The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-01-12
THE HAWK-EYE
s...s.,.. n Practice.

O0O0O0uOn
The golden spples turn to ashes in the mouth.
The horrible realities Of the rebellion Of weak
State against the Union are beginning TO take
the place of fanciful theories, and to bring the
people to the knowledge that secession is rash
and childish leap into the dark, whose only re-
sul,s must be untold evil and calamity to their
present and future. Il is easy enough to hold
6ery conventions, 70 iondle the real or imagined
wrongs Of the people, to pass ordinances dis
solving the Union, and 70 ventiDate the pleasant
idea of an independent and sovereign Republic;
hut to encounter successfully the myriad of con-
tipgencies inevitably following, is far more diff
cult. Men can afford to be patriotic when their
nockets are full and there is plenty to eat; but
starvation and poverty will soon bring them to
their senses.
We have continually proposed a moderate
policy. to prevent any collision or civil war,
and to allow secession to work out its own cure,
and prove itself the idlest of folles and absur
di,ies. The imbecility Of the President has al
most prccipitated collision, but, even before
we anticipated, the reaction has commenced
Secession has utterly destroyed the commerce of
South Carolina. The men who invest their mo
ney for profit, shun her ports like pestence,
and do business with others more friendly SO
much, that we have seen it stated that there has
no, single vessel of importance arrived at
Charleston since the passage Of the Ordinance
of secession. All the trade is completely para
lived. The Henry's and Fay's who hold Union
meetings to advertise their goods, are far too
shrewd to risk their money on uncertainties, and
demand the cash, instead of the old credit which
once they were glad to extend. The merchants
have nothing to SELL and the mechanics are out
of employment, and have nothing with which to
buy And worse than all else, though every ef
fort is made to conceal it, the news comes to US
that the people are starving, and that this fear
of famine, is bringing about an apathy towards
secession such as to endanger the whole move
mcnt, unless speedily reinforced BY Georgia and
Alabama
1t 10 impossible not TO feel a sympathy for the
misguided men who are engaged in this childish
experiment, who have been urged on by false
misrepresentation Of their leaders of the senti-
ments of the North, and of their power as a
separate nation, TO their foolish proceedings
Their result must be apparent. Their only enc
my will be their own folly; and that will sooner
overpower them, than any army. And when
their experiment is fully tested, shall receive
them again into all the priceless blessings of the
Union with no boosting, but not sorry that they
have had an opportuni ty 70 know by actual ex-
perien ce that disunion is only ruin to its plotters
a 1t is o hard thing to own ones self
beaten especially when one is the author of
ones own defeat. When no other retreat is Of
fered personal pride comes to the rescue of
PERSONAL opinions and prejudices. This is the
case with the frightened members Of the repub.
lie Of South Carolina. The sober second thought
Of portion Of her population leading to the
conviction that the rebellious action of the
State has been suicidal one, they are at loss
in what manner to make the admission They
do il slyy, but not very skllfully, in the lachry
nose appeals that they are making to the Repub-
leans for concession. They ask them to come
down from their elevation, TO make such ad.
vances to the slave power as that power can af-
ford, in all dignity, to accept,-thereby enabling
it to recede from its belligerent position, with
out the humiliation of defeat
We don't see the necessity of all this. If the
Republican party had expected to apologize for
their triumph, they would not have tried to
achieve it. If the tenets of the party were of a
nature to require apology, they would not have
been successful. The late election was carried,
no, by any chcanery or tumult, but solely by
the truth OF the principles upon which the party
was based. The elevation of Mr. Lincoln to the
Presidency was an imperative demand, on the
part Of the people, for the government of the
country according to those principles; and his
acceptance Of the post is solemn pledge to be
faithful :stdemand. If the people in reality
the rulers, the representatives in the National
Councils have no right to offer or accept any com
promise.
1t would be as we'll for our friends in the re.
belious country to satisfy themselves with the
reflection that if their safety and prosperity lies
in the Union, they must take that Union and its
government as it is. If they are DESTROYS of
remaining with US, let them remain, mot run
away, and then, with fearful eyes, implore US to
follow and join them