The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-08-22
JUNE, 1899

GROWTH OF THE UNION FEELINa-THE
lHopELEssNEss OF THE REBEL CAUSE
n The Union feeling in North Carolina an
pears to be constantly gathering strength,
while the desire for peace seems to be al
most universal. The Raleigh Standard
Of recent date gives expression to this
feeling in an article of great boldness. It
copies an article from the Raleigh Daily
Progress, which expresses great fear that
unless the war is soon stopped slavery will
be obliterated, DC, and then adds:
1--WE agree with our cotemp0rary in
much OF the above. But we have no idea
that peace can be obtained upon our own
terms. The most powerful nations seldom
OF our people desire is q cessation of hostili-
ties and negotiations. If they could reach
| that point they would feel that the conflict
OF arms would not be renewed, and that
some settlement would be effected which
would leave them in the future in the en-
joyment of life, liberty and happiness.
ut is great crime, especially at time
like this, to conceal the truth. We intend
totell the truth, as far as weknow let the
consequences be what they may. From
the beginning of the war, until the present
the enemy has slowly but surely gained
upon us; and but for the extraordinary en-
durance and courage OF our troops, his flag
would now be floating at the capital ofevery
state. We have lost Missouri, Maryland,
| henIucky, Tennessee, the Mississippi VAL
ley, Iexas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and con-
siderable portions of other States. Vicks-
burg mas fallen, as we feared many months
ago it would. Port Hudson has fallen. as
we feared many months ago it would
| Charleston, Mobile and Savannah will
probably go next. General Lee is attempt-
ing to retire from Maryland with his spoils,
but no substantial victory has crowned his
arms. We are weaker to-day than when
he crossed the Potomac into Maryland
Our recruits, in the way of conscripts, will
scarcely keep our regiments full, and we
cannot hope to add materially to anr
forces. Our fighting population is pr( b
well exhausted. Every body knows this
the North knows this and so does Eu-
rope. On the contrary, our enemies, flushed
with triumph, have large army in the
field, and their President has just called
| for three hundred thousand more. He will
get them. The movement on Pennsylva-
MIA by General Lee, and the fall of Vicks-
burg and Port Hudson, have hushed all
clamors for peace in the North, and have
banded the people there as one man for the
prosecution of the war. We have nothing
to hope for from foreign nations, and just
as our cause is, we see no indications that
Providence is about to interpose in our be-
behalf. The war, then, will go on. One
side or the other must conquer. Will five
millions of whites conquer twenty millions
of the same race? Will they conquer a
peace on the very soil of these twenty mill
lions? Not in any event, if these twenty
millions possess ordinary manhood and
will fight. They fought at Sharpsburg
and Gettysburg, and they worsted us at
the latter place. Northern troops are not
cowards-they fight nearly as well as
Southern troops. We can not achieve sig
nal victories over them on their own soil.
What then? If the worst is destined to
overtake US, would it not be wise and pru-
dent to take less than the worst, provided
| xUa ron III do ep nat with hnncr9
The Richmond Enquirer recently de-
clared that there were but two roads before
, the South-One, to invade the North and
conquer peace, and the other to restore or
reconstruct the old Government. That pa
per was either indulging vain speculations
as to the future, or it will be prepared to
abandon the contest if Gen. Lee should fail
in his efforts 10 conquer q peace by inyad-
ing the North. To abandon the contest or
attempt to subdue the presence OF Northern
armies on our soil, and to resist them only
by guerrilla warfare, is most probably to
be conquered. 1t does not follow that
nation is not conquered because all it's
; troops. or considerable portion of them,
, are not whipped or captured. Whipped
we never have been, and never will be !; but
we may be overcome by mere physical
. force. Such was the fate of Poland, Hun
gary and Ireland. 1t is no disgrace to a
people to be overpowered by mere brute
force, if they resist manfully and desper-
ately. No, troops, since civilization COM
menced, have fought with more courage
or constancy, or ardor, than the Southern
troops. Their future, and the future of the
Il country for which they are contending, can
never be, in any event, otherwise than re-
lspectable and honorable among nations.-
/ We grope in the dark, looking for the de-
signs, and endeavoring to interpret the
Fl workings, of Providence in the affairs of
nations. The birth of nation on this
iv>1ay ic T fchn va1n
Him to build up and perpetrate this new
nation of Confederate States, He will do it:
if not, He will not do it. This is all we
know about it.
1t is time to consult reason and common
sense, and to discard passion. That peace
cannot be attained by fighting merely, is
now apparent to all. In the language of
highly Intelligent friend who writes us
from county bordering in the South Car
olina line, "the people are tired of this aw-
full war. 1t must end at some time, and
there must be a starting point to an end
Let our next Congressional elections turn
on the propositions, that Congress shall
appoint Commissioners to meet others on
the part of Lincoln, to make an honest eff
fort to stay the effusion of blood by an
honorable adjustment. Let what these
Commissioners may do, be submitted to
the people: If they approve it, peace will
be the result; if they reject it, the war will
be renewed and continued indefinitely
Ii an honorable peace were rendered by the
South and rejected by the North, despera-
tion would then nerve every Southern arm
and our people would share common fate
and fill a common grave. But this awful
result, it seems to US, may be averted. It
may do much good, and can do no harm to
talk-to negotiate or pave the way 10 nego-
tiating while we fight.
| We spoke Just now of the worst befalling
our people as the result of this war. What
- J. n,,ll k,af =
provincial dependence ON the Federal Gov
ernment, each State being ruled by mili-
tary Governor, as Tennessee is, and the
emancipation of our slaves in our midst
That would be the worst. If The ,0ar con-
times 1t is not likely that this Uiu happen.-
\ Judging the future by the past (and we
have no other means of judging) we fear
4 it will. What then? Must we rush ON to
our doom? Must the sword still wave, and
the strong arm of physical force still exert
itself, and no effort be made by mental and
moral means to close the war? Why,
| a.. L. !,