The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-04-02


common defense must he homogeneous
Anything which prevents this, is inimica
| to the prosperity and success OF the Gov
eminent. Doctrines Of government, sys'
TENS of labor, social organizations, COM
mercial aud manufacturing interests, rell.
gious, moral and educational purposes, all
must he so commercially harmonious las to
create y chain Of mutual dependencies,' =
each relying on its fellows for support,
while all work in union for the aCcOmp-
! lishment of common end. Interrupt this
harmony and the rule which enfOrces the re-
sultingdiscOrd ia arbitrary, and consequent
| ly Mt war with free government. Aud we
must remember that the common defense
which the people declared for, and which
our security demands, is not merely that
which shall meet and overcome the as
saults of foreign Powers, but has quite as
direct reference to the preservation Of the
equoipoise of our republican system in OPP
position to all hostile efforts and influences
originating among ourselves. Very little
good would result from y mere mainten-
ance of our territorial proportions in cppO-
sitiOn to outward assailants, if we should
! fail to preserve our republican fOrms, our
Christian principles, our true moral and
social characteristic, from internal efforts
to destroy them. We have long had, and
now have, = willy, aggressive, restless do
nestle enemy. which has to u greater ex-
tent imperilad the nation than have all
other foes combined. 1t has interfered with
every element of national strength. by ag-
crossing upon our dOctrinesO of government,
forcing collision between systems OF labor.
distracting our social organizations, dis
turbing our commercial relations, injuring
our manufacturing interests, dividing our
religious communities, debauching the
public morals, preventing universally Of
education. and forcing disc0rd into every
q A. ~~E hL L.
this, and now wages war for the purpose
of completing the destruction OF the ma
ton. These are the contributions of slavery
to the common defense.
Following naturally and logically in the
chain Of objects declared by the people we
find the next ID to ssprOmOte the general
welfare" In opposition to this slavery has
stood as a wall Of brass. For the aggran-
dizement ola privileged class, the upbuild-
ing Of AN aristocracy, and the debasement
of the masses; slavery has been the chief
instrument. But all these ends are opposed
to the general welfare. That must rest
upon things quite diderent-upOu equality,
democracy, and the elevation of the mass-
es. There can be no true development of
those qualities which y nation great and
prosperous unless its energies are 80 diff
fused as to reach all classes, all interests,
all sources OF power, and embrace them all
in its grand march ofprogress. Who ever
measured the mighty resources Of this ma
ton before the present war broke the smell
which slavery had cast over the people, and
set the national mind and conscience free?
Three years, marked by the bloody foot
prints of war, surcharged with the griefs
Of hundred battte-telds, have done more
for the development Of the powers ana re-
| sources Of this nation than half century
accomplished when slavery controlled the
| national mind. When slavery ruled, the
energies Ofthe people were comparatively
dormant. What little of vigor worked its
way up to and through the incrusted sur
face was made captive by the intermina.
disturbed the country and check the pro-
gress Of the Republic. Underlying these
agitations were false principles Of political
economy, unsOund doctrines Of govern.
ment, erroneous theories OF trade and CON-
merce, ruin0us system Of public policy,
unjust systems Of labor-everything which
was calculated to retard the true advance
dominated over everything. Tue brain
force Of the country was subject to them.
They everywhere overshadowed the mate
rial interests Of the country, directed ito
Legislation, overawed its executive agents,
controlled it's courts, corrupted it, religion.
debasle it's morals, vitiated it, literature,
beclouded and benumbed everything upon
| WuNu IeOPae MuSs roy AVE 8E0atueSos
prosperity, happiness, and promotion 81
the general welfare. They kept the pub
lie mind in . constant state Of uahealthy
excitement, and infused their poison into
every vein and artery Of the body polite.
e Sir, this is the past as moulded by slave.
~. Shall the future bel ts harmonious coun.
terpart? Shall We pass through this horrid
political nightmare, again to DE awakened
thetefrom by the buYle-blast and can.
non roar Of another war, or shall we secure
a permanent peace to ourselves and ous
children by firmly establishing the genera
welfare upon the tomb Or slavery 2 ! We
| cannot postpone these grave questions for
| posterity to answer. With US they abide.
! and we are to answer them and do It faith.
fully for freedom, If We would have this
war pass into the history Of past event,
pages of the future. No avenue is pre-.
scented for our. escape, except that which
leads over the dead body Of slavery, This
| great fact Is recognized BY the nation, Its
immense proportions have attracted the
attention Of the civilized world. Shall we
alone close our eyes to it and attempt to
avoid Its grave Responsibilities? We cam
ought not TO try, for the general welfare OF
the nation forbids it. stsntr.
| The last, the grandest, the most sublime
of the objects declared by the people in the
ordination of the Constitution is ito secure
the blessings OF liberty to ourselves and
posterity." OF this great obj ct OF the peo-
pc, Story, in his Commentaries on the
constitution, says aa s..8.n tai' 4
9"Surely no object could be more worthy
of the wisdom and ambition Of the best
men in any age. If there be ANYTHING that
may Justly challenge the admiration Of ali
mankind. it is that sublime patriotism.
which looking beyond its own times and
its own fleeing pursuits. aims to secure the
permanent happiness Of posterity by lay
ing the broad foundations of government
upon immovable principles of Justice. Our
| affections indeed, may naturally be pre-
sumed to outlive the brief limits of our own
lives, and to repose with deep sensibility
upon our own immediate descendants, But
there is noble disinterestedness in that
forecast which disregards present objects
for the sake of all mankind and erects
structures to protect, support, and bless the
most distant generations ~
Let US not overlook that portion of this
weu-expressed and Eetter-bestowed praise