The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-04-13

The Falsaa Reaasy.
OF all the systems yet developed BY our polit
ical tren6leA We look upon what has iecnstyled
the Fabian policy o. the most inefficient and
the most mischieyoua Il 10 that system which
does nothing, means Dothing, aims at nothing
asserts nothing, denies nothing, defends nothing
and rests on nothing for its foundation. There
10 about it = sort Of insipid equality of temper,
incapable Of exalted virtue az Of extreme vice,
which smattersrs IN politics mistake for philo.
sophical profandity. In periods of calm and sun.
shine, il may pass for statesmanship because none
Of the higher qualities Of statesmanship are re.
qaired; but in . period like the present, when
our whole political fabric, from turret to founda.
ton stone, il shaken a BY an earthquake. Il Is
simply exasperating to be put off with such q
nockery Of all that 10 efficient in practice or
tangible in theory. And this policy Washington
wiseacres assure us, is to govern the present Ad-
mnistration. Give us war with al its attendant
miseries-there would come days Of peace and
security after it, give N unconditional surrender
the taunts of the slave power would re-kindle
the dormant fires Of liberty; give US anything
before this Fabian policy this system Of cautious
advances, and hasty retreats-this Nacawber.lik
waiting for something to turn up-this hating
l &c
with the title Of moderation.
| We are Disposed to make distinction between
President Lincoln and his constitutional advisers.
he was chosen for definite period; they are
tenants at will. He is directly responsible to
the people; they are directly responsible to him.
We cannot shorten his term of Office; but We
may point out to him the necessity Of shortening
the terms of some Of his subordinates. The peo-
BILE have a right to insist on this point,-not as
favor, but as duty and an obligation on the
part Of the President. Heis at least morally bound
to dismiss from the public service any man Oh.
nexious to the people; and the only point for
him to decide is, whether or not the popular will
| ia sufficiently unanimous to Justify the removal.
1t is presumed that every President has means
Of ascer:sining the popular will if not the fault
lies with himself.
| To Washington street rumors we attach scarce
| ~ any importance, to the stories of newspaper
correspondents, still less; but it is hardly posi-
BILE that the whole country should be deceived
| in regard to the general current of events. When
| the whole country declares that the conduct
| of the Administration has not justified the
hopes raised by the tone Of Mr. Lincoln's Inau-
gural Address, We connot but feel that there must
be good grounds for the general apprehension.
And we are just a. strongly impressed with the
belief that his avowsd and deliberate purpose
systematically perverted, turned aside, miscon-
strued, weakened thwarted by the Fabian coun.
sellers whom he clothed with the authority Of
official advisers. And such is the unmistakable
conviction of the peeple-.who, though sometimes
deceived and in the wrong, always mean to stand
up for the right. They have not lost confidence
in the President. They believe he IS honest.
They believe he is true to the couse Of free labor.
They believe he has no intention of surrendering
to rebels and traitors But they believe that
hrol yafa Of ho Thur1N~ Woo6
school are not fit TO guide the helm in the storm
which is now upon US, and that no such men
should be retained in the Cabinet
Exchanging compliments with the rebel com
mssoners; assuring them every day that no
order has been sent for the reinforcement of
Slemmer and his little garrison; furnishing them
with information for the usurpers at Montgomery;
permitting them to remain in the Federal Capt.
tai as spies on the Government and to hatch trea-
son in Virginia and yland,-something better
than this we had a right to expect at the hands
Of the chief adviser Of the President. Week
after week spent in preparing an elaborate reply
to demand which is an insult to the honor Of
the Republic, and which was only intended to
gain time,-is this Craftsmanship? Fortresses,
without the possession of which the rebels are
at our mercy, and which, properly garrisoned, will
occupy their whole means and attention-left to
starve out, with ships, and provisions, and vete-
ran troops, almost within hailing distance, but
the order for reinforcement steadily opposed
is this craftsmanship! Talking about peace and
answering the inquiries OF cut.throat emissaries,
while the minds Of loyal men are tortured with
doubts and apprehensions with not one word to
comfort them,-is this craftsmanship Amonth
of uncertainty and doubt to us-a month gained
by the rebels--a rapid weakening of mems faith
in republicks-a rapid increase in the number
and arrogance of disunionsts-a loss of conf
dencc in our government by Europeans,-strong
as our country really is, strong is the love of
freedom, strong as is Mr. Lincoln's hold on the
popular heart-all must soon give way before
such strain as this Unless decisive blow be
struck, the men of the North will, ere long, ex-
change places with ,he men of the Cotton States,
and be considered by the world as rebels against
the recognized Government. No decisive blow
can be struck till the confidence of the people
be re-established in the firmness and promptness
of the Administration. And the confidence of
the people cannot be restored till there be a
| change in the Cabinet-Peoria Transcript.