The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-05-11

hand and caused the seal OF the United states
TO be affixed.
Done at the city OF Washington this third dav
of May, in the year OF our Lord one thousand
| eight hundred aud sixt, -one and in the Indepen-
dence OF the United States the eighty fifth
Signed, ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
By the President.
WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Secretary of State.
---o-
MIR. RUSSELL,S LETTERS.
The London Times Correspondent on
Amer ican Affairs.
The London Times, of April Esd, publishes a
letter from Mr. Russell, from which we take the
following extracts:
WASHINGTON, April 5.
One month aud one day have elapsed since
Mr.. Lincoln and his Cabinet were installed at
Washington. Long previous to their accession
TO power, or rather TO office, the revolution OF
the South had assumed the aspect OF AN indie
pendent government When the new Admin
lstration tried to direct the horses heads, they
found that the reins were cut, and all they could
do was to sit on the state coach and take their
chance of falling i'll soft place, OR of the fiery
steeds coming 10 stand still from exhaustion.
CONDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT ON MARCH 4rn.
month ago and the State Treasury was
nearly exhausted: only some 937O, 900 was forth
coming 10 meet demands and requirements four
e'HNs a. IA g. Ahc navy Was >SattSISu ONtT
the world at stations by no meals readily az
cessibe; the army posted along the frontier
lines, between which and the Northern States
Was interposed the panse of the Southern
Considerations; the Officers disatfcct to the
Government, or at all events well affected 10
their individual sovereign States TO feel in
disposed to serve the United States; the whole
machinery of Government in the hands of the
revolutionary leaders; every trace of federal ex-
istence erased in the South, wiped away by acts
which unless justified by sue, esstul revolt, would
be called reasonable or by force or stratagen
and only two forts held on the seaboard, weakly
g,rrisoned, and unhappily situated with refer
ence to operations of relief In addition to
these sources of weakness came the confusion
and apprehension caused by divided counsels,
want of cohesion, the disorders of violent ma
tiona contest, mistrust of adequate support, anu
above all, tie imperious necessities OF the place
seekers, whose importunate acquisitions distract
ed the attention of the Government from the
more important business which presented itself
for justment. 1t was, of course, necessary to
I'll the posts which were occupied 10y enemies,
with men devoted to the interests of Govern
ment which could little brook any Indifference or
treach rous tendencies on the part OF its subor
diMates.
NECESSARY POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
But had the Administration been strong in
all respects as any United States Government
ever could, or can hope to be, in reference to
such eneI geneies AS the present, it really could
have done little, except precipitste civil war,
in which the border States would have arranged
| themsev by the side of the cotton States. A
consider Bile portion of the North would have been
hostile TO coercion, and the theories which have
been propounded with much apparent appruba
ton respecting the actual uses OF government,
its powers and Jurisdiction, show that European
doctrines on such points are not at all accepted
by statesmen, politicians and jutists in North
America. Without the means of enio cling an
authority which many OF its own adhe ients, and
most of the neutral parties, denied to il, Mr.
Limcoln's Administration finds Itself called upon
to PROFOUND policy aud proceed to vigorous
| action. The demand is scarcely reasonable
The policy of such men suddenly lifted to the
head OF affair, which they cannot attempt To
guide, must be t. await and watch, and their
ton inust be simply tentative, as they have no
power to put forth with moderate hope of sue
cess any aggressive force.
| WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT DO.
Be SATISFIED Of a,iS--hte United States Goseyn-
me,,t ,ca gac up pooeer OF possess,on fic at has
at present got By It's yoiuntary act ii rM sur.
re,tder nothing ,oitateser. No matter what re-
| ports may appear in the papers, or IN letters,
distlust them if they would lead you to believe
that hr Lincoln is preparing either TO abandon
what he has now, or TO recover that which he
| has not
4he United States Goreynne,t is in an atdted,
| of protest: it cannot strike AN offensive blow
| But if any attack is make upon It, the Govern
meut hopes that it will be str' nsthened by the
| indignation of the NUrth and West to such al
extent, that it cannot only Iepel the aggression
but possibly give stimulus to great reaction
| i'll its favor.
WHY THE FORTS ARE KEPT.
On these principles Fort Sumter and Fort
Pickens are held. They are claimed MS federal
fortreases The stars and stripes still float oeei
| them Whatever may be SAID 10 the cohtraiy
they will remain there TIL they are removed 10y
the action of the Confcderatcd States. The
commissioners OF Mr Jeiier son Davis's Govern
meat. .'have reason to say, that 1t any attemp
be made to throw rviniorcem""'
| Piexems. upieS" - .~".' INTO FOR
-..,oa ,ney receive previous notice u
il. AS promised it will be a breach OF goo'
faith" From all I can learn no intention o
strengthening the Fort is at present entertained
but il may be Coubted, if the attempt would no
be made should any favorable opportunity o
doing SO present itself. All ''the movement
| of troops" of which you will see accounts, ar
preparations against, not for. aggression A
most they amount, to the maj oh of a few CON
panies and guns to various forts now all but Iii
defended.
Fort Washington. of which l shall have a fe'
words to say hereafter, till lately held by
very inadequate force. As member ct the Cal
met said to me- IL could have taken it last wee
with a little whiskey," that potent artier
| being applied to the weak deiences of the age
Irish artllleryman who constituted 1.-The garr
, SON." The formidable military force coneei
trated in W Washington" OF which you may rea
| 10 s,F hon
seven hundred men of all arms, as far as l ca
see, and four brass field guns. There is a goo
deal of drumming, fling, marching. and mus
going on daily. | look on and see small ban
in gay uniform, small body Of men in soinbr
uniforms, var,i ing from fifteen to thirty ran
and file, armed, however, with excellent rife
and very large standard, pass by, and next da
| read that such and such company had pi
rade, and attracted much admiration by the
!, efficient and soldierly appearance and the MAJ
uer in which," &c.
But these military companies have no inter
: ton of fighting for the government. Their syn
!, | pIthies are quite undetermined. Formidable
+, they would lie in skrmishng in the open com
try, they would be Of comparatively little us
= against regular troops at The outset Of tie COZ
! test, as they have never learnt to act tnpethei
= | aud do not aspire to torn even battaliohs B,
/. ther existence indicates the strong mi i,sr
! endencies OF the people, and the danger of d,
ing an, thing which might turn them against III
, government Mr. Lincoln has no power to IN *
var against the South; the Congress alone couI
give it to him: and that is not likely 60 be give
BECAUSE Congress will not be assembled befo,
the usual time unless the pressure of an imper
. Gus necessity.
e The VALUE OF THE PORTS.
3 Why, then, hold these forts at nIis Why NJ
i. give them upg Why not withdraw the garrison
e strike the flag, and cease to keep up usele
|, source Of irritation IN the midssoi The Souihel
Confederation? The answer to these quesIio
q is: these forts are federal property. The go
o vrnment does not ,ci nowleige the existence
e any rig on the part Of the people 0! tn Stat
70 seize them A. appertaining to the individu