The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-25

because you don't like the PRESIDENT You
are willing the ship shall go down because
YOU don't like the pilot don't care what
Wr. Lincoln does-1 do care in some sense
hut / mean that whatever he does he can
not make me opposed to my country.
(Cheers.) Stand by your country whether
YOU like the government or moi. You ought
not to throw away the country because you
don't like the President. That is my sec
ond proposition
What is the third 2 If there is anything
he knocked down to save this Government.
fApplause.] 7 don't care what it is. Let 1t
he railroads, or banks, or parties, or slay-
ery: whatever it is,it should be knocked
down to save the Government.
Here are the three propositions. Are
thew. right? Congress has declared war,
and it is the duty of the citizen to support
must not throw away my Government be-
cause don't like the ruler. Thirdly:
Whatever is in the way of the Government,
must be put down to save the country
Now, is not that right? =.
Thespeaker then alluded to the complaints
which have been made Of the violation of
the Constitution. He said that the parties
makjils these complaints never complained
of the violations of the Constitution by the
rebels. The Constitution provides that no
State shall make treaties or declare war
Well, seven or eight States have violated
these provisions Of the Constitution, but
they take no notice of that! He had heard
men say they were afraid of being arrested.
Has any good, loyal man been disturbed
by Mr.. Lincoln? He suspecteda man who
talked of being afraid Of being arrested by
the President. Mr.. Lincoln is too kind and
indulgent. If he wisped anything, it was,
that he had a little more backbone. Zap
plause. He referred to the tyranny OF the
South in contrast with the leniency Of the
feet square should be planted in rice, to-
bacco and cotton. There is no power there
but the one-man power. And yet there are
men mean enough to talk about violations
Of the Constitution, who have not a word to
say about the tyranny of the South! Jap
plause.l
He then spoke of the suspension of the
writ of habeas corpus. He said they charg-
ed the President with violating the Consti-
tuition in this respect and claimed that Con-
gress had power to suspend the writ. he
said the first vote he ever cast was for Gen.
Jackson. He remembered the contest
about the power of the President to carry
on the Government, which took place in
those days. The Wings denied the right of
the President, but the Democrats sustained
him. And if jackson had the right Ito carry
on the Government and administer the
Constitution as he understood it, so had
Taylor, so had Polk so has Abraham Lin
coin. He diclnot wish to be misunderstood.
If the President exercises an illegal power,
there is tribunal before which he can be
impeached.
But they said Congress must suspend the
writ Of hdbcns corpus. He would see. Sup
posing they had peace tonight; but war
breaks out tomorrow. The sympathizers
and friends Of our enemies spring up
nhar
rass our movements and aid our foes; and
yet, according to that doctrine, the Presi
dent cannot, suspend the writ until next
December when Congress comes together
again! He explained the object of the pro-
vision Of the Constitution, to meet those ca
SEES where crime is not perfected.
He asked them to read the oath of the
President. OF all the officers of the gov
ernment, the President only does not
take the oath to support the Constitution of
the United States. He does more than
that The President, before he enters upon
the execution of his office takes this OATH
81 do solelnnly swear for affirm that will
faithfully execute the Office Of President of
the United States, and will to the best of
my ability, preserve, protect, and defend
the Constitution of the United States" ~
He swears not to observe it, but to pre-
serve, protect, and defend it. This shows
that he is the head of the government, and
bound to maintain it, to preserve it as it is,
for the benefit of the people. Now there
are seven or eight States trampling upon
that Constitution and it wouldnbe very
strange if some men could not fiifa Occasion
to complain, while the President is trying
TO maintain it. People should not forget
that this is a time OF war. The President
is trying to protect our rights and interests,
and instead of finding fault you ought to
say to him "arrest more of these men who
are opposing the maintenance of this gov
ernment." [Applause.l Why Jackson
was not afraid to nab a Judge, lock him up,
throw away the key, and tell him to go to
Old Harry! daughter and applause. J.
Your President is trying to sustain this
government, aud you ought not to go
sti.ution.' tApplause.]
The speaker then discussed the procla-
nation. He said this was a capital ques-
lion with some men. He thought they
could not get q hundred votes in Des
Moines County, if it was not for telling
falsehoods about the proclamation. They
commenced by saying that it was the proc
lalnation of Abraham Lincoln as President
of the United States. He said it was the
proclamation of Abraham Lincoln, Com
niander- in Chief of the Army and Navy of
the United States They ought to tell the
people SO. In times of war it was necessa-
ry to strike at the strength Of the enemy.
Napoleon did. Every able General has,
and we must But there are set of men
who say; 1--WE are loyal men. We want
you to put down the rebellion; only don't
5ouch tie Niger. For GoGs sake let him
Glone.' Laughter and applause.]
He referred to the plea that the negroes
would come up here and take the places OF
our laborers and mechanics, and said there
are four millions of men in bondage; and
three hundred thousand Shareholders who
are trying to destroy the government
Every day the war lasts there are more
black men made free. just as the army goes
southwark there are fewer slaves and more
freemen. But he heard men ask, where
are the numbers ofblack men who were
going to leave their masters ?" Then
others say "This proclamation invites Il
servile instruction" To both these objec-
tons he made one answer. They misun
derstood the negro. The negro never will
come here. You cannot get him to leave
the domicil where he was raised. He will
change masters but he will stay where he
is. There is more religion and loyalty in
these slaves than in their masters. They
Will Il t1r 1nk>