The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-01-17

al t1nst cousisteot With the public satety:
Il dee3anoa that .tGoverumenes Aro 1nsutute0
among men, deriving their i.:t pcssrs from
The consent Of ~ governed. Consistency,
requires that emancipation should
be fo1oved By he right Of su6sage, ior squat
isy ia cardinal princip'e Of - American
! oG Tssss s.sro. sn..lf ps.1. uece.-
sity. Without il freedom viii be to him IN
undefended fortress. Give him vote and
you ID once invest him with . panopiy which
his recent owner will have neither the power
1r6Sx 3fGT6 1nsSii TN Iansl2 Mao-f
kind viii approve such policy. and our jus,
tice will be repaid BY the presence Of ioyaa
army Of defenders ofour Constitution in every
|0ooSAeYu 9eaA0s
Many profess to zee danger from this ex-
|tsneion 81 the elective francAtse. 10 tneas
|apprehensons have no share Away with
distrust Of people who braved the iasn ana
|bloodhoubd 70 steler the soldier OF the
Union, or guide him to the protection OF ms
saef Let theirignorance be forgotten in the
|r~senbraacs shss it never beguited them1
hIsc he subtIe2ies where refine 1lept fell The
Esoleni, responsibilities of Suffrage can be as
ssfely entrusted 10 the heroes who charged at
Fort Wagner and Port Hudson as TO the cui- |
|sured aristocracy who raised the Dag Of re-
Ebei!iof Ill the behests Of personal ambitHn.
Al honest instinct 10 ~orthier than per-
yerted intelligence. Entitled to our graft
tude for their unwavering attachment to the
national cause, and for the heroic courage
|they contributed 70 it's defense, and chaleng-
tins OR respect for their jndicious use OF the
privileges Of freedom, let us invite them 10
share i'd the blessings which they have helped
preserve. !, >.
Our own State has elready taken the initi-
S. nI.S r,f al lffs
Il ton OF race and color from the Constitution.
Let us not fail ut this session to advance the
work inangrated BY our predecessors, OF CIV
ing TO our colored population the enjoyment
OF those political privileges which have hith-
erto been denied 10 them. They hsve demon
strated their manhood in the stern realities OF
var, and in this enlightened Commonwealth
no longer let any prerogatiye OF manhood be
denied to man. That others falter and cow
err before the seeming difficulties of this
measure, should be no encouragement to u.s.
Let us not emulate their cowardice nor share
in their dishoBor. Let the alacriiy with which
we eoncede the privilege equal the readiness
with which We gave them our flag and sent
them forth to fight our battles Let those who
nobly volunteered and CALAMITY defended the
dag Of The Union-who stood between the
| foe and our heritage Of common country
courage to do jastice TO her coiored soldiers
and residents.
Gentlemen of the Assembly. ! can not
neglect the opportunity to congratulate you
upon the favorable auspices under which you
enter upon your duties. War With lis stern
necessities no longer trenches upon the IN
dustrial interests OF the State. While these
RESPONSIBILITIES have ceased with the over
Throw of the rebellion, other and more snes
stantial fields invite your effort. Our State
lis We, in it's early manhood. But swenty-uine
years have elapsed since the first fascinating
body of thes"New Purchase" assembled IN
sister city. Hardly q single generation has
passed away, since the few scattered COLONIES
iupon the banks of the Mississippi whose
4 abiding faith in the future seemed even iaeh
| 20 foreshadow the glorious reality, nave
| grown 10 the vigor and strength OF sn iosaha
/ empire. The achiesments of the past siil De
succeeded By other advances, no less wonder
lfal. Her sons are bat the pioneers OF the
millions who shall set fnd a home on her
prairies. The abundant harvest upon WHICH
we now congratulate ourselves, sFs but an
earnest ofths marvellous resources OF a region,
richer even than oar thought or hope.
| The eye OF discovery has revealed the pres
euee of a variety of astnerss wealth vhose
possibilities msy Prove great reservoir oil
power for the demandsef eiflliza,ion. The
streams which divide its surface must be
made to roll the wheels OF machinery aud
mould the products OK orr care into the tab-
rics Of trade. Regions hitherto nndeveiof-
ed are to be bound to our commercial Ger
tires By links of railway communisatt1F
1 Wo b. ifd stries are Il. be encouraged and
internal improvements OF every kind jealous
| ~ promoted by the jadiciouspaironass OF The
| States s
| Let (. be our boast and pride THAI ne fear
nothing so much ss ignorance and ARTIFICIAL
| distinctions between man ard man Let as
establish our power firmly upon the foanda-
tons OF intelligence and liberal ideas, max
ing manhood our only title Of nobility, ard
believing In nothing SO hopefully as au edt>
Gated public opinion.
But one-sixih Of our lands are yet enclosed
Our hopes for the settlement OF the millions
Of acres whose wealth ~ yet In reserve are
largely affected By the character Of our IN
situations Immigration grayita,es towards
social order, free schools and equal laws Oar
population is largely enriched every year by
tne tide which reaches us from other and less
favored lands They seek, under the bene-
heept patronage Of our Institutions, their
privileges as farmers, mechanics, merchants
ard professional man-;ranspianting to oar
sDs& LIAt rove Oh i5DSfty HAlcfl tteit-I tHtii
from their old homes. We have nothing to
fear from their presence. be sturdiest de
tenders Of freedom are those who have felt
its loss.
In the guardianship of the sacred trust
which has been reposed 10 us. the good Of the
Stats shesld be Str ruling ssiss. A iast
sense of our responsibilities will forbid ns to
harbor the spirit Of par,zanship or balance
the claims OF section or party against the
good Of the whole. However cherished may
be orr political convictions, let Us remember
that we are not the representatives Of partie
ular interests or favored classes, but are the
servants Of the ,eaols people, and that, in our
keeping, the rights Of majority and minority
should be equally sacred.
Full Of hope 10 the future OF our State,
whose past has b. en- so favored of Proyi-
denee, and whose present is so rich in pros
lperity, lei Us apply ourselves with zeal and
fidelity to the advancement of her interests.
If we should not summon to our aid the
wisdom of stat snanship. let US, at least,
meet our responsibilities with faithfulness,
integrity and earnest devotion 10 the Common
wealth; and may the God Of Wisdom and
Justice guide US IN His own appointed ways