The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-16
soldiers in the field, and. besides they have

soldiers in the field, and besides they have Z
been in the habit of hearing their public.
men speak, and as general thing an
proving what they say;therefore the great
er responsibility rests upon the public men q
and upon the press and it behooyes them
TO be careful as TO what they say. They r.
must not use license. and plead that thew
are exercising liberty. In this Department.
it cannot be done. i shall use all the DOW
er have to break down such license. and
am sure will be sustained in this course
by all honest men. At all events Iwill
have the consciousness, before God of
having done my duty TO my country, and
when am swerved from the performance
OF that duty by any pressure, public or pri-
waite, or by any prejudice, will no longer
be man or a patriot,
1 again assert, that every power possess
on earth, or that is given me from above.
will be used in defense of my Government
on all occasions, at all times, and i'm all
places within this Department There is
no party-no cOmmunity-no State Gov.
ernment-no State Legislative body-no cor
poration, body of men that have the power
to maugurate war policy that has the va
lidity of law and power, but the constituted
authorities of the Government of the United
States; and / am determined to support
their policy. If the people do not approve
that policy, they can change the constitu.
tional authorities of that Government. at
the proper time and by the proper method,
Let them freely discuss the policy in pro-
per tone; but my duty requires me to stop
license, and Incorporate discussion, which
tends to weaken the authority of the Gov
eminent and army; whilst the latter is in
the presence of the enemy-it is coWardly
so to weaken it. This license could not be
used in our camps-the men would be torn
in pieces who would attempt it. There is
no fear of the people losing their liberties;
N,yn oil l-r.nx hot no he -
gogues, and none but the ignorant will lis
ten to it; all intelligent men know that our :
people are too far advanced in the scale of
religion, civilization, education and free
dom, to allow any power on earth to inter-
fere with their liberties; but this same adj
vancement in these great characteristics Of
our people, teaches them to make all neces-
sary sacrifices for their country, when an
emergency requires. They will support
the constituted authorities of the Govern
Iaent, whether they agree with them or not.
Indeed, the army itself is part of the peo-
pie, and is so thoroughly educated in the
love of civil liberty, which is the best guar
antee for the permanence OF our republican
institutions, that it would itself be the first
to oppose any attempt to continue the exer-
else Of military authority after the estab-
lishment Of peace by the overthrow Of the
rebellion. No man on earth can lead our
citizen sOldiery to the establishment of a
would have the folly to attempt it. To do
so would be to seal his own doom. On this
point there can be no ground for apprehen-
sion on the part of the people.
1t is said that we can have peace if we
lay down our arms. All sensible men
know this to be untrue. Were it so, ought,
we to be So cowardly as to lay them down
until the authority OF the Government is
? ......,
l beg to call upon the fathers, mothers.
brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, relatives,
friends and neighbors of the soldiers in the
field to aid me in stopping this license and
Incorporate discussion, which is discoura-
gIng our armies, weakening the hands of
the Government and thereby strengthen
ing the enemy. Ii we use our honest eff
forts, GOD will bless us with a glorious
peace and united country. Men of every
shade of opinion have the same vital inter-
est in the suppression of this rebellion; for
should we fail in the task, the dread hor-
rors of ruined and distracted Nation will
fall alike on all, whether patriots or trait
ors. ...... .,.r p. ..... wax
These are substantially my reasons for
issuing General Order No. 49," my rea-
sons for the determination 10 enforce it, and
also my reasons for the arrest Of the Hon.
c. l.. Vallandigham for supposed viola
ton of that order, for which lie has been
tried. The result of that trial is now in
my hands. .lsE-..- ,r..4r.s
In enforcing this ORDER. can be upani-
mously sustained by the people, or L can
be opposed by factious bad men. In the
former event quietness will prevails in the
latter event the responsibility and retribu-
ton will attach to the men who resist the
authority, and the neighbOrhoods that al
low it. r,,.. ... a.. s.g.. .. u ..-.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
.-.a-. A. E. BURNSIDE. Mai. General,
commanding Department OF the Ohio.
The FIGHT NEAR JAGRANGF-GAIIANT