The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-03-19


~ We don't know that our opinion on
the propriety Of authorizing the Secretary
Of the Treasury to dispose of the surplus
gold in the Treasury, is worth much. It
is question on which different opinions are
entertained by those who ought to be more
thoroughly acquainted with it than we can
be. oae source of this diversity is that
some public men think it unimportant
how high price gold may commando
Others desire to keep it At moderate pre-
mium. Both have reasons for their onin-
ions, and 1t requires much sagacity to do
termine between them. But if it be
deemed necessary or better to keen the
price down, then we think il practically
demonstrated that the Secretary ought to
have the authority. We all know there ia q
large amount of specie on hand and that il
Is constantly accommodating. The other
day when 1t was thought authority had
been denied, gold went up six or seven per
cent, with bounce. AS soon as it became
evident that the matter was not finally dis
posed OF, down it went again. Here is the
fact. And fact over-rides all argument
We conclude that, if it be at all desirable to
keep gold at about its present range. the
Secretary should have authority. If the
price Of gold is, as some contend, of no
consequence, then there is no use in con-
ferring it. That is the main question. The
other depends upon it. If the Government
boards gold, of course it makes it more diff
ficult to be had, and promotes the rise.
~ There seems TO be hitch Of some
sort i'll the French Austro- Mexican pro-
gramme. The Arch-Duke Maximillian
was to be in Paris some time since under
bis new title Of Emperor of Mexico. 1t
seems he has not got there yet, that the
visit has been postponed. and it is limited
that he demands the command of the
French troops in Mexico which Louis
Napoleon is not disposed to confer upon
him.
The Arch-Duke will probably find, we
think, that the new dignity he has accep-
ted is not SO free from cares, and, what is
more, is not intended to be as independent
as he may have imagined. The people Of
Mexico are not likely to receive him verv
graciously. In fact if he arrives there he
will maintain himself only by the aid OF
foreign bayonets. These can he secured
only by affording an equivalent, of money
and national dependence. So long as he
he may be disposed to obey the orders of
the French Emperor and find means to
pay his troops, it is possible that he may
sustain an equivocal standing IN Mexico.
But even this will depend upon European
contingencies. The moment he under
takes to act as an Independent sovereign.
France will be against him, and if neces-
sary will hurl him down as easily rs she
set him up. We doubt if he ever comes to
Mexico. If he does we don't believe he
will stay long. The Empire will be
alwaysa myth. AS soon as our rebellion
Is over, we imagine the French will leave
in haste quite as discreditable as that with
which they entered its limits.
O
R- The order issued by the President
which appears among our dispatches, set
ties few Of the questions raised by the
promotion of General Grant. General
Halleck is assigned to the position of Chief
Of Staff under the Secretary of War and
Lieut.. Gen. Commanding. Lieut.. General
Grant Is assigned to the command of the
Armies of the United States. The Head
quarters of the Army will be at Washing
ton and with Gen. Grant, = the field. Maj.
Gen. Sherman takes the position lately
occupied by General Grant, and Mai. Gen.
J. B. Mcpherson is assigned to the COM
mand of the Department and Army OF the
Tennessee. * gJ
This order settles the positions Of these
Generals. 1t says nothing about the Army
of the Potomac. We may all guess why, if
we choose. But we now know who really
or may if he choose, all and
each Of our armies. II he is to have a con-
of his past successes, he may now
lead any Of them atany time, and &C.
quire as many honors as there are great
battles yet to be fought. His headquar-
ters are, in the field. We like that part of
the programme. We think that has a
which after a while the rebels
will learn. We hope so. We believe mil
lions Of our people unite with US in the
hope. 81
Vs. The Chicago journal of Monday
publishes letter from Superintendent Ar
thur, Of the Illinois Central railroad. en-
bodying circular from the engineers on
the road, announcing that if difficulty
existing on the Galena and Union railroad
was not settled to their satisfaction bv
noon Of yesterday, they would all quit on
arriving at their terminal stations with
their trains. 1t says that all the other
centering at Chicago, are served
in the same manner.
This is - strange proceeding ~ We ever
heard of. The engineers demand nothing
ofthese companies, make no complaints Of
them. They assert thatthey will quitwo
and thus inflict most serious injury, not
only on the companies but on the public,
unless they by some means compel the of
ficers of an entirely Independent company
to redress real or fancied wrong. They