
Or Congress :" pas an Ena6lfsg Act au
thonzing the losei people IN each Of thes,
States land other persons 80 far A. NAV i,
saiei to assemble IL primary meetings. .ns
choose loyal delegates to q conyentior - So