The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-09-19
THE "cONsTITUTIONr ExALrs
GENERAL CUaTAR.
Our contemporary says :


Our contemporary says:
lit is needless TO Say that the words which
the GATE CRY puts into the mouth Of Gen.
Custar are purely piece Of radicalinvention.
Gen. Gustav is neither fool nor q boor; but
. gentleman, whose dignity and courtesy of
bearing, on oil occasions, il one of his no.
bles' traits.
General GUSTAV is the style of Union Gen.
erals that calls forth highest praise from the
Constitution and papers Of that Butternut
stamp. 1t is true he most shamefully abused
Iowa soldiers, violating oil military rules to
find methods sufficiently odious and severe to
vent upon our gallant veterans his spite and
hatred. This, We presume, commends him
highly to tae Constitation, but it doesn't
commend General CusrAR to the people Of
Iowa or its brave soldiery who have hearty
hatred Of General GUSTAV and those that
champion his cruelty and petty tyranny.
Since the Constitution is so great an admir-.
er of this long-haired specimen of shoulder
strapped greatness who runs the soldier wing
of the Copper Johnson party we would advise
IL 70 pUUltSn otHctdl StoiAh > tCottiutuy
fore the reconstruction Committee at Wash
inpton, 60 late as the 10th Of March, oflthis
present year of grace, 1865. We give an
extract ortwo to show what General GEoRGE
A. GUSTAV thought then when he wanted to
couciliate the favor Of the loyal people of
this country and save himself from being
cashiered for his cruelty to Union diery.
We cam OF conceive what other purpose he
had. If that was it he failed signally. The
people do not let political mountebank and
military quack trick them into clarifying or
forgiving brutal maltreatment of our Union
soldiery.
swsrn, deposed thus:
"Question. What would be the condition
of the loyal men in Texas now, in case the
military protection now afforded were With,
drawn from the State
aAnswer. | would not consider it safe for 4
loyal man to remain in Texas, 1t least in tina,
portion have visited, after the troops were
| withdrawn. | have in my possession letter.
from prominent Union men in the State, say
ing that If the troops were to be Withdrawn
they wished TO be informed of it, for thetpur.
pose of making arrangements to leave vher
the troops did; that it would be unssfeIand
| unwise for them 10 remain after the troops were
withdrawn. Even now there is no friendly
| feeling, and very little intercourse, between
! the loyal and disloyal portion of the inhabi-
tants. The feeling Of hostility is carried &c
such an extent that loyal man engaged in
business receives no patronage except from
loyal men.
"Question Suppose the federal govern.
ment were TO withdraw all interference in the
affairs of the State into whose hands would
the political power Of that country go?
| "Auswer. 1t would be at once transferred
| into the hands of the most prominent rebels
| Of the truth of this | do not entertain I
doubt.
"Question. Do you think that any out
spoken Union man could be elected to Con.
gress in Texas7
"Answer | do not think that any man bu
one who hsd borne prominent part in the
war, or one who had distinguished himself il
his opposition to the federal government
could be e'ected-certainly no loyal mar
could Some months ago they we're willing
to make sacrifice Of their opinions, for the
time being, if by SO doing-by sending mar
who would be accepted-they could regain
their former place in the Union; but they dc
not seem to think now that even that is ne
cessary, and in case of an election | thinl
they would select man Of their choice, Ane
that man would be disloyal.
| "Question. Suppose the colored population
in Texas were allowedto vote; what woulnbt
the effect, ii your judgment, upon the white,
and upon the blacks? hat course wdult
they probably take2 Would they CO opetat.
aud act together with Union men, or woulc
they be controlled by their old masters
ANSWER. think the vast majority of then
would co operate with Union men. Tier,
might be exceptional cases in which tn,
freedmen would be under the control OF thei
EMPLOYERS to such an extent that the employ
er would control their votes; but as gene
raj thing, believe the freedmen would con
suit their own interest in their votes
and, judging from their conduct during til,
past war, their votes would always be cast il
favor of loyalty and Union.
"Question. What, in your judgment, is the
best policy for the government to pursue il
reference to Those parts. Of the South 81 Il
which you have testihedY
"Answer. do not regard the people il
THAT portion Of the Southern country iu which
l4Aave been in proper condition, or q
lmaotesting a proper state Of feeling. to b,
under the general government. Aud do no
think they have been sufficiently taught th,
enormity Of the crime they have committe,
by rebelling against the government. Ithinl
the government ought to maintain control o
those States that we're in rebellion until it j
thoroughly satisfied that = loyal sentimen
prevails IN at least q. majority Of the inhabi
tants-that certainly does not exist nov; an
when allowed representation, none but loya
men should be admitted rs Representatives
Five years ago the Southern people volunta
rily abandoned their rights and privileges =
States in the Union, and with their rights an
lpr,viles they forfeited their share in the gen
eral government. Having wsged blood
and determined war for four years to carr
out their designs against the government, IN
having failed up to the present time to mani
fest . peniten, spirit for the great crime com
mitted against the nation, or to give . prope
and sufficient guarantee Of future good con
duct, cannot bnt give rs my opinion, that
just regard for our national safety in time
come, our obligation to foster and encourag
throughout the Southern States . proper n
gard and affection for the national authority
a. we'll - 70 give support 10 those Who q
and have been loyal, impentively deman
that the government should maintain ID pssl
! emit control q the States lssely in rebeIlio
until satis6ed that they may, without detr
lment, b iAsrustsd With their former rish
and psivilsssA sse
That i ; sanpls II his satiss tsseinps,
We heps or contemporary takss Il ailkal
lnccouut in il laudnfsoa a. Gen. CusRap.