Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-01-10

of political character. we are TOO apt 10 plunge
onward, unknowing, ant, often uncaring, whittier
our steps may ultimately eadu us. The present emer-
gency is the only which elicits any Of our at
tent;on; the future consequences of mistake are,
almost invariahy studiously concealed, lest their
appalling reality in anticipation, should thwat our
immediate interest. All men, in theory at least ac
knowledge the business Of this rule bu. very few Of
them pay any regard to it in the daily routine OF
life. It is, perhaps, useless labor to attempt to
induce men to adopt the suggestions .ofwisDoM,yet
II would be wrong TO despair, and an insult TO her
greatness TO suppose that she is not equal to any
task which the necessity of the passing hour nay
impose aron her. We are not favored with the
prescience Of Divinity, nor We tell what inGu-
ence sea word spoken in season" may have upon the
public mind Those who capable OF giving
s.wise counsels" would be recrcans 10 the high
trusts rerosed in them, were they to refrain from
uttcriny hat may prove useful TO the patlic
any false mcdesty. or bastard apprehension Of be-
coming the objects of popular disspprotation. The
wise are too often humble and tc;irins when they
should announce their opinions with the holiness
and fervor Of the ancient prophets. While pre-
sumption and noisy ignorance are infusing their
yarns decisions upon the thonghtess and the care
less it would be base desertian 81 the ere at cause
of humsnity, the lovers Of truth. Justice hon
or and country, to lie s!eSsly by ana allow these
intruders upon sacred ground carry on their de-
sastations unchecked and unorposed. Modesty, in
such case, becomes Q crime--humiiity is no long
er praisewcrthy. The enemy should be met with
sword sharper and longer than his own, and he
should be driven from the soil he has presumed to
invade, with discontinue and disgrace II we do
not repose ourselves in unworthy Incidence end
supineness-if we are ever on the watch, and se,,c
upon the opportune moment OF attack or defense,
this may a'sraysbe done with ease. II is only when
we allow the bonds Of error or fals0,ood 10 be fas
tened upon us, without resistance--whe hen we per-
NIT spirit Of transent lethargy to make US heed.
less Of the approach of these dangerous and tnsii
Gus foes, that they able to produce any perma-
nent result. We, only, to blame, if their sue
cess be aattering. They are powerful when unoppo-
sed. The sword of Truth easily disarrns them, and
exposes to the world their inherent ceformity-
Their oaiousness becomes apparent TO all .who
have eyes to see, and their influence st ono. csa,
es as their meretrCious attractions are dissipated
II IS duty, then, which owe TO each other and
to the world, to exhibit the acts Of great enc
mics OF mankind whenever We have the crrortnni.
ty, and trust it win not he deemed rr.su ~, in
one who chances to haze few leisure moments, il
he ventures to express his opinions freely upon
some recent political events, which seem TO be
characterized with unusual turrituie.
Never, perhaps, in the psiitica, history Of this
country, has its public representative body present.
ed so dissraceful a scene tina, the whole nation
was compelled 20 look upon during the three weeks
succeeding the meeting Of our present Congress-
II is sraro.,v enough 20 say it was di.gracef,,-
Stronger language must be APPLIED 20 il. II was
nfamons--for it was the consequence of infamy in
some Of its members. Party spirit NAV Justify
some slight alterations from the path Of r,an,i
ness and honor. Passion and interss st can scarc.,v
be expected TO incu'cats the highe. tone Of morsl.
or propriety. Se,Sshncss and ambition ar. known
to lead men as.ray from the incest regard to rec-
tu!e. Under the iafuencc of these unwsrthy pas
sions and impulses, il wond be expecting too much
ofmen. to suppose that all their conduct would
sist with the srictest rules offight. But surely we
would be justified in the idea that they would avoid
absolute irfimy-.hst even folly could not yield TO
infatuaton far as to become the minister Of its
own irretricvah!e ruin Yet it seems otherwise.
Facts are before US. They startling 10 the So
Der and the hsnest, and il would be astounding
were they allowed to pass without comment. The
truly patriotic, II all parties, should look at them
with impartial eyes, and they should not hesitate to
censure those whose Observation-Disclosures ralp,ale
betrayal Of their high trust, has seemed to challenge
II. There is no treachery SO vile, SO deeply damn
ing in its character as that Of the man who obtains
the confidence Of the people only to make market
ofit-to advance his own ends and to Il al them on
to their own destruction.
For what are members Of Congress electede WHY
are they sent to Washington What are they ex
pected to do there7 They arc chosen and are es-
pected to do the peoples business in such manner
as may be most advantageous to fh.r,. This is the
sole object the people have in view. Indeed, they
could have no other. The first do sire of the people
must be the public coed, for this is their o,rn Good
They may be deluded and deceived as to their true
interests; but, soon they discover their error.
they will endeavor to retrieve it, and all its evil
consequences. Iii not Necessary to presum that
they are possessed OF any wonderful degree Of pat
riotsm as an inducemcnt To this course. since self
interest self love Of themseves quite suffice nt
without assigning any Ioftier or nobler motives
Wise and prudent laws, properly administered, are
the chief desire OF all good citizens, since they
know that such, alone, conducive TO their PROS
perity. It is also their de sire to select such zen
to represent them will be able to devise or per
ceise what laws will prove salutary. In this, too,
they are often deceived and yet oftencr compelled
to make choice from a number Of whom none are
exactly adapted to the dn,ies they are expected to
perform. Yet they have hitherto imag ined t,st no
man would accept such station, who would be
entirely roid OF honor, and utterly regardless Of the
common dccen2ies Of public and private life. This
opinion has, until recently, been well grounded
But the error has been discovered. RIGHTEOUSNESS
stands unmasked before us, and we must avail our
selves OF the profitable lesson, and in future act
upon the knowledge.
Despite the prophetic warning given to his coun-
trymen by Washington. in his "Farewell Adore ss,n
we have note sor. Of DUPLEX party distinction
the one founded.upon merely political grounds, and
the other upon sectional. The North and the South
are both divided. as hitherto, into Whig and Demo
cratic ranks and they also arraycd against each
other as different portions Of the confederacy. This
latter division bids fair most unfortunately over
ride and entirely supplant the other. Not that Ell
thcs have become unanimous upon those subjects
whic& aave formerly constituted lines of demarca-
ton between them, (for upon these they are as
much opposed as ever,) but that sectional feeling
and prejudice have been aroused to so high pitch