The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-01-12
ESTABLISHED

Some of the newspaper correspondents at
Washington are trying to excite the fears OF Mr.
Lincons friends by items to the effect that the
new Presidents Inauguration will be prevented
by force or trickery. 1t is hardly necessary TO
say that all such rumors are the most unmitlga-
ted trash.
We are solemnly told that all the Democratic
Senators are to leave, SO that no quorum can De
found, and hence the business OF counting the
electoral votes cannot take place, and no person
be declared elected President Even if that were
possible we question if any man could be found
shame faced enough to descend to such trckery,
and we are certain that the people would not
submit to have their vote thwarted by such a
fraudulent conspiracy. But it is not possible
Both Houses have power to compel the presence
of their members, by actual arrest if necessary,
and are able without any difficulty to require
this formality of counting the votes to be duly
performed.
The other report, of a forcible resistance by
troops clandestinely brought to Washington for
that purpose is equally groundless. To arm and
equip sufficient number of men to make any
eifectual resistance would require time and mo-
ney which few people could spare, and any such
movement could not proceed far without obtain
ing great publicity, ana if such publicity was
given, the legion of Office seekers under the new
dynasty would be a sufficient Defence and If that
were not enough, New York and Pennsylvania
could-and would too-fll Washington with
force of determined freemen, able to repel any
all Union men, because they know that disso-
luton of the Union would soon make their city
q desert. and their property worthless;-and
therefore they would insist on a peaceable inau-
guration, as they would on their own self-pres
ervation.
This forcible resistance has never been con-
templated except by such crack-brained fanatics
as Gov. Wise, and would be considere by the
Union men of Virginia and Maryland as bad
policy, for they entertain the idea that Lincoln
is more conservative than Hamlin, and that
change from one to the other would be a leap
from the frying pan into the fire.
Besides we know of no necessity for public
Inauguration at Washington. A simple taking
OF the oath, before any one competent to admin
lister it is all that the Constitution requires The
Inaugural Address from the portico of the Capt.
tol is eminently proper but not necessary. The
earlier Presidents did not all make it, and even
President Fillmore dispensed with it. We know
of no reason why Mr.. Lincoln could not simply
olyn !; ,;, Al. Il l.
legally inaugurated in that way. No one need
doubt but that Mr.. Lincoln will assume the du
ties OF President on the 4th of March.
Us The tenor of our teegraphic news this
morning, is adverse to the secession movement,
because the corner stone of that movement is
toppling in its place. If, as our dispatches in
dicate, a Union sentiment is beginning to show
itself in South Carolina to such an extent as to
endanger the cause of the extremists there, there
is little danger Of rebellion in other States The
whole dsahected territory looks to the Palmet-
to State as leader; and, notwithstanding the
talk of separate secession, all those States will
be careful not to go out before South Carolina
IT her ill natured hedgehog population can find
an excuse for staying in the Union, no other
Southern State can fish up reason for going
out. \ determined stand for the perpetuity of
the Coniederacy, at this time, by any portion
of her people, will etfectualy dampen the enthu-
siasm of rebels among her neighbors.
How much the existence of this aspect of
affairs owes to the firm and uncompromising po
sition of the Republicans in Congress, the
patriotic ground assumed by General Scott,-or
the popular sentiment of the North as shown by
the recent demonstrations in New York and
Pennsylvania, cannot be determined; but it is
safe to allege that they have had their influence
Brag, although very good dog, does not feel
disposed to grapple with Holdfast Viewed in
this light, the reaction is a significant commen-
tary Oh the logic of Mr.. Buchanan, who was
afraid even to maintain the dignity of his own
Office, lest "i it might exasperate our brethren in
the South"
South Carolina looks to Georgia
for comfort and assistance. She is slowly awak-
ing from the halucination of her ability to con-
quer the world, and rule the destinies of ma
tons. That is a pill for her neighbors as well as
for herself If she can do nothing alone, how is
she to be assisted by others who are equally un-
able to take care of themselves? Her blood
thirsty rawlings are fast growing farcical. Ener-
getic action on the part of the present or the in
coming Administration will draw a curtain over
one more disgraceful chapter in our national
history. That chapter will, however, have one
beneficial effect. The state OF the country for
the last two months, and the causes which have
led to it, will teach the American people to be
careful, hereafter, in whose hands they place the
destnies of the Republic.