The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-04-20
The Vigorous Policy OF the Administra.

affairs. Had similar course been pursued, i've
months ago, the last would have been heard of
secession before now. Not the firing of a gun
would have been needed; the Notifications upon
the coast would have been rendered impregna.
BILE against local attacks; and, with the excep-
ton of South Carolina, no State would have
withdrawn from the Union. Such policy was
strongly recommended to Mr.. Buchanan, at the
time, by the New York Herald; but treason in
his Cabinet, and the atrocious perfdity of many
others who surrounded him, prevented his acts
from corresponding with the exigencies of the
period. It is better, however, late than never
The proclamation of the President provides for
present emergencies, and, by throwing the bur-
den of responsibility upon Congress, as soon as
it can be assembled, opens the way for such
legislation rs is imperatively demanded
The decided conduct OF the Washington ad-
minlstration, renders it exceedingly probable
that secession will now be confined to the Gulf
States Virginia has seemed since the meeting
of its Convention, to be wavering in the balance;
but. in tn, face of such an army as can be as
sembled on its frontier, at few days notice it
will pause before proceeding further. Unless
Virginia withdraws, the Test of the border States
will remain in the Union, and the fears that have
been felt of an invasion of the District of Co.
lumbia will disappear. No troops of Jefferson
Davis will be allowed to pass through the 10y al
slaveholding States with hostile purpose; and it
is not impossible that reaction MAY speedily be
felt in Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mis-.
souri,, favorable to the stern policy of the sd-
ministration, on account of the scorn with
which peaceful counsels have been treated BY
the extreme South.
The seat of war, will. beyond doubt, be the
coast of the Southern Confederacy. Mr. Lin.
coin has proclaimed to the country, that "the
first service assigned to the forces called forth,
will probably be to repossess the forts. places
and property, which have been seized from the
Union, including, if expedi.nt, those strong
holds which had been taken, "before the gov
e,pment devolved" upon him. This will be
equivalent to a blockade of a large portion of
the Southern harbors, and will entirely DESTROY
Southern commerce. The cost of such an en-
terprise will be enormous--one hundred and
fifty millions of dollars, perhaps during the first
year--but this cannot be avoided. In one re-
spect, New York city will reap from this vast
outlay an advantage, as most Of the money will
he expended here. The prospect for the sece.
ded States is, however, gloomy in the extreme.
Without navy; destitute Of capital; with no
credit; commerce and trade cut off; necessary
manufactures excluded, it is clear that q period
Of darkness and misery awaits them.
The time has passed for such public peace
meetings, in the North, as we're advocated, and
might have effected some beneficial result, few
weeks since. War will make the Northern peo.
pie unit Republicans look upon it as inevita.
BILE, and Democrats have been gradually becom
ing disguised at the neglect and ingratitude with
which they have been treated by section, for
which they have faithfully borne the heat and
burden of conflict, for SO many years. lire.
eaters have accustomed themselves to adopt an
ind.scrmnate tone Of hostility, towards citizens
Of the non-slaveholding States, which would
have, long ago, slienated their friends, but that
the party attachment of the latter has been
founded upon principles, not recklessly to be
abandoned.
The policy adopted by Mr.. Lincoln, as set
forth in his proclamation, and his speech to the
Virginia Commissioners, is. on the whole, ap
proved by the masses in the community. 1t can.
not harm the North eventually; and, If the dam
sge it may in6ict upon the South is to be regret
ted, it will be none the less we'll. If 1t secures
FINAL peace to the country.-[N.w York Herald