The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-11-14

l
state. The Journal is rather vague in Its
charges, but it is evident that Andy John.
sons real offense lies in seeking to rid Ten.
nessee of slavery. He is not accused of us.
ing any improper or clandestine means tc
1 this end. On the contrary it is notorious
that he isan out-spoken and earnest eman-
cipationist. He thinks that the peace and
prosperity of his state depend upon the ut
ter extinction of slavery in it, and he says
| so, and endeavors to convince his fellow
citizens ofthe fact. The Journal upbraids
him with a sudden change of opinion on
this subject, and reminds him that when
he first took the Office of military governor
he was champion of slavery and in his
public speeches habitually coupled the alb
olitionists with the secessionists and de-
nounced both alike and the Journal can
account for his change OF base only upon
the theory that he has been promised the
succession of Mr.. Lincoln if he will get
slavery abolished in Tennessee. To all
this the reply is obvious, that the Louis
vile Journal is strangely blind to the pro-
gress Of events if does not see that the war
is converting the best OF the South to e.
| Emancipation views. A great many sudden
conversations have occurred there within
year, quite as remarkable and radical as
that of Governor johnson. 1t is the natu-
raj and healthful reaction against the ex-
treme pro-slavery doctrines and leaders,
lion and civil war. Every patriotic man
in the South mnst see that it is desirable
to remove the sole cause of quarrel and
alienation between the two sections, ana
that now is the time to do it If ever. There
is neither sense nor justice, therefore,
in holding the emancipationists in the
slave states to be treacherous to their sec
ton. They are its true friends, and their
success is the only means OF bringing to 1t
permanent peace and prosperity.
The Louisville Journal also protests a
gainst the holding of national emancipa-
tion convention at Louisville, called by
the leading emancipationlsts OF Missouri
and the border states. It insists that twill
disturb the peace Of the state and damage
the Union cause, and its vehiment denun-
Citations lead the reader to suspect that II
would be willing tos see the proposed con-
| vention prevented or broken up by mob
violence Here is Just where a point is to
be made, and vital one, Kentucky will
| be allowed to take her own time tor efnan-
cipation she will not be forced to become
free state at all, except by the logic OF
events; but Kentucky must tolerate free
dom of speech and the press upon the siav-
cry question. Hitherto some OF her most
disinterested and patriotic citizens have
| been mobbed and hunted out of the state;
missionaries of the Gospel have been per-
secuted and their churches broken up, be-
cause they opposed slavery on Christian
and economical grounds; and the civil
power of the state has been on the side OF
the mob, or has tolerated Its oppressive
acts. Now the emancipationists of Ken
lucky have the natural and legal right to
discuss slavery, and citizens Of other states
have the right to go into Kentucky and
unite with them in all lawful means TO con-
vert the people to their views. inns righ5
must be maintained. 1t is the first and
most precious right of the American citi-
zen-freedom of opinion and speech-guar-
anteed to every citizen by the constitution
of the United States; and if Kentucky has
an institution whose merits cannot be free
ly discussed without endangering the peace
Of the state, it is her fault or misfortune
The Kentuckians and the people of the
South generally-loval Shareholders ana
all-may as we'll understand the fact that
one result of this war is to be the re-estab-
lishment OF freedom Ofspeech and the press,
so long trodden down by the plantation ar
istocracy, in every state in the Union
This is one of the constitutional rights
of the people of the South which is Lot
henceforth to be suspended in Difference to
slavery. II slavery cannot live where
white men are free to think and speak,
then it must die. There is no alterna-
tive.-It may he we'll that the slavery par
ty in Kentucky should attempt to main
tain their social despotism and to suppress
free speech by violence, as heretofore
The issue of liberty for non-slaveholding
whites will thus lie connected with that
of emancipation for the blacks, and we
shall reach the desired end all the sooner
1t may be as well, too that the pro-slavery
mob Of Kentucky should understand that
the government of the United States is
able 10 protect its citizens in their legal
rights, in Kentucky as elsewhere within
the Union lines, and will not hesitate to do
l. In HptODn .
it had better come into the ark.-Sp,tng-
feld Republican.
ABOUT THE DOCTRINES OF THE Demo-
CRATIC PAETY.-Ihe Peace Democrats,
whose unfortunate position has lost US
nearly all the State elections Of the present
wear, have been quite right in supposing
that we can eiiectually restrain the uncon-
stitutional measures Of the Administration
only by ending the war, and thus taking
away their excuse. But the peace men
have been stupidity and egregiously wrong
in supposing that the people of the loyal
States would allow the war to end in any
other way than by the triumph of the Union
over armed opposition. The keystone
struck by the lamented Douglas, in the
| first year of the war; touched the most SEN
sitiye and enduring chord of the popular
heart. The war can only end by prostra-
ting armed resistance; and while it lasts
secondary::question. The people have not,
by these elections, Endorsed the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation, nor the arbitrary ar
rests, nor the State suicide theory, nor the
ability of the Administration. The Re-
publicans have dexterously put these as
far as possible into the back ground, and
presented to the people the simple issue OF
the war. 1t is the war, and not the Ad-
ministration, which the people have in
dorsed; and beyond an Endorsement of the
war, these elections have no significance
We ask the peace men to accept the logic of
events. The war is, indeed, the ready ex-
cuse Of the Administration for its stretches
of power; this excuse, as the advocates of
peace justly maintain, must be taken away
by ending the war. But as the people have
declared they will not allow the war to end
except by the triumph of our arms, the on
ly way to bring the Administration to trial
for it's malversatlon is to dispose, as speed
lily as possible, of the case which stands
first on the docket. 1t is clear, that while
the war lasts no party can succeed that
does not make its energetic prosecution
the paramount object. We said this, in
substance, after the Connecticut election
we repeated it after the Maine election; we
reiterated it after the Ohio election we