The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-03-29


Already the question u ths rsppdiss;cu Of
the National Dsst sa0ssesd b. Rsssidsas
johnson, 6nds sdyeeasss in he Ceppsshsad
press. Ba. thsfs - cpponssss 70 The mss'
sure also, and W have thspscspece Of sre6
lively issue, inside the ooppersssd : circ's'
over this question And sitscssssqusnessto
the country are only sscondininsssess and I'M
porsance to that just decided By the vas, vs
shall not be At all surprised II " enter npoa
it a. we did upon that contest through the
disruption Of the Democratic party.
The vallandigham and Mahony stripe OF
the party regard the war ~ unsonssisutiou-
nj, and they, Of course, insist that no valid
Obligations can grow out Of 1t. While on the
other hand, large section of the party fs>
luctantly accepted the situation, and have
been striving for some years past TO make the
soldiers believe that they were in favor of the
war, and are prepared TO stand BY them, and
uphold the cause Of the country. For it fol-
lows, on the Mahony theory, that our Army
and Nevy we're engaged in guerilla and pi-
rstical raids and expeditions. utterly unau-
thorised by the Constitution, andlsvs- There
fore it follows, on that theory, that our SOL
disrs we're simply guilty of robbery, arson
and murder, under the flag of the country,
and are not entitled TO the honors Of war,
or the glory and fame OF victorious patriots.
Nor are they entitled TO the pay and bountiss
they have received, or the pensions pro-
yided by law.
III the war debt 10 invalid, and should be
repudiated, on the ground that the war va
unconstitutional, then all those consequences
and many more, follow - matter Of course,
1hs Missouri Republican, In ,. lsSdins
editorial, maintains the validity Of the public
debt, and insists upon the obligation Of the
people and the Government opsy It accord.
ing TO contract. The RspSblieaa insists,
moreover, that the faith of thu Government,
pledged 10 raise money to pay the soldiers
who fought the battles Of the country, is just
as obligatory az the same faith pledged TO the
soldiers themselves, and puts the matter AZ
follows:
THE Enited States Govefnnsnt was plunged
In fierce war with gallant and formidable foe
II feared the result Of the contest and sumnoned
al its energies TO meet it. Money in enormous
sums WAS wanted. This vss foreseen. II Vas Z
question whether the nesdsd supplies would BE-
forthcoming unless extraordinary inducements
were held out 10 its owners. Inspired BY thess
spprehensions, the character OF which, whethss
they were well or i'll founded, has no Importance
in this connection, the United States Governmeni
offered, among other inducements, high rate oil
interest and exemption from taxation. The mo
ment this offer was accepted and the loAner had
upon the strength OF il parted with his money,
theirs was perfect contract between him and ths
Government which gave the individual ~ bond
holder vested right in this exemption The az
emption was - much q part OF his property Is the
principal and interest Of the bond which be held.
lie has just A. much right TO relief from taxAton
A. be has to the amount called for by the body Of
his bond and by the coupons attached to Il. II
he has no right 10 the ono, be has none 10 ths
ether"
Muscle and money were both necessities, and
the men who eoald furnish either ware tempted to
do II by extraordinary inducements; In both cases
. contract was made between tho individuals and
the Government. and the faith Of the isttsr wa
pledged 70 the former"
The St. Louis Times, edited by Mahony 4
Hutchins, replies to the Republican in one o,
its heavy constitutional editorials, in which i,
assumes that the war was unconstitutional,
and the Government q lswless usurpation,
and all its acts consequently void. The
Times lays down eleven fundamental propo>
sitions, of which we quote the last two:
ok. Neither the States nor the people srs
bound to recognise contracts made BY the Govern
ment which involved the destruction of the Union,
the AFFECTION to the Government of any Of the
States Of the Union, or the deprivation Of the
people Of their reserved and constitutionally de-
clsred rights.
"XI. Any party who eonts sctsd with the Gov
srnmeut to enable 1t to usnrp powers, and exer-
else such powers when SO nsurpsd, should take
the consequences.
ave admit that Il Is the duty Of the Government
which arrogsted to itself power and authority not
vested in 1t BY the people, TO redeem it's pledges,
lists, 10 the Government Of the United States de
5srs, but on the contrary nsurper Of power, and
We admit too, that II the people choose they may
scquiescs in this usurpaton, but at the same time
claim it to be their right to overthrow it, and to
repadiste, one and all, every oct done By it -
asurper, or for illegal purposes.
"Those who contracted with the Government
did 90 on the principle OF eoseaf emp Cor,
just A. much 20 H one individual deals With
another. Now, If man chooses TO the risk
Of dealing with an agent, the extent Of whose
authority be has an opportunity to b acquainted
"itR, ne cannot ma tault Win the agents princi-
pal should he repudiate contracts made BY his
agent in eontravention Of his authority. Or, II 9
person Is designing enough TO make . contract
with funstic or thief for property which might
belong To the one or be stolen BY the Other he has
no reason to complain IL the contrast should b.
held invalid"
Thus, il will be seen that repadiation car.
ries with it not only the idea that the war
was unconstitutional and wrong, but tina,
there was not, during the war, and has not
been since the war, any constitutional and
rightful Government Of the United States, but
that is mere usnrpstion, even down to the
presentdsy. lt44
There are, therefore, two parties to this
contest, even in the Copperhesd party, and
If they eight il out in the bowels of the
party, it is more than probable they will burst
IL ssunder, and rid the world of a nuisance.
MILITARY REcossrRUcrIoH.
We publish below Gen. Sheridan,a order