The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-05-03

Oh, say not that JEHOVAH
Babe US labor as doom;
No, it is his richest mercy,
And we'll shelter half life's gloom;
Then let us still be doing
Whater er we find to do
With an earnest, willing spirit,
With a strong hand free and true.
A New Principle in Politics.
From the New ork Century. |
Popular sovereignty in the Territories, as
defined by Senator Douglas, though not
openly opposed will be secret cause of
agitation in the approaching canvass for
in opposition under various pretexts, but no
principle Markedly stated, it is recogni-
ton of the right Of the people to establish
their own laws; and where such ideas are
once embodied in law, as in the organic act
for the incorporation Of Kansas and Nebras-
ka, retrocession is impossible. The relations
of husband and wife, owner and slave, mas.
and servant, parent and child, and all other
parts of the social fabric, are to be settled
upon new grounds philosophy and reason
or of ignorance and madness-by ma
JOElIy vi Tile uIst CEOWu VIldt dSSeuDlcS Ill d
Territory under the name of a Legislature
What those crowds are practical men
know.
Mr.. Douglas could not have gone further
than he did; his principle admits and ad-
vises the reconstruction the social fabric from
the first elementary principles 1t does not
furnish precedents or rules of action, but in
fact abolshes all Of these Hierarchies,
o,,A
ernments, slave or free, may in future be es-
tablished, and must be recognized.
As movement of the slave power, nothing
can exceed the simplicity and cunning of
this arrangement. The border population
of the interior, always ignorant and hoatic,
following violence as boys run to a burning,
mingling with crowd of foot-sore, heart
broken emigrants, managed altogether by
company of unscrouplous agents and drivers
this unhappy and riotous collection of Pill
grim fathers are expected to examine ques-
tions that have embarrassed the intellect of a
Franklin, as well as Of Buchanan. Debate
is impossible, because there is no reason
Interest cannot form majorities, because
| there are no interests-men being not the
representatives of any interests, but actually
| in search of something ofthis kind, each for
himself A few who have great aims, politi
cal speculations, supported by the older
States, with money, courage, no conscience,
and we'll armed following, rule all in such
assemblies. Society is no longer borne for
ward on the always flowing and accumula-
ting tide of experience. but sticks around,
and the land and border thieves rush in, and
with oaths, brides, blows and curses, take
possession Of the standard bulk
Even if the extreme doctrine Of popular
| sovereignty were scripture" it has been
quoted by such person and to SO i'll a
purpose SO wrested from the true accep-
tation such strange comments made on il
Illuminated margins of fire and blood, the fait;.
OF the people even in the text itself is shaken;
the halt OF the Bowie knife sticks out under
the robe OF the evangelist as he delivers his
evangel on the steps of the Capitol.
The agents for the slave interest believed
that it would be easier to manage crowd of
homeless cOlonlsrs, out there in the wilder
ness, than it might be to CONTROL the opposl-
ton. Upon this hint they voted. 1t would
be pleasant to know who gave the hint; but
that is not material.
Intelligent men who have lived long
enough in America. to know that yearling
oaks do not yield ship timber, will not require
to be told how the forces OF a long established
and well organized society, with literature, a
press, pulpit, the Senate and the courts of
law, with more than all these, the influences
| of the social and domestic circle, are only
| able to work out slow and partial solutions
Of the social problem. They will not then
expect any admirable or wonderful results
from the violent Debates of Territorial Leg
islature on war footing
But it has been asked, have the people as
| whole, or have the nation as a corporate
body, any right or interest in formation of
territorial societies, to be alterward incorpora
ted with the Union?
| This question has been vehemently an
swered in the affirmative by body of men
more given than any others to the manage
ment of national affairs; we mean the South
ern politicians. They have practically de-
termined that the nation had better cease as
| SUCH than that their section, at least, should
lose controlling power over the inchoate
societies Of the border But if this power
is vitality important to the Southern and
South western States, why do not the rest
The vitality of the nation does not exist only
in the slaveholding body The remainder Of
the nation, two thirds Of the entire white
population, including the nom laveholding
societies of the South, have an equal interest
not SO much to the land which is petty
consideration, as to the social organization
OF the Territories-and it happens, that this
interest is adverse to that ofthe slave owners.
1t is, therefore, just and necessary that the
non-slaveholding interest and sentiment
should form political organization for the
express purpose of limiting, thwarting, cir
cumventing and absolutely repelling this
adverse interest. Such is the usage Of Re
publics, in lieu of civil war. They must
make stand against what appears to them
an evil and an injury.
If there is blame, it is equally divided If
there is irritation there is counter irritation !;
argument for argument, right for right and
| when the nature Of the question is under
stood with the instinct which more than
reason is the cause Of political action, com
promise is absurd: majorities alone, the
modern remedy in place oil arms, must decide
| the contest
Senator's who represent the slave interests
are properly anxious to maintain a balance
of power in the Central Government, balance
being in American, as well as in European
politics. modest synonym for preponder-
ance The purpose Of this preponderance is
| kept dark, under thick vail Of Senatorial
proprieties 1t is to keep open home mar
ket, q widening territorial mart for the
surplus negro stock of the slave region; but
| We are not now concerned with the motives,
bnt with the rights of action.
Although the Line Of Compromise, drawn
~ geographical recognition Of the para
mount interest Of the nation in the social