The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1860-07-07

Gtat8ylVu Oh tuUcpSuU9DCe 0IC 0StGAy KitbStSu&
ssgeueralities.r Mr. Caleb Cushing, mu1sy and
Macy a. be- In thought andexpression, has con-
trived TO assert with tolerable elearness that in
his opinion al imen are ssee horn free and equal
NJ. Charles UConor . Of the same mind. So in
his days John G. Calhoun. OF course there il
nothing to be astonished q In this resort to arro
CANT paradox. These men, living or dead, hav-
ing determined beforehand to defend abadtys-
TEN, could begin the work in no other way than
by ignoring the axioms Of ~ Revolntion. Not
until the broad humanity Of the Declaration had
been explained, philosophical. and sophisticated
70 mere nothingness, or 70 something sadder,
these traitors to universal fraternity able TO
repeat with out blushing, sentiments to revolving
dismal conclusions, which dogmatically forbid
all hope of the equality Of man in view Of any
human government, win be hereafter read
with wonder, and are too signal adeparture from
traditions Of the Republic to be presently or
speedily forgotten. Their most natural refuta-
ton is to be found in the steady, the intuitive
convictions Of the American mind.
The doctrines of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence are not te be comprehended in oil their
beauty aud sublimity by the closest study, any
more than they are TO be wasted away by the
shrewdeat verbal criticism Of the letter Of the in
strument. Great ~ were the abilities of those
IL,
have been unequal to the task of condensing
into words, Of combining within sentences, the
great idea Of political equality, which informed
the general American reason and heart They
left us letter noble only because it was the ex-
ponent of noble spirit. The letter might be
perverted and controversial might be faithful to
the world but altogether false to its hope
but the spirit would remain, incapable Of a
| double sense, and useless TO palterers.
We did not need, but we are happy to have
the opinion of Mr.. George Bancroft, the best
known Of our historians, that the Declaration Of
independence was not IA tissue ofglittering gen.
"eralties.' Mr.. Bancroft contradcts the late
Mr.. Rufus Choatc point blank, and in words
which are curiously responsive to those thst adj
vocate; for Mr. Bancroft says distinctly that the
Declaration avoided specious generalties."
Again those who have been misled by the indg-
nant repetition Of the phrase "Higher Law" will
have ampler opportunities of exhibiting their
virtuous horror when they read what Mr.. Geo.
Bancroft has written. "The bill of rights which
| it ri. e. the Declaration1 promulgates, is of
ssrights that are older than human institutions,
s.and spring from the eternal justice that is an
| "terior to the State" He must possess very
rare powers of distinction who can find any SUBJ
stantial difference between sthe Higher Law"
! and the "rights that are older than human in
ions'-rights that spring from the eternal
justice that is anterior to the State" But Mr.
Bancroft goes still further; nor can we forbear
| the pleasure ofquoting his own admirable words
1.-TWO political theories" says he sdivided the
world one founded the Commonwealth on the
reasons of state, the policy Of expediency: the
other on the immutable principles of morals the
new Republic, as it took its plLce among the pow
ers of the world, proclaimed its faith in the
truth and reality and unchangeableness of free
dom, virtue, right. The heart of Jefferson in
writing the Declaration, and of Congress in
adopting it, beat for all humanity the assertion
of right, was made for the entilc world without
any exception whatever for the proposition that
admits of exception, can never be selfevident."
