The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-01-19

|iof mg position needs so strong remedy. an
willing to vote for an amendment of the Consti
tuition, declaring thsti it shal Ilpt by any future
senenament be 10 altered as tosconfer on Con
gress power to abolish or interfere with SLAYER,
in any State.
LEGISLATION ON THE TERRITORIES
Thirdly. While think that Congress has ex.
elusive and sovereign authority. to 1egis)ate on
all subjects whatever in the common territories
OF the United States, and while certainly shall
never, directly or indirectly, give my vote to es.
tabish or sanction slavery in such territories, or
anywhere else in the world, yet the question.
what constitutional laws shall at any time be
passed in regard to the territories is, like every
other question to he determined on practical
grounds. l voted for enabling acts in the cases
of Oregon, Minnesota, and Kansas, without be.
ing able to secure 10 them such provisions as
would have preferred, and yet ! think I voted
wisely. So now I am well satisfied, that under
existing circumstances, happy and satisfactory
solution of the difficulties in the remaining terri
tories would be obtained by similar laws, pro-
viding for Their organization, if such organiza-
ton were otherwise practicable. If, therefore,
Kansas were admitted as State under the Wy
andott Constitution, l would favor the admission
of two new States, which should include the re-
naming territory, reservng the right 70 effect
subdivisions of them whenever necessary into
several convenient States; but / do not find that
such reservations could be constitutionally made
without them. The Interior ADVERTISEMENTS which
would result from the hasty interpretations of
States of such vast extent and various interests
and character, would outweigh all the immedi
ate advantages OF such a measure, but If the
measure were practical | should prefer a differ
ent course, namely: When the eccentric move
ments of secession and disunion shall have end
ed, in whatever form that end may come, and
the angry eXcitements of the hour shall have
subsidized, and calmness once more shall have re
sumed its accustomed sway over the public mind;
then, and not until then, one, two, three years
hence, should cheerfrlly advise convention
OF the people to be assembled in pursuance Of
the Constitution to consider and decide wheth-
er any and what amendments of the original ma
tiona law ought to be made. ..
A Republican now, as have heretofore been
a member of other parties existing in my day,
nevertheless hold and cherish, as always have
done, the principle that this Government exists
in its present form only by the consent of the
governed, and it is as necessary as wise, to re
sort to the people for revisions of the organic
law, when the troubled dangers of the State GER
tainly transcend the powers delegated by it to
the public authorities. Nor ought the suages-
ton excite surprise. Governments machine.
This is the most complex one that the mind OF
man ever invented, or the hand Of man has ever
framed Perfect as it is, it ought to be expec.
ted that 1t will, at least as often as once in cen
fury, require some modification to adapt it to
the changes of society, and alterations Of EN-
pire.
LAWS AGAINST THE INVASION OF STATES.
Fourthly Iho!d myself ready now, as always
heretofore, to vote for any properly guarded
lay WI rhS hall ho
vent mutual invasons of States by citizens Of 9th
er States, and punish taose who shall aid and
abet them. ,.s ...... ...
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. ...
Filthy. Notwithstanding the arguments OF
the gallant Senator from Oregon Gen. Lane),
remain of the opinion that physical ponds, such
as highways, railroads, rivers, canals, are vastly
more powerful for holding civil communities
together than any mere covenants, though
written on parchment or engraved on iron
remain, therefore, constant to my purpose to Sc
cure, if possible, the construction of two Pacif
c railways; one of which shall connect the
ports around the mouth of the Mississippi and
the other the towns on the Missouri and the
lakes, with the harbOrs on our western coast
II, in the expression of these views, | have
not proposed what is desired or expected by
many others, they will do me the justice to be.
lieve that | am as far from having suggested
what in many respects whould have been in har
mOny with cherished convictions of my own.
learned early from Jefferson, that in political al
fairs we cannot always do what seems to US alb
solutely best. Those with whom we must neces.
sarly act, entertaining different views have the
power and the right of carrying them into prac
tice. We must be cvntented to lead when we
can, and to follow when we cannot lead, and II
we cannot at any time do for our country all the
good that we wish, We must be satisfied with do
ing for her all that we can.
Having submitted my own opinion upon this
great crisis, it remains only to say that | shall
cheerfully lend to the Government my best sup
port in whatever prudent yet energetic efforts il
shall make to preserve the Union, advising only
that it practices as far as possible the utmost
moderation, torbearance and Cancellation.
ALL NOT YET LOST.
And now, NJ. President, what are the aus
pieces of the country? | know that We are in
the midst of alarms, and somewhat exposed to
accidents unavoidable in the seasons of tempes.
tuous passions. We have already disorder, and
violence has begun. l know not to what extent
it may go; still faith in the Constitution and the
Union abdes because my faith in the wisdom
and virtue of the American people remains I'M
shnken-coolness, calmness and resolution are
elements of their character. They have been
temporarily displaced, but they are re-appearing
soon enough, trust for safety. 1t will be seen
that sedlton and violence are only local and TEN.
porary, and that loyalty and affection to the
Union are the natural sentiments of the whole
country. Whatever dangers there shall be,
there will be determination to meet them
whatever sacrifices, private or public, shall be
needful, for the Unon they will be made.
THE NATIONS MISSION NOT YET FULFILLED.
| feel sure that the hour has not come for this
great nation to fall. This people, which has
been studying to become wiser and better as it
has grown older, is not perverse or wicked
enough to deserve dreadful and, severe a pun
ishnent as dissolution. This Union has not yet
accomplished what good for mankind was mani.
testify designed by Him who appoints the seasons
and prescrbes the duties OF States and En-
pires.
No sir; if it we're cast down by faction to day
it would rise again. and re-appear in all its ma.
jestic proportions tomorrow 1t is the only
Government that can stand here. Woe woe to
the man that madly lifts his hand against it =
1t shall continue and endure, and men in af
tertmes shall declare that this genel alton
which saved the Union from sudden and unlock.
ell Tor dangers, surpasses in magnanmty even
that one which laid its foundations in the etern-
al principles of liberty, justice and humanity.
DlStNloN AGENTS AT THE NORTH.-The New
York Times calls attention to the fact that not
only Is constant sale of arms and munitions of
war to the rebelhous States OF the south going
on in that city, but that attempts to levy recruits
are being made by secession agents; and de-
mands that the grand juries take cognizance of
their reasonable proceedings. 1t also publishes
letter from highly responsible source, in
which are the following, among many similar
statements:
A gentleman, formerly an officer in European
army, told me that Vrginian called upon him
last week and cGered linn tie command Of a body
Of men IN Fuginia, with good pay, and assuran-
ces that the service would he permanent one.
He said he did not love slavery well enough to
accept the proposal.
1t is evident there are recruiting agents here,
spies in our Notifications and navy yards, spies
in the departments at Washington, and that ex.
tensive military preparations have been treach-
eroUsiy making for some time past.
A Southern gentleman told me yesterday that
he believed that if the President and the North
had stood in their present attitude three weeks
sooner, the secession movement would have
been checked, and the conservative party, now
entirely gone under, would have recovered head