The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-07-04
~ A Washington dispatch to the New

=. "A washington ulSpdVCH w IAc New
York Tribune says on the authority Of a per-
son likely to be well Informed, that the in
vasion of Pennsylvania is the work of the
more virulent Copperhead leaders; that they
actually sent an emissary to Richmond
some time since to urge JEFF. Davis to send
his army into that State and lay waste its
fields and burn it's towns, as the only road
to victory for the South! The latter part
Of this suggestion was too barbarous for
even Davis to adopt, but, convinced by the
traitorous agent of the advantage likely to
result by overrunning Pennsylvania, he
ordered Gen. Lee to his present campaign.
This is substantially the story. 1t would
be difficult to give any credit to it but for
the fact that the actions and utterances of
the leading Copperheads indicate deprav-
ity and baseness quite equal to this or any
other treason to the country. Those who
seem 30 anxious for the success of the reb-
els, would not be likely to hesitate at any
measure, or to make any suggestion, which
would secure the accomplishment Of their
cherished purposes. Is it not true that the
be presumed vile enough to do anything to
destroy it? "There are but two parties
now, patriots and traitors"
va What is thought of General Meade
by those who ought to be qualified to judge
Of his capacity may be inferred from the
fact that Gen. Mcclellan, Gen. Burnside
and Gen. Hooker, have all, at different
times taken occasion to speak Of his merits
in terms of highest praise. General Burn
side is said to have recommended his ap-
pointment to his present position, on ask
ing to be relieved from the command of the
Army Of the Potomac himself.
Mg-We don't know, but that there is
slight hope that Dennis Mahony may
eventually be restored to the possession of
that modicum Of sense with which nature
originally endowed him. The following
opening paragraph OF an article in his
Herald of the LIST inst, is the nearest APP
preach to common sense he has made in
long time. It doesn't amount to much ex-
cept that it indicates that even soinveterate
aCopperhcad = Mahony has discoveredt the
absurdity of the hue and cry of many of
the tribe for the recall of Mcclellan. He
wants to ''hedge" on that inst at this mo-
ment.
CHANGE OF CONTAMINATION is
removed. So much is done under the in
tluence of public opinion, which, by the
way, should not be potential in military
affairs. The President of the United States
is the constituted and responsible Com
manderin- chief of the army, and it is he
who has the sole authority to appoint his
subordinates in the army. 1t cannot, of
course, be expected Of the President that
he, unadvised, can make judicious APP
pointments all the time, nor that even with
the best advice he can call to his aid that
he will always put the right man in the
right place. 1t is not for the public at large
however, to demand the appointment of
any officer, except as the laws give the mi
litia right to elect their own officers
However else we differ with the President,
we conceive it to be his right to select his
subordinates in command of the army,
but at the same time assert it to be his duty
to make the best selections possible under
the circumstances.
-- y -------