The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-03-16

| BAIrlxoRE, March 8, 1861.
| Ar. Lincoln's Inaugural has opened the eye
Of the blind among us. They see men wslkiaa
az trees. They are actually beginning to dis.
cover that the Federal Government has not been
entirely dsstroyed by the traitor crow that ha.
been manning it for four years past. ssta SO
Igave you some evidence Of this fact in nv
last letter. To-day am enabled to add the tec
t!mony OF the Hon. Robert N. McLane, late
Minister TO Juarez, the fugitive Precedent Of
Mexico, and etill later the hero who threatened
TO make the Susquehanna run with the blood Of
tue Federal troops, If they should dare to eros,
that river, upon the call Of President Lincoln,
to aid in enforcing the Federal laws against re
bellion. Mr.. McLane is satisfied with the In
augursl and pronounces secession dead! Another
distinguished Secession;st of our city has read
the Inaugural three times, and has announced
the fate of Secession in even more forcible
terms. It's dead and buried" said he smphat.
ically.
Some of our halfhearted and honest mer-
| chants are, however, greatly exercised at the
idea of civil war. They do not see how it is
possible to escape SO fearful result if Mr.. Lin.
coin persists in collecting the revenue. There
is no difficulty with them Is to the mails and the
Federal Courts, but they can't see how it is pos.
| sibe to get the revenue without blood. a
When told that there are now more than q
tcore Of applicants from the secedent States for
every Federal Office within their limits, they
open their eyes in wonder and incredulity. But
when informed that the parties applying are not
ordinary office-seekers, but gentlemen of the
highest tsocial and political standing in those
States, who would not touch any public office
IN ordinary times, and that they ask for these
Offices in order to rally Federal party and
ovsrturn rebellion, these timid merchants be-
GIN to feel there is hope and they inquire further
with no little interest.
But suppose such sppointees can be had, and
are not permitted to exercise their offices by the
Secession Government, or what may be called
such! What then? Why, they will report the
fact to the Federal Government, and forthwith
they will be furnished it'll sufficient ships of war,
from on board of which to collect the duties
off the harbors or rivers of the cinq ports,
which Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, New Or
leans and Galveston, may now be appropriately
called.
Admitted. say they, but what if the duties are
paid to the Federal collector, and the goods are
subjected to additional duties by the local col
lector on shore! Why, then the Federal Gov
eminent will become responsible for repayment
of any such exactions. But suppose the ,mpor-
ter will not pay ,he Federal duties when de-
manded, or there 10 no money OF board the ship,
when brought, TO pay themg Why, the importer
will be dealt with precisely as he would be were
he in similar situation in the harbor of New
York But in case the goods, after paying Fed
eral duties, are confscated by the local collec.
ton, the Federal Government would become
responsible for the loss, if it could not or did
not prevent it. In other words, the importer of
goods into any of the cinq ports would be treat
ed citi4cn of the United States, pursuing his
lawful calling, and would receive every protec.
ton ha now racoivas IN tho h~r hor of Now York.
or if that is denied to him by the circumstances
of the rebellion, then he will be reimbursed in all
his losses and damages arising thereout
1t is admitted by these frightened souls that
such policy would speedily arrest the current
Of disaffecton in the secedcnt States, and turn
the tide Of treason. 1t is so obviously the poll
cy of Mr. Lincoln's Administration, they wonder
it has not occurred to them before. Even the
Secessionists among cannot endure the
thought that they arc to be treated by the FEEDER
al Government as enemies, and they freely admit
that if the Federal power is going to make itself
felt in so paternal way as this, it will be impos-
sible to resist it, for nobody hereabouts con-
templates the possibility of the rebels being
aple to disturb the Federal Collector on board
his ship.
The Belleveretts of our city seem to be labor
ing under II species of mania arising out OF the
contemplation of the spoils shortly to be distri-
buted at the port. They fancy that they must
be rewarded for voting against Mr. Lincoln, and
denying to the Republicans of Maryland the
right of free speech and free suffrage. for the
little of which we enjoyed we are indebted sole
ly to the Breckenridge Democrats. The GOODNESS
of this quest of Office by our most virulent OPP
ponents at the hands of Mr.. Lincoln, is ex-
ceedingly refreshing, but the Republicans of
our State do not see what is to be gained, if
| they cannot supply fit and qualified candidates,
| by displacing one set of opponents for another
set, even more obnoxious The very men who
could not find filthy epithets enoughfor Mr.. Lin
coin, are now the humblsd suppliants at his feet
| for ofics