The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-08-02
THE AReuMExTs FOR THE HOUR.

we have due appreciation; not the less full
because of that directorate being gratuitous
and supererogatory. He charges US with be,
ing young. We plead guilty; but if years
do not bring us more wisdom, political integ
rity and fitness for respectable journalism
than they have the editor of the Constitution,
we shall deem youth the most desirable OF
virtues.
We offend in the eyes of our contemporary
because We call wax-fggers waxfggers. reb-
els rebels, and Copperheads those rebels
most humble obedient friends. This is
deemed silly II nobody is hurt why is
our contemporary concerned on this score? it
were surely no cause of complaint from him
that we should be employed in proftless la
bors.
But We do not discuss principles says our
gratuitous counsellor. That would be lost
labor as far as the Copperhead Democracy
are concerned, for of principles they have
none worthy of other refutation than invec
tive or contempt. Their principles are re-
futed by the righteous convictions Of patriot
people; by the hearts and consciences and
just anpreheusions of all not disposed to be-
come the shameless loud-mouthed champion
Of human bondage in peace, and of disloyalty
and treason in war.
With what argument shall we meet those
that for years made the administration of
this free Republic the right arm of the slave
power; those whose highest political ambi
ton and rivalry among themselves it was to
outyie each other in the infamous fitness Of
their sales to Southern masters, and in the faith
fulness with which they did their bondman's
work and outraged the sentiments Of freed
ON loving people; those that made them
selves the apologists for the murderous as
saults of would be Southern assassins on the
representatives of the free States those who
were faithless to loyal duty when the slave
spirit which they had fostered plotted treason
and began civil war; those that then
sought to embarrass the Government and
thus would have led directly to the destruc-
ton of the Union--with what argument shall
we meet these? Is it necessary to make pa
rade of dialectics with fre-in.the rear logi.
eians7 Will you meet the Chicago Platform
with propositions from Aristotle; or Copper
head " four years of failure" with rules from
HEDGE?
These have been answered. The Demo
cratic policy that mortgaged the nation to the
slave propagandists was refuted by the dread
full strife that these brought upon US, by the
destruction which ruled in the land by the
overtaxed national energies; by the peril of
those four years; by the burden upon the
hearts Of patriots by the death and manning
OF loyal men by the mourning and sadness
that came into every community, by the
national debt which Democratic rebellion i'm
posed upon our people, Ayl Democratic
principles and policy in peace cost the nation
much in war for their refutation. They
need not further argument now
But Democratic principles and policy in
war have been answered. Democratic epposi
ton to the war at its commencement as nm
constitutional coercion of States; prophecies
that the rebels could not be whipped, threats
ofresistance to Federal law, and of counter
attack upon our soldiers, Sons of Liberty
lodges, mobs, riots, the Chicago Convention.
It's attendance and Platform; these have been
refuted. >Refuted by the boys that starting
South from our borders, went steadily for
ward, through four years of terrible conflict.
leaving scores of thousands of dead comrades
but marching on down-by the sea until army
after army of the confederacy went under
and rebellion's military power was utterly
broken until the chivalry were suppIiant's
for peace from the Government, against
which they were traitors suppliant traitors
then because Democratic principles and poll,
ey had been refuted by loyal men, and the
rebels knew that the South had been whipped.
unrepentant traitors now because the Demo-
cfacy true to their creed in war, want to hold
that adjourned session Of the Cbieapo Con.
vention and prove the war failure by giving
to the South control of the Government and
OF the subject of reconstruction.
Epithets are not often effective; the use of |
Il names, we admit, no proper method of
settling great principles. When the Democrcy
we're trying to pervert the Republican ideas
underlying this Government and 10 fssten the
vilest form of human bondage upon the Re-
public as its heritage, they met the friends or
freedom who sought to maintain. the Govern.
ment on its true Democratic basis with ornro.
bfious names and invectiyes. Their choice
of "Abolihonst" ssBlsck Re.
publican" NEGRO worshippers," .snigeer.
heads and the rest, could not stop freedoms
ADVANCE or save Democracy from popular
and reputation. Truth and iust;ce
md the progress of Just political principles
,ould not be checked by Democratic facility
u biiiinsga'e. The Republican party grow.
% ana prosperea under Democratic abuse.
ou' wnen caus~ . completely odious, and A
party utterly exeeiable, then pamas 80.
ngly opprobrious. are the only ley;,;m.,.
And the odium attaching to
tory in our revolutionary war, and 10
'copperhead" now, shows how effective soch
designations are in such cases. The infamv
. not IN the name it is in the party snd-its
principles
There are principles involved in the issue,
,ow before the nation principles of Justice.
# human rights, Of true political theories and
ust Government. The Democracy denied
hem and brought war npon the nation: do
lied them during the war and almost sch;ey.
d the overthrow of the Government thev
eek now to deny them inrscoastzuction the
esult would be continued peril to the nation.
+ in their policy they have xon designation
eemed odious, it is their principles that have
made Il 20. If in falling into Democratic
anks, backsliding Republicans have secured
be name Of wax-6gsers, let them reject that
is the bad canpany they. keep that brings
his name into disrepute and Democrats
nd changelings and I'll men may leafn that
. man or body Of men, however fair fhsir u
.