The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-03-16
Pair Of Democratic Opinions Of the I'm.
auSural.

From the Cleveland Plaindealer]
We never expected to see Black Republican
President peaceably inaugurated in this White
Republican country. We have had misgivings
more than we dare utter in regard to Mr. Lin
coins Inauguration, but now the Rubicon is
passed, and the Government for the time being
goes on. Thanks to Major Anderson, General
Scott, Secretaries Holt, Dix and Stanton for
the same. Had not Anderson, without orders,
left his quarters at Fort Aeultrie, the conspiracy
of FLOYD, Thompson, Cobb L. Co. to betfay the
Government, Administration and all into the
hands of the South, would not have been known
in time to have saved Virginia and Maryland
from the secession movement, taking Washing
ton with them, and necessarily preventing the
inauguration at the recognized seat Of Govern
ment
But that dangerous point has been passed, and
the possession OF "the Government" and pres
tige of regularity remain with the Northern Re-
public The candidate legally elected has been le-
galy inaugurated, and Abraham Lincolnis to-day
the only constitutional President of these United
States. Let all the world take notice, and let
every good citizen take heed, that we still have
a Government strong enough to protect its
friends and punish its enemies
The policy of the new Administration is fully
unveiled in Mr.. Lincolns Inaugural. Like its
n,agasissh in sound than in styiy, smelling strong
ly of gunpowder, and is coercion" all orf, the
South understand that word. He firmly and de-
liberately declares his determination to use all
the powers vested in him to "hold," occupy" and
possess" the property belonging to the Federal
Government collect the duties and enforce the
laws in all tie States. That is emphatic enough
de is ec otcio Commander, in-Chief of the Army
and Navy of this whole Republic. That Army
and Navy have never known defeat, and hereto
fore have commanded the respect and admira-
ton of the world.
Mr.. Lincoln's theory that there was but one
Reppblic, that there can be but one General
Government, that all ordinances of secession
are but SO many acts of rebellion, and must be
dealt with us such as, is correct. That is the
doctrine of the Constitution, acknowledged and
enforced by all the Presidents from Washington
down to Buchanan. ANY other theory destroys
the Government. Mr.. Lincoln is not the first
President who has thus declared this doctrine,
but he is the first to carry it out against an or
ganized revolution in the Government.
I [Fromthe New York Nsws.] -4t
The Inaugural of Mr.. Lincoln is certainly an
able and statesmanlike document 1t is drawn
up with elaborate care and perfect acquaintance
with all the questions that now distract the
country. These it discusses with condensed
hrevity in which every word tells, and every
word has been made the subject of careful study
and consideration. The Inaugural shows that
Mr.. Lincoln felt the load, and appreciated the
full extent of the duties he was to assume when
he laid his hand on the Evangelists, and swore
to perform them.
The tone of the Message is courteous, consid-
crate, and even conciliatory. The casual reader
would at once be taken by the honeyed phrases
in which it is couched, the many obvious truths
it contains, and certain admissions of constitll-
tional rights which, after the frantic denuncia-
lions of an anti-slavery political campaign, seem
almost like concessions. We could reconcile a
peaceful policy with the Inaugural but still there
is sting left. TheInaugural is not satisfactory;
it is ambiguous; and we fear the Republicans
even while processing the most peaceful nten-
tons. Coercion could not have been put in q
more agreeable form; it reads like challenge
under the code, in which an invitation to the
field is vailed under the most satisfactory sylla.
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