The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-11

planning OF their duties and their suner1ngs-aii
of which the faithful and patriotic soldier has
contempt for.
The army is loyal in the most radical sense
to the freeing of all slaves-to the total destruc-
ton and entire humiliation of rebels and their
possessions everywhere. No great concessions
or dishonorable peace can be made with this ar
my in the field! Nothing short Of what they
left the homes, their wives and children for,
will be satisfactory, viz: To put down this I'M
holy, unreasonable and ungodly rebellion.
The rebels know, as do the people everywhere,
that with anything Of united North they have
no hope. The present army without an enemy
in the rear, with cheers and announcements
coming from all their homes, will be all sufi-
cient to wipe GU. the last vestige of rebellion
in the land.
It is hard for a soldier who has been in the
field since the beginning Of this conflict to be-
lieve that there are intelligent, sensible and good
men otherwise in the work who sympathize or
would give aid, comfort or encouragement to
those now making war upon the Government of
the United States. Is such thing possible?
If there are such people, let me say that they are
inviting an invasion of their homes by the ene-
my-inviting transfer of all the horrors and
devastation of an invading army in their midst
They could not hope to escape the deadly ruin,
their homes devastated, their property destroyed
and confscated, their families insulted and OUT
Tn no al hos
would be equal sharers. Gaunt poverty stalks
in the wake of an invading army. Few can
escape it.
JEFF. Davis says, truthfully no doubt, that he
would like, if he could, to transfer the war to
the Northern States. He knows what an inva-
sion is-has had some experience. May you, my
friends in Des Moines County, never meet such
experience in your peaceful homes. The way to
avoid it is to lend encouragement, and support
cheerfully with all your heart the army that has
so far and will keep back the worthless hands
that are striving to pounce upon you Let the
army have to fall back, from assertions at home,
or from want of hearts to support, and what of
you are yours Your happy homes, your beau
tiful towns and cities, your farms and workshops,
would all contribute to the great devastation,
and ruin would run riot in your midst.
There is no cause for doubts and discourage
ments among the people. A year ago this army
was at Forts Henry and Donelson; now it is before
Vicksburg, and controls the commerce of the
Mississippi, Red river, nearly all the bayous of
Louisiana, Yazeo, Arkansas, White, St. Francis,
and nearly all the rivers of the South every
where. The work goes on, and will continue to
60 on, whether we are fighting big battles, or
hemming in the rebels, cutting off lines of sup
plies, or dismembering their bogus Confederacy.
These things. now being accomplished, are hav
ing terrible effect upon our enemies. vicks-
burg will be taken, so Port Hudson, and the last
foothold of rebels in the Southwest occupied by
Federal soldiers ere long.
To those of you who would make "peace"
with armed rebels trying to shoot, or ''holding
their noses" to talk to you. In my experience
of nearly two years in the army have been
thrown amongst great number of rebel officers
and men, have been with and talked with hun
dreds at different times, and none, save one
officer, and be would not have dared to do go
had we not been entirely alone, ever expressed
a desire to be re-united with any part of the
North, with any free State whatever, for any
compromise, for any settlement or any adjust
ment other than full recognition of their gov
eminent and complete dissolution of the Union
Their spirit is, as near as can get it, "you
conquer and destroy US or we will destroy you
and your government" Do those who sympa-l
thisze with them, if there be any such, invite
the latter result to secure peace? No other
peace will they have-then "the surest way to
peace is the most stupendous preparations for
war" Then let us all unite in vigorous strug,
gle for the preservation Of ourselves-the per-
petuity of our government-the integrity of our
glorious Union and for permanent peace in
the future.
The vigor and strength of the rebellion in the
South has been spent 1t has all its men in the
field, and without help or hope from fhe North
its days must be few and full of trouble.
If there are men in Iowa with sympathy for
our enemies, or entertaining sentiments of trea.
son towards the Government which we are s,ri
wing to maintain, they need have no hope for
encouragement in the army, and may as well be
undeceived at once. The soldier recognizes but
two classes, the loyal man and the traitor, the
former his friend, the latter his enemy wherever
found?
The Emancipation Proclamation and the Con
script Law meet the appreciation of the Army,
and no howl of abolition war;" nor appeal to
former political prejudices, can move the soldier
from the faithful and patriotic discharge of his
duty to his country.
The country must stand by the army; in it
rests the only hope Of the nation. Our enemie
have appealed to the sword, and by the sword
alone can they be met,-they have staked their
| all upon the hazard of war; let them have war
and play the game to its results. Why should
any croak for "peace" while the enemy cry