Moreover and in illustration of the universal ap-
plication of the glad tilings, Mr.. Bantroft says:
"The astonished nations as they read that all
men are created equal, started ont OF their leth-
argy like those who have been exiles from child
hood, when they suddenly hear the dimly re-
mcmbcred accents of their mother tongue
Mr.. Bancroft, it viii be seen, does not speak
with the Fashionable timidity Of dyspeptic students
He docs not maunder about races, nor take
fuge within the cheap defences Of chronological
sciolism. His political philosophy "makes the
circuit of the world"-his political morality is
applied to s.the entire world of mankind, and all
coming generations without any exception what
ever After Mr.. Cushing's pillerings from en-
cyclopedas, and stereotyped nonsense about
white and black and yellow raccs--after the in
toierab!e conceit, ignorance, and inhumanity of
his imitstors-after the inconcluSive conclusions
of text.splt.ing and texttwis,ing Doctors OF Di-
yinity-after ali the ignoble efforts Of fools and
ofknaves to extenaate moral wrong by appeals
to physical distinctions-itis pleasant to fad a
man like Mr.. Bancroft adhering to a simple and
sensible construction of the adages and axioms
D..
trimmers-these torturers ofplain words of plain
morality into tenth century sophisticaticns, have
now their answer, and they have it from a very
high, ifnot from the highest quarter.
New York Tribune.
DEMOCRATIC CoNFUsIoNs-In New York and
Pennsylvania, confusion as yet reigns supreme
among the Democracy. At Philadelphia, two |
grand ratification meetings ore announced tor |
the two different Democratic tickets. That of |
the Dougasites was called by ten of the twenty |
four members Of the Executive Committee The |
Chairman Of the Committee has issued his card |
pronouncing this action irregular. Such it
clearly was, having been taken without quorum
being present In the meantime, Breckinridce |
ratification meeting has been called, under tie |
auspices, we suppose, Of majority of the com
mittee.
like difficulty pervades the State organiza-
ton in Pennsylvania The State Committee and
the State electoral ticket are divided in sent;-
ment, the preponderance in each, as heretofore
reckoned, being in favor Of Breckenridge. In
due time an effort is to be made to get out Of
this difficulty, either by taking account Of stool,
and dividing up, or else by forming partner
ship, on conditions distinctly understood This
latter project is likely to fall through.
In New York, the affairs of the Democracy are
a a cd IL |
nando Wood is said to have arranged matters
With Mr.. Buchanan for vigorous anti-Douglss
light The New York Herald represents Tam
many Hall to be in woeful condition and goes
On to Say:
The Sachems do not know what to DO, and the
General Committee is in dilemma. Who is to
be the man for Tammany-Douglas or Brecken-
'ldge! Some OF the props and pillars of the old
Nigwam are for Douglas, and some go for Breck-
nrdgc; and between the two there must be dire |
confusion. Meantime, Fernando Wood and the
Mozart Hall men can look on and laugh at the
un. But the worst part Of it is, that Tammany
viii get no money for the next election. As
here is no prospect of electing Democrat aud
occurring any spoil, the usual contributors of
curse will not come down handsomely this time
BESIDES, Mr.. Buchanan may find it necessary to
emove some OF the ofice-holders. We do not
now how MANY heads may fall between this and
,ovember. Truly, Tammany is in bad way
in. Gazette.
FERNANDO WOoD.--We learn with pleasure | |
hat the Hon Fernando Wood completed his ar
angements with the Albany Regency and Tam
iany Hall yesterday. He goes for Douglas hence
,rth with all his might, and is therefor to be Gf
OF cheated) placed at the head Of the Soft Elec
orsl Ticket Mr.. Dean Richmond, who nego
lated this adjustment, left for the rural districts
.st evening in the confident assurance that the
ountry is safe.
The Mayor has not been able to include his .
Ute friends in the capitulation. The Hard
Iardss resist all allurements to place themselves
antagonism to their Southern brethren
hough aggrieyed By their treatment at Charles
On, they are about to raise the flag Of Breckin-
dge and Lane, and fight the battle under it in
ne fullest assurance that this will be recognized
GREATER rs the genuine, unsullied, Simon Pure
and that the Douglas imitation, will
e branded as bogus, not in the South only, but
the country-N. Y. Tribune.
-------D-
The New York HERALD ON LINcoLs.-As the
arties in this contest nov stand, Douglas occa-
les the position Of mere flibuster or guerrilla
ghter not expecting ANYTHING but an ignomn. |