The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-10-03
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EFrum tAe \. 7. Time sspsenbsr Isl
Ii is very evident that the public mind
breads the reAexed AsesndSncy 81 the Demo-
cratic party more than il does the contiunAd
exclusion o. the Southern States. While it
regards the latter ~ = temporary incouveni-
enee, involving no Important or issnng con
sequences, il looks upon the former - full Of
permanent peril 10 the country. Perhaps.
too, . arntiment Of Justice hes Quits - much
to do with this feeling - any distinct forebo-
ding ofspeci6c evils. What the Democratic
party would do il fully re,nstatsd in power
BY what definite action II would damage the
future of the nxtion-those Who dread il most
might not be abIe to say. But there is NO
difficulty whatever in feeling that the party
winch Opposed the 0OVes1ment during IL
war ought MOI to assume cont oil Of it wAsA
the war is over The instinct of the country
is that those who Stood By it during its time
of peril should have charge Of its fortunes
when the peril has paused.
This sentiment underlies the resolute resis
lance of the people 70 the struggle OF the Dem
ocratic party for a renewal OF power An.
other issscs Are Overlooked Nobody stops
to dIscuo questions Ut Constitutional law or
TO canvass the chances of another war. The
right Of legisAatisn---sha scope OF power con
ierred apa Congress---the effect If hostile
Legislation upon public sentiment in the
Southern States, these and other topics OF
grave importance afe dismissed, as having
nothing to do with the inmediste issues TO be
first decided. They are postponed to some
more convenient season. The North feels
confident of its power 10 crush oppess.ion and
te insist upon such measures as ii deems cs.
sentlsl to the public good.
The Democratic party has cReaxly over
reached Itself in its contest for renewed as
81 ~ Il. .s4.
Government no support. As An organization
it resisted its efforts to suppress the rebellion.
Il denounced Its policy, condemned as usur
pstions the measures by winch 1t thwarted
Northern sympathy with secession, and did
everything In its power to overthrow the ad-
ministratIon BY which the contest was carried
on. That it dad not succeed was owing TO the
fac; that the people cared more for the conn-
try than they did for the Democratic party.
And it will owe its failure TO the same cause
now. While we believe the great body OF
the people desire the speedy restoration OF
peace and harmony TO the Union, they are
not inclined to purchase this at the cost of
the restoration of the Democratic party to
power. They will trust the work OF restorS-
ton to the Union party, and TO none other.
They ind il much easier 10 check the ex-
cesses and rebuke the fanstscal passions of lite
extreme and reckless men. than to infuse into
the Democratic organization the spirit of
progress. OF reform, and Of political liberty
winch the emergencies OF the time demand.
They find that party still flied with ali the
harrow and illiberal pueludices which marked
its action before the war. The same hatred
OF the colored rsce-the same unwillingness
to extend and broaden the basis of our free
lnstltutions-the same attachment to edste
and arbitrary power-the same elRmor tor
the largest Incense to vice ind immortality,
and The same iack of sympathy with ali efforts
10 elevate the degraded and TO improve the
CONDITION of the ignorant aud the down
trudden members Of our Republican society,
marx its action now Us before the great temp
est which, IN sweeping away human slavery,
has DESTROYED the great bulwark of all the
injustice and all the inequalities by which our
free institutions were deformed and married.
The people will not trust that party with the
re organization OF our political society. They
dread IL influence on national affairs. They
dread, especially, the alliance il will form
with whatever remains Of the influence OF
slavery in the Southern States. And they
mean to avert this danger by excluding the
Democratic party from power.