The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-01-06
vol. IL.

|, our own fertile, arabic lands sfe bfs more
worth-and COLDS worth, too 7aAAn al the
mines or Goiconda, while most,of theirs, for
want of rains, can only be cultivated from ir-
rigatihg bitches; and then, as rich or desira-
! BILE as it may be, we have more than enough,
and better, of the same sort, now in oar pos
r session.
What we want is gold in commerce, not in
Mexican mines. 1t matters not what nation
or people digs or stamps it. We are sure to
get and keep our big share of II, unless, in.
deed, we forsake our honest industry and be-
take ourselves to general freebooting for gold,
or universal crussding for liberty. I, Let loose
in commercial circulation, it must become the
property ofthe world, chiefly through, Amer
lean channels. In the mines, it is like the
poets ssgems" in 'sthe dark unfsthomed
caves of Ocean, contingency pos6bili-
ty-a myth. II is Ifelees form Of dull ore
AN imaginary wealth-darkly hidden in the
! womb of sterile nature, and awaiting the
quickening touch of the Prometheus Of q
peaceful industry to waken it into life. And
We have no population nor surplus energy to
waste in that adventure. 1t is latent power
paralized by the terrors and ruins Of revolu-
ton and anarchy. And we are not the Ma
ton, at this time by our precept or example,
them by order and industry. We must First
set onr own house in order,n before we un-
dertake the affairs of all our neighborss
In short, one year of peaceful industry by
the Mexicans tif they could only 60 back into
Aztecs!1 would be Of more money value, and
of more national honor too, to us, than de-
cades of va, with Q century Of Conquered
possessions of the mines and all their naked
lands. And it must not be forgotten in this
connection that one month of a war with
Franee would cost this nation, in. the iea sul
its national credit aud the depreciation OF its
more than all Mexico is worth in fee simple
And with its people cumbering the ground
patriotism ayerts its eyes from the korrid pic
ture Only imagine our Congressman, Sen
tors and Presidents of the grade of intel!er:
and morals vi Mexioans, our new "Southerfi
Brethren" BY the aid of their allies. our raw
freedmen, ruling US and our posterity For
it is of the nature of our institutions and hab-
its that its worst class must rule us, greatly
, beyond the proportion of their numbers. The
heart sinks and almost settles in the sadness
of despair in the apprehension Of such dis
, NAL fate ofour renovated" Nation.
The lesser questions offhis subject are all
on the same side and in the same direction.
We are asked to go TO war with France or 10
menace and bully her in behalf Of Mexico. In
!
| one of the foremost nations and people of the
world or of Time in the imaginary interests OF
one of the lowest and last. We are to be in
volved in bitter, and almost incurable con-
troversies and embroilments with nation and
people to whose treasure and blood we so
very largely owe our national existence, for
the sake Oh another which We have fraudulent
= ~ and remorsely plandered and slain, and
which, of all others, wa most bitterly despise
and hate-and to which we almost exclu-
slvely owed our great danger of national de-
structon and ruin. For without that fatal
''golden apple Of discord, the..Mexican pos
session OF Texas aud her other territories,
we should not have had our war of rebellion.
1t may be very true-it is very true-that
neither France nor Austria has any business
in Mexico. But the answer is very plain
''no more have We !" Because Our govern
ment wus established for the good of our own
people. 1t was neither given to us to propa-
: gandze liberty among the Mexicans and Hot
$ tentots, nor Christianity to the Saracens o,
: Jerusalem, nor the Chinese at Pekin. And
: IL monarohs have no more sense nor principls
, than so to have used and use their people
moriey and hves, let US Republicans at lees
!, set for both-the people and their monarch.
the higher example of administering ouI
$ own affairs honestly, humanely and wisely
anu Ill dItOFQduCt3 tpOs Win q QiSsSkuk Au0 q
restraint, they have not-a Constitution.
That France took advantage of our weak
y ness in planting her seeds ef Latin qeslotisu
Q in Mexico is aisovery TRUE. Neither was thii
!, act very chiyalrlc, or fair, or friendly. But i
y is, nevertheless, only what human nature al
l. ways has done and always will do. 1t is ex
}, actly what we have done, and what this sam,
!, class Of rowing propagandists, VIGOROUSLY,
u are waiting to do now With Great Britain
More than that. 1t IS exsct,y what we de
n served We had Abased, demeaned an,
J, Weakened our power. Our power deserve.
y the contempt ot all other nations except Mex
u leo. -faow that we are strong are VIZ % xfilic
= Or punish Other pstaons with wars, because w
! we're weak and Contemplate? or because the
y had the sense to see us as we were, and th'
&c human nature TO treat NJ ~ We deserved
, but the truth is, weak or strong, we had AM
Q have no business with Mexico or France il
le this affair. As to any point Of honor there
y fore, it is rs baseess as this doctrine, OF whc
'r it is q fit part. If our statespen Of 1920, o
our politicians of 1854 (for the age of Amer
a loan craftsmanship has passed) have made q
= untenable point ofinterest or honor, the soon
/ er we abandon it now in ourpride Of strength
ol the more becomingiy and decorously we sha
\ act, This CONDUCT Fill sls9 be more consis
y tent with that calm, conscious sense of pow
y er which BELTS a strong, brave people, trust
! ing ourselves aud fearing none others. 1t j
m ouly the vain and weak who shoald parad
% and Autter ct every constructive injury or i'm
&c aginary insult.
y IT. then, these our fellow citizens, mean va
- we have only had too much of that for thu
:. preservation OF our wealth and happiness, o
- the safety of our own republican institutions
= A more certain and patent-right plan of be
" coming q monarchy ourselves could heithe