The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-10-07
IN THE UNION OR OUT OF THE
UNION.

A. JOHNSON, DooLITTLE x Co., have one
argument which seems SO brilliant to them
that they have not felt the need of any other
to sustain their position. Whatever varis-
tons in the statement Of the argument, the
real substance of it amounts simply to this:
that, whereas the rebels fought four years to
get out of the Union, and we're prevented by
the valor Of our soldiers from accomplishing
their purpose, and now that the war is over,
and the radicals refuse to admit them uncon>
ditonally to equal privileges in the Union,
therefore the radicals have taken the rebel
position, and have become disunionists them.
selves.
/ Now, this is a mere play upon words, and
/ with the thirtysix stars, and the Constitution
/ and swinging round the circle added, becomes
4 mere bosh:
The rebel States proclaimed dissolution
T of the Union, and formed separate, inde>
pendent and hostile National Government. in
exclusive possession of all the territory, har-
bors, bays, rivers, forts, and whatsoever else
pertained to that portion of this country, and
claimed the right to the exclusive control of
the Mississippi river, and sovereign power
over all within their asserted borders, in ut.
ter contempt of the authority of the United
States.
Now, that was the rebel doctrine Of ssout
of the Union.''
The Radical doctrine Of tout of the Union"
is the direct opposite Of this. They hold
that the Rebel Confederacy is conquered and
subdued, and utterly wiped out and that all
the territory, bays, harbors, rivers, forts,
and all things sppertaining to the sovereignty
thereof, belong to the United States, and are
within the Union, and subject to the author
ity Of the Government of the United States, |
stars and all, for the present. And so to
remain in the Union, and under the authority |
OF the Government of the United States till |
proper terms and conditions are settled, 10
prevent, if possible, another rebel disruption |
of the Union.
In the meantime the radicals don't afilct |
themselves much with sympathy for the
traitors who may not choose to STAY out in
the cold awhile in time of peace, seeing that
they chose to do it for more than four years,
while they waged causeless and bloody war
against the Union.
After looking at the real facts of the case.
and at the Numerically opposite motives and
objects of the radicals and the rebels in their
tout of the Union" programme, no one i,
likely to be deceived by the ''artful dodgers
who play on this 'harp of thousand
strings" because they have nothing else to
play on.
The rebel States are in the Union so far
that they are subject to the authority Of the
Government and amenable to the laws which
they repudiated and defed when they set up
independent government. But while waeine
war Of rebellion, they were not entitled to
the privileges Of members of the Union, and
now that the Government has destroyed their
power, and broken up their armies, conquer.
ed them in war, and forced them to surren-
Ger, they are not entitled to resume at once
and Internationally their powers and priyile,
ges in the Union.
Such was Mr.. LIscoLN's view of the mat.
ter, and such also was JoHxsos's when he
repudiated rebel State Governments and AZ.
pointed Provisional Governors to reconstruct
the state Governments. If tho President
had the right ~ interpose and manipulate
shese states AZ he State Governments to
prepare them 'a he change, and impose
preliminary co" ms prior to their re.en.
trance upon the rcise Of power, ,nar;vb,,
N the = mon, much more may Congress. the
Ia" making depar'ment of Government, ;u
pose conditions pfecedent and exact euar.,.
aes ior future pence and good behavior. And
IL tney were not out of the Union, in the
rebel sense when the Presiden, was ssl;cl;n.
them into shape no more are thai NOV
"nne Congress is continuing the process.
~" IN or out ofthe Union,n they mus,
now submit to the Constitution and tho L..
snu sooner Or later yield cheerful or reluc. |
'an' Asseh. 10 whatever guarantees or eond,
eons may be imposed or demanded Nv ,hs
constituted authorities of the Go,.,nmsn. os|
the United States of America Th.s -
make virtue Of necessity and Weld 80.
fally now, while tlsrs srs thirsy,.;x ,,.s. :.
they can stand out and sullenlv .uhm;, :,
destiny when the stars shall have increased :
Eor<v NJ ff4v