The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-02-28

The CONSUMPTION BILL.-Retributlv JUS
tice is slow, but sure. In matters Of State it
is as certain to come, as in affairs of lesser
magnitude. An instance in proof is afforded,
or rather is assured, in the operation Of the
measure whose title heads this article. Here
tofore the war has been carried on almost en-.
tirely by voluntary effort. The ranks of our
army have been filed by volunteers. Patriot
ism, pure and simple, has induced our citizens
to peril their lives and health in the labor of
regenerating and re.establisbing the Union
No compulsion, which merits the name, has
been employed to enforce the service which is
due from every subject to his Government. In
this has been great practical injustice. The
men who have stayed at home and passed their
time IN attending to their private business,
while their neighbors have gone to the wars,
have an equal interest in the maintenance of
the Government, and have received equal ben
eft from the sacrifices Of Others They have
been under az equal obligation, but have con-
tributed nothing. $50
But this has by no means been the extent Of
the injustice which has heretofore marked the
progress Of the war. Not only have the stay
at-home patriots failed to contribute . proper
tionate share of service to the country, but the
influence of not few Of those of the Copper.
head persuasion has been cast in opposition to
the efforts Of the Union soldiers in the field.
They have persistently thrown discourage
ments and obstacles in their way. They have
discountenanced the active efforts of the Gov
eminent in aid of its volunteers. They have
given moral support to the rebellion. In some
instances they have given active aid and COM
fort to the enemy. Undeniably, the present
formidable proportions Of the rebellion for the
dismemberment of the nation is owing in no
small measure to the encouragement it has
directly received from their friendship towards
the disunionists, Ur their lukewarmness to-
wards the defenders Of the Union.
Now, however, the evil which they have
helped to foster has de?eloped SO immensely
that their services are needed for its suppress
sion They are to be called upon to contribute
to the undoipg Of their own work. Hls the
result Of necessity Of their own creating. In
this can We fail to recognize retribution which
is eminently just, and one Of those things
growing out Of the war which, while wearing
the appearance of evil, can scarcely awaken
other feeling than that Of rejoicing. .a,t
Touching the measure itself We cannot regard
il otherwise than eminently justifable. The
obligation to defend the Government does not
depend upon the will of the sybject. Because
some men are WLNuk W SVlVusSeI W A6us .vs
tho country, and others are not. it does not fol-
low that the former should be permitted to rem
der all the service, and the latter be excused
from rendering any. All being equally indebted,
they should be equally subject to payment.
Aside from the abstract propriety Of the
measure, we heartily indorse its policy. Its eff
feet generally We believe will be most happy,
Il viii assure our brave soldiers now in the field
Of the determination of the Government to sus
tain them and carry out the work which they
have begun to its appropriate consummation :
It will show foreign nations that we are fully IL
earnest in putting down the rebellion, and MOI
only that, but that we are about to place our
selves in an attitude of readiness to use all oul
available power against whomsoever may choose
to interfere in the undertaking. 1t will teach
the semi-disloyal Democracy that they need no
expect to have things their own way-that they
viii be compelled TO do their duty as citizens
It will serve to impress the lesson, which of al
others from the FIRST, traitor of every shad
have needed to be taught, viz: That WE HAvl
A GOVERNMENT. While it is calculated 70 atrik