The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-23

= sHT9a tua
ions of your own. The nature of the ar
gument l mean to employ, renders it neo
essary that should state and consider the
views of others before venture to offer my
own. The account of this matter which
has obtained most currency and attention
If not acquiescence, is that given sometime
ago, by no less an authority than Earl
Russell, when he described it as "a struggle
for empire on one side, and for independ-
ence on the other This way of puttingit las
| the merit OF being very clear and easily I'M
derstood; but no other. We deny not that
it contains small medium of truth, but
truth so general that it might apply almost
equally well to all the civil wars that have
ever been waged. True, we do not remem-
Der that his lordship was speaking as Her
MaJesty's Foreign Secretary, and viewing
| the question from diplomatic stand point.
| 1t was quite enough for his purpose to OBJ
serve and to state that the South had taken
up arms to throw off the control of the Fed
eral Government, and that the North had
taken up arms to enforce it. This is, no
doubt, an easy, off-hand way of disposing
of the difficulty. 1t does not overtask the
reflective powers Of the speaker or hearer;
but reviewed as a discriminating judgment
on the merits of the quarrel, it is either
worthless or deceptive. 1t would, of course,
be very absurd to impute to his lordship
any intentional deception. l, at least, have
| always his principles and character in too
high veneration to harbor such a suspicion.
But the effect has been to deceive. Like
the oracular responses given forth from
ancient shrines, this famous official dictun,
possesses little point or power except
what it derives from its terse, antithetic
| form.
Will opy ono ,,,odo.otolx, ,oo,,,,+oI 1,,; II
| the facts of the case venture to affirm that
the Northerners had nothing in view in
entering dboE this war but the subjugation
OF the South, or the setting up of an En-
pire Of which the North should be the head,
and the South the tail? 1t will, surely, be
admitted by the greatest sympathizers with
the South that the effort to subdue it was,
at least, the means to an end. And that
end will be acknowledged by all, in a gen.
eral way, to mean the maintenance, in it's
integrity, of the Federal Union. Now, if
the free operation of the Federal Constitu-
ton gave the North empire over the South,
undoubtedly the North is fighting for en-
pire, but just such empire as Lord Palmer
ston and Lord Russell, at this moment,
sway over Lord Derby and the Opposition.
The ablest leaders and most intelligent ex-
Founders Of Northern sentiments entirely
disclaim such an object, and see no rea-
son to question their sincerity. Until re-
cent events had complicated the question
at issue, the prevailing cry throughout the
pit, the platform, and the press, was this,
1.-The Union as it was.' ''The war; they
say, 'has been forced upon u.s. 1t has not
been undertaken for the purpose of subu-
eating the five or six millions of white
population to be found in the Seeding
States. 1t is simply to uphold the Consti-
tuition in its integrity and simplicity. We
q fiOhfinu for iSfan
And in the accomplishment of this object
not only our national honor, our name and
place among the nations of the earth, the
free and normal development of our insti-
tutionS, but the most important material
interests Of the country are at stake. 1t is
almost physically impossible that the
country should be divided. The mouths
Of the Mississippi must be in possession of
the millions who dwell upon it's banks
10 secure that object the nation paid fifteen
millions of dollars, and it cannot now be
relinquished. In order to secure the port
of Pensacola and the harbor of Key West
five millions were paid for Florida and
nearly one hundred millions expended in
her Indian wars, and for the navy yards
and Notifications. 1t is impossible that the
Nation should give up these points essen
tial to the security of its commerce. In
short, it might as well be said that England
would be lighting for empire should she
refuse to submit without a struggle to the
secession of Scotland and Ireland from the
British Crown, and their erection into in
dependent and hostile Governments
am well aware of the difficulties which we
of this country must have in approaching
the force of these considerations. And our
American friends should themselves I'M
derstand this, and make allowance for it.
The South have somehow contrived to get
themselves generally regarded rs the
weaker and oppressed party. And if an
American will just consider what are the
opinions of large number of his own coun-
trymen respecting the political condition
OF Ireland under the British Crown, he
many have some idea of the source of that
sympathy for the Southerns as an oppress-
among us. 1t is truly wonderful how ig-
norant even educated men in America are
respecting the political condition of Ireland.
Often and often have 1 been the object of
their kindly sympathies as an Irishman
oppressed and grooming under the tyranny
Of Victoria. And not a little amazed were
my sympathizing friends when informed
| them that l was not aware of any particu-
lar grievance of which had to complain.
| Now, the South has had the foreway of the
North. 1t has been the first to get the ear
| of Europe. and her leaders-men of extra
ordinary ability-have made the most of
this advantage. They say, with the great
est apparent simplicity-''The South
threatens no one-demands nothing-at-
tacks no one, but wishes to rule itself, and
desires to be let alone" On the other hand,
the North is regarded by many as bully
and a braggart, stretching the provisions of
the Constitution for the purpose OF tyran-
Using over a weaker brother. Then, in adj
dition to the tendency in all men to side
with the weak against the strong, there is
u strong feeling in many minds against the
North as set of :plebians, ruled over by
rail-splitters and the sons of Irish bog
trotters, whilst the Southerners enjoy the
reputation of being aristocrats, descendants
of fine old English gentlemen. No doubt
these are mere matters of feeling in no way
affecting the merits ofthe question at issue;
still, consciously or unconsciously, they
have great weight with many who will not
or cannot take the trouble Of examining
beneath the surface.
The true way, however, to realize what
the Americans mean by Union is to con-
slider what the word Union means at home,
represented, symbolized, cemented, glori-
ously illustrated by the crown and scepter
Of onr own neerlesS Queen. We often