The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-01-16

! tertaining q profound respect Tor the op'n-
ions Of all loyal men, N whatever locality
they may be found. arn aware Of no rule
eQuiring Difference to the opinions OF their
enemies, or OF any obligation am under
| to consult their views, or wishes, in the
discharge Of my official duties.
There is no longer any middle ground
where loyal men can stand, and find re-
| fuge from, the stern and positive obliga-
! tions Of the hour. The times are fraught
with mighty events, involving the welfare
OF the present and future generations, and
| impose the most solemn duties upon every
patriot in the lard. II is not the mere
domination OF q political party, nor terri
tory. nor empire; but liberty, and the
eternal principles Of natural justice. born
Of God and, under Him. established on
this Continent by our fathers, which are
stakcd upon the issue Of the struggle.
! it neeus no words of mine TO show that
the vigorous and successful prosecution OF
this war is life to the Republic, while to
hesitate for single hour, upon any pre-
text whatever, or stop short OF the uncon-
ditional recognition of Federal authority
by al the revOlted States. would be bnt a
hollow truce, auG aectt 10 our unity and
nationality.
| Great and holy interests are involved in
the contest There is no longer any hope
Of their preservation by the ordinary modes
Of adjustment. They are therefore, TO be
saved o. lost, by the ar bitrament of battle.
In the terrible ordeal through which we
are passing. many old conditions are like
| lv 10 he rejected, and some things which
| have been, may not be again: bat the pat
riotic heart may find reasons for it, faith,
that al snch as are good ana substantial
vii De retained and consecratec,in the new
| life Of the Nation. Let as nope ihatthe en-
emies in the Disguise OF friends, Will never
again occupy the high places Of power !;
thatthe peoples Treasury VIII not again
be ropted by o.icial hands, their arms,
their aracnals and .heir jortitications turn
ed against their own Government; that
the bligfting curse Of II unan Slavery will
10 longer receive protection bv the stat
utcs Of the land, nor exist in anv form I'M
der The National Flag; and tha. traitors
may never again sit il. the Council Cham
beers oil The Nation, nor plo. Their treason
beneath the dome OF it's Capitol. Let us
pray to the righteous tod that such scenes
may never stain the coming annals o. the
Republic. and ifneed be. that the havoc Of
bloody. deSolating war. may abate not
until the DAY OF regeneration shall come.
The events Of the hour, grand and ire
sistable in their course, are rapidly hasten
ing TO their lecmate results. He who dis
poses while man struggles. and proposes,
has pronounced His imperial decree.
Those who hesitate now to yield AN un-
reserved support 10 the Federal Govern
!
| thOritieS, Enthusiastically array themselves
on the side Of its enemies, AND will be SO
recorded in the history OF the times. II
treason is crime, to sympa thiZe with trait
Ors is also criminal. W bile there is treas
on III the heart, the man cannot be loyal.
and we know not how soon his iesitatiu Z
courage may nerve him 10 commit the
overt act. The line ofdemarka;ion between
loyalty ano treason, is plainly defined, and
exceedingly narrow.
Obvious rs these considerations are to
discerning minds. il il painful reflection,
that there exists a faction, in the Northern
States, which has presistentlv opposed the
action OF our Government in its efforts TO
subdue the Rebellion, and clamOred for
peace upon any terms. While processing
70 be loyal, the members of this faction
have given strength and courage to trait
ors, and by their conduct proved them
selves the most insidnous, and dangerous
foes Of the Union. Recent events, how
ever. have demonstrated the continued at
tachment OF the patriotic masses of all par
ties, to the perpetuity OF our free institu-
tions; and shown tina: they cannot be
deceived by mere pretenceS Of loyalty. or
nisled by the cry Of peace, when there is
10 honorable or permanent peace, short Of
vigorous and successful war.
+ Systematically opposing every measure
vet devised, for successful! prosecution OF
the war. and having no mode of their own
for an honorable solution of existing troub-
les. these ma!contents seek to Justify their
course by creating i distinction between
the Government and its Administration
confronting with the novel doctrine
that the Government is the Constitution
and the institutions found thereon. while
the Administration is merely the agent
chosen 10y the people. and responsible IN
their. Assuming 70 act upon this theory,
they claim the right to oppose the latter,
while pretending 70 support and maintain
the former.
This dangerous paradox is tit compan-
ion OF the doctrine Of estate Rights, (which
league between sovereign States, dissolya
bic at their will. and that the citizen owed
a paramount allegiance 20 his State. and
only a subordinate one to the Federal
Government. A doctrin which. although
denounced by the stern old leaders of dem
ocracy, as destructive Of the Union, yet
succeeded in diifnsins its subtle poison
through the Southern mind, and. finally,
eliminated i'll the crime OF treason.
1T needs dut a word Of refutatiOn. I do
not adopt the idea Of great writer, when
say, that our free. written Constitution is
no. government, but the warrant and rep
reSenta.lVe OF the government. 1t is not
power, but the symbol Of power, and will,
in any.emergency, prove altogether useless
the power for which it stands be forthcom-
ing. Where does this power reside? Not
. in the Constitution, nor in any Of the CO.
J ordinate departments created by it; nor in
the people, but in all combined. These
constituent elements compose the Govern
ment, the powers OF which are exercised
, through its cons:itutionally appointed
agents, the legislative, executive and in
, dicial departments. Without these, the
powers defined in the Constitution could
not be appropriately exercised and with
out them, it is obvious, we should have no
government. Therefore to strike at any OF
these, is to iriure the Government itself to
the full extent OF the blow.
Che President Of the United States. for
the time being, is the Supreme Executive
Of the Nation. the chosen agent Of the peo-
pie, the pilot who guides tie ship OF State.
|, The liberty of speech, and of the press,
guaranteed by the Constitution, ia formid-
able only to the enemies OF liberty, in its
broader and more extended sense. The
RICH, 70 freely discuss the affairs Of govern
eminent, and criticisc the acts Of its agents,
is fundamental 10 liberty. and cannot safe
ly he denied.
TO this fully subscribe. But the right
claimed by some, to oppose the execution
OF the laws, and by factiOuS opposition to