The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-10-24


habit just now of saying to Union men,
you have the power-you have every
thing political your own way. Cse your
power. Let us see what you will do with
it, But Democrats owe something more
TO the country than acquiescence in the
measures of the party in power. They
cannot be Indifferent or in active. 1t IS
not enough that they should refrain from
making vehement opposition to the war.
Their responsibilities are not less weighty
than those ofother citizens. If they would
save the country and preserve the party
they must go back to the platform that
Douglas laid down, when he told them it
would be time to talk about parties when
they had a country-that the shortest road
to peace was through the most stupendous
and unanimous preparations for war. The
war must 90 on until the military power
Of the rebellion is crushed. If the whole
people Of the States adhering to the Gov
eminent should give their strength to the
work, there is no reason to doubt that the
flag of the Union would float over every
State before the Presidential election
Then the paramount questions before the
people in the Presidential campaign of next
year, would not be as to the prosecution OF
the war but as to the rectitication OF the
evils brought upon the country by the war
the conditions of permanent and honora-
bic peace. ......... ...
Provided the war fingers on through
next year, and the Democratic party stands
practically for a disunion peace, the result
of the Presidential election cannot be
doubtful. The candidate who is for wal
for the Union, will sweep every State
The main question, if it remains in SUB
stance the same, and is put in "a as in ,63
between such representative men as Val
landigham and Brough, as Presidential
candidates, will be decided just as it was
the other day. But if the war is over, the
main question will be changed, and it will
be as to what policy gives surest promise
of the healthful restoration OF the Union,
and perpetual peace. 1t is therefore GER
tainly the true course of the Democratic
party to give it's whole strength to the task
of ending the war by conquering peace
before this time next year. Then, if it is
ascertained that the policy of the Admin
istration is radical and destructive as its
opponents tell us, the fact will be develop
ed by acts that cannot be misconstrued,
and it's opponents can make the fight on
ground Of their own selection, and per-
haps have the advantage in position.
If this view of the political situation is a
just one, and we have endeavored to pre-
sent the case candidly and dispassionately,
the present duty of Democrats to their
party (omitting for the time the urgency
of higher duties,) is to promote the rein
forcemeut of our armies-to labor most
zealously to crush the rebellion-and to
that end give every imam and dollar
needed. The Administration may be
guilty of many serious blunders. The
way to reprove and reform them is to take
from it all possibility Of Offering as an ex-
cuse for failing to accomplish all expected
of it, that it has been thwarted by political
opponents. If war measures are odlous
put an end to them by pushing the war to
the only tolerable conclusion. The voice
of an overpowering majority of the people
is still for war, and will be for war until
the territorial integrity of the nation is re-
stored. 1t is the duty of Democrats not
merely to submit to the will Of the maj or.
ity, but to give efficiency to that will and
this duty is not only one that they owe
their country, but its performance in good
faith is essential to the continued existence
of their party. The enemies of the party
seeking its destruction at all hazards
could wish it no more malignant fortune
than to continue under the leadership tina
has dragged it into its present humiliatet
position.-Cf,,ci1t1,dtC Commercial.