The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-05-13

~ will'bs lie mildsst = Nsll = mos s6sc-
tive shape that ths polifieal apscnlA1inns Of
the Swans Of the Academy can IKE. We
/ know not vixen he work vii + done, nor
who will b they that sngaos init. Thsinqury
10 worth tie making; = Mogth The thoa9ht
that attempted solution wuula mvolvs. France
has had monarchical aheolut;sm, anarchicsl
democracy, radical repsbhcanism, consuihr
administration, constitutional monarchy and
an imperial autocracy, in acentury, and the
changes were immediately or remotely
marked With blood. What are tho processes
through which the Nation must further 90 ere
it will be born unto Freedom3 And must
these processes be political throes; in storm,
and clouds and darkness; in blood and hu-
man agonya Must the CROSS be set up n =
Golgotha-in place of skulls-and the spear
of the warrior pierce the side Of humanity,
ere ever will be heard the victorious i" It is
finished " of Truth and Libarty, and mans
Redemption triumphant. That surely were
a subject worth study.
For the tendency Of the age is so evidently
toward popular government; towards mans
enfranchisement, every where, that it is now
trite to remark u. The world was fitted for
mans occupancy by upheavals and revolu-
tions, by breakings-up of the great deep that
changed the earth's appearance and encrus-
ted the strata that mark these geologic
changes with the remains of thousand forms
of life, that made the rocks the sarcophagi
of the myriad tenants of world. In mans
history is the counterpart Of this furnished7
Does he advance toward FINAL perfectibility
through such social and political upheavals
through eras of destruction Is there no
other way given under Heaven or among men
whereby man can be saved?
The subject concerns our own people. We
turn away with heavy hearts from the graves
made, and the blood she'd and the hearts
made desolate in the strife through which our
Nation passed from slavery to freedom !;
breaking the shackles with which it bound
four millions Of its subjects and ialsiHed the
principles upon which it was professedly
founded, We turn from these and listen to
Comprehend Democracy, false and slavery
loving at heart, charging that by reason of
Abolition agitation, this contest AID these
woes come, and we ask il this be so? Judg-
| ment and reason, taught of history, tell you,
no! Peacefully ii i can, forcibly if it must,
and does for the most part. Right gdes on
to its triumph, and Nations put off these tri-
umpas until they come through blood. Am err
lea wouldn't do Justice in Peace
and then was War. England has an
Opportunity now for reform by her
| deliberate action; she puts It from her il
must inevitably come in the future; IN, ,st i,
needs 10 through courage that she dos not
now accept it in peace? Can there be revolu.
tons and fundamental reforms without war
and death That is the constantly recurring
| query. We leave it open 1t is the duty OF
statesmen to try to prove the affirmation by
| their policy. Pity tits that the negative is SO
| nearly established by universal experience.
Here, at the risk of being tedious, we quote
the observations of Saverteig, philoshp hic
German writer, made years ago concerning
| this very matter:
| "Pity." says he. "tha, nation cannot re-
form itself, astshe English are now trying to do,
by what their newspapers call tremendous
cheers" Alas it cannot be done. Reform
is not joyous, but grievous; no single mar
can reform himself without stern suffering and
stern working how much less can a nation
of men? Tbs serpent sheds not his old
skin without rusty disconsolateness he is no,
happy, but miserable! In the water cure itself
do you nos sit stepped for months, washed to
the heart in elemental drenchings, and, like
job, are made to curse your day. Reforming
of . nation is terrible business. Thus. too,
Meadea, when she made men young again,
was wont to hew them in pieces with meal
axes; cast them into caldrons, and boil them
foP length of time. How much handler could
they but have done it by tremendous cheers
alone. Thus Saverteig. This much is Ger.
tain; our country knows the painful way by
which it went to Acknowledgement. Will il
learn wisdom Of adversely and do justice te
u ell men?