The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-11-08
BURLINGTON WEEK. Y tHAwK.EYE.
German HTssslsg in new Ys.k.

s OU1-00 UAOOt10 IL NOW
An immense meeting of the patriotic Germans
of New Yosk vss held at Cooper Institute on
last Friday slhg. Professor Lieber presided.
Patriotic resolutions were adopted, able and ell
oquent speeches were made, among the rest one
by Gen. Wadswortb. Among others the follow
ing letter from Carl Shurz was read. It will be
interesting to our numerous German friends as
well as to all patriotic men.
FAIRFAX, G. H., Oct. Is, 1852.
Mr.. A. EBB aud Others, Committee.
GENTLEMEN: regret that am not at liber-
ty to be present at your grand ratification meet.
ing on the 3lst inst. have other duties to full
fill. It is unnecessary to assure you that all my
wishes are for the Use for which you are fighting
It is hardly eighteen months since, upon the afro
cious attempt of the Rebellious South, the great
Union movements was initiated in the North. -
You all remember the intense enthusiasm which
at that time pervaded all classes Of society, the
readiness for sacrifice with which the people Of
fered their millions and their hearts blood, the
severity With which the public conscience de-
clared itself against all sympathy with the Re
bellion. With what general and annihilatlng
indignation would the opinions and declarations
have been opposed which are now heard from
Democratic rostrums of your State, whence this
change? L. the Union less valuable, are our
institutions less good, is the cause of freedom
less holy than they we're eighteen months ago!
Are all these great things less worthy OF the
enthusiasm of the people to-day, is sympathy
with rebellion less contemplate, is not the hope
that this nation will come out of this crisis freed
from the stigma of Slavery, stronger than ever!
But let us look on human nature az it is
Great sacrifices which are not crowned by great
successes, great efforts which are not followed
by great results, are apt TO dampen the enthusi-
asm Of people which, in all its enterprises, has
heretofore been accustomed to great and speedy
success in all its enterprises. To the resslute
purpose to sustain the grandeur and freedom Of
the nation, follows dissatisfaction at the failure
Of many enterprises undertaken with enormous
means.
The people feel that this must be changed,
and to their anxious consciousness of this ne
cessty We must describe the political uncertain
~ which We have seen of late. This is dan
gerous state of affairs, for in such q confused
state of affairs men easily come to the conclu-
sion that any change 10 good, no matter in what
direction. But L ask every sensible man what
advantage be can expect from change, if those
come into power whose conditional patriotism
has been a dead weight upon the Government,
whose perfdious counsels and intrigues are the
principal reasons of the misfortunes. of which
you complain
What will be the result, if those who have
hitherto attempted to bind the hands Of the
Government shall also obtain the power of Off
cial position? Can you>indeed believe that it
is desirable to make the foolish experiment Of
restoring a condition of affairs which has in SO
striking a manner proved itself to be untenable |?
What advantage can be expected from throwing
new obstacles in the way Of the Government
when it has met with such small success in over
coming the old? If, IN great revolution like
ours, changes are desirable, the direction in
which they are to be made must be clear before
the mind and there is only one in which We
can 60 with safety: that is forward. Instead Of
elevating man to position who would be in
the path of the Government like rock on the
track of q locomotive, let us look for one who
has the intelligence and the energy to drive for
ward the engine of the Government with all the
force and rspidity which is required by the con.
dition of affairs In this regard l congratulated
the patriots of New York on their selection Of
candidates They are men who know what they
are doing who understand the true meaning of
this great revolution, the results to which it is
tending and the means which it impetuously de-
mands l appeal to the Germans of the State
of New York, to make sure that it be said Of
them after the election that the German knows
how to find his way in the dark, with his eye
fixed upon the only trustworthy guide, the Polar
Star Of Freedom.
With hearty greeting, CARL scHuRz.