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

have government all TO ourselves, where
this institution would not be interfered
with, and wehoped Still further % strength
en- 1t. in the course OF time, by grasping the
islands adjacent 10 our States; by annex
ing Mexico, and by reaching forward even
and swallowing some OF the sancondas OF
South America, Laughter. This was all
before LlncOln's proclamation. But what
was the result2 Delaware would not come
with us; Maryland hesitated, and then
clung to the old flag Kentucky did not re
'spond. She hesitated in gloom and amid
fields OF blood, and then, emerging from
| the cloud. shone brightly as ever in the
collection of stars. Missouri, TOO. long Il
scene q bloody conflict, has returned 10
the Union. She topped amid The wreck
and disorder. bat again sparkles in the
nations coronet OF stars. This looked bad
70 us. Slavery seemed worse hemmed in
! than ever before, and we feared We should
PC .oreed 10 abandon il and the struggle
\ We waited long and patiently tor our re-
cognitlon by forei gn powers. But, instead
Of that, came Lincoin's Proclamation of
4 Emancipation. Prolonged appiausel /
don't think the vast Importance of that
measure was fully understood. either by
/ the people or the Presliea; himself when
it was issued. We o. the South certainly
did not fully or nearly appreciate il. But
hrSi came his notice, and 1t inns we
4 laughed.
What, said We. has Lincoln or his Gov
erniGen. 10 do with us, :Ilat he sends ~ his
notices. Let him try ii on and see what
good il viii do him. Sure enough. the ia
nous Emancipation Proclamation was is-
sued. But still we laughed. What does
! his Proclamation amount to- said We Our
| Government doesn't ratify il; i, doesn't
affect our Constitution. But armies had
been raised, and under the old flag the le-
gions ofthe North and West bore down up-
on Us, ard they brought with thein-the
| Proclamation' Cheers.l We called them
/ Ilncolns hordes, but with their ppear-
ance, the inanaces fell from oil our slaves.
and ,hey We're free. We IN the interior saw
this result along the rivers and We pitied
oar friends VINO were thus feeling the ef-
fects OF the proclamation: bat we felt the
same trouble, and we laughed no more on
| that subject. And here let me express my
+, belief that Cod Almighty Intended this
war 70 be the death-biow 70 slavery. From
the hrst, We can trace circumstances and
Signals which point unfni,tak ably To this
fact. Every circuIn stance in this rebellion
shows struggle in the nature OF things 10
free The nation from the blight of This curse
And we Will throw il ot: and Le u more
\ Homogeneous and united people than ever
before. The people o. 1ae South did not
4 understand this II first Lnt they are be-
\ ginning 70 learn il, and 70 see the philoso-
ply of events. Many Of us see il now. and
desire the evil uprooted forever. ] believe
this war nearly ended. believe that if
certain men in the North will stop talking
about peace and conservatism and use ev-
cry effort III support Of the war, that the
rebellion viii be so pushed as to collapse
by springtime. You would think, if you
visited us in Arkansas, that the seat Of Alb
olltlonlsm had been transferred from New
England 10 Arkansas. Our people have a
flgnt--NYGd knpwS-tG ho SiaL- nf IL
and they are sick of it. Oh, so sick. They
can point 70 deSOlatcd homes, devastated
fields forsaken firesdes, and smoking viii
lagos, as monument OF slavery. They
turn from it with loathing indescribable
But while we who are so much interested
pray for deliverance from this curse. there
, is sneaking party in the North who would
force us to keep this curse with us. We
would return to our allegiance with Slave
~ blotted out from our State Constitution.
What sight is here presented. / tell you
my friends that if YOU desire to prolOng
this war, yOn have only TO continue this
talk about conservatism. There is nothing
that has more assisted jeff. Davis than this
conservative. peace party Of the NORTH
| The work OF that party, he said, was the
, first ray OF light he had perceived and re-
joiced al during this whole struggle Let
me appeal TO you, then, todrop this talk OF
conservatism, and support the war meas
! ures which are in force. You people OF
, ONO have done a glorious work in this
war. Your soldiers have bravely repre-
sented TINS State on many battlefield
, glorious To the arms Of the Union. Hut
!, never did Ohio strike such blow at the
rebellion as when her voice gave q hund-
rcd thousand majority in favor nf the
principles represented by John Brough-
. Lond and prolonged cheers. That was
| one OF the most terrib bic blows the rebellion.
ever received. 1t was the greatest victory
of ftt.y III
, computation. And your own city Of Gin
cinnntl, in its great Sanitary Fair, has
achieved another victory which will have
great influence in the cause Of freedom.
But, il return again TO the subjec: OF
the people Of Arkansas, you must not con-
, sider me tiresome, FOR il is one Of great i'm
portance to me and my people. As an ex-
ample OF the intense desire OF our people
, to return to the Union, and have Slavery
! abolished, ! will relate one incident A
regiment o. Arkansas soldiers who have
. served in Mr.. Prices army returned home.
was requested to address them and did
, SO. These men represented One-fOurth OF
the State, for many Of them, privates tho
they were, were prominent citizens-pro-
fessional, judges of the courts, legislators
DC, before the war. At the close Of my
address took a vote on the question OF
. of returning to allegiance to the old Govern
ernment with slavery abolished. And how
y
> vor2 Just eight hundred There was no,
man OF them who was not in favor Of re.
turning to his allegiance and having the
curse Of slavery removed from of his
State.
! Some people OF the North have sa,. that
do not represent the people Of my State
!. but they Will soon see that do. They
| will see that l represent people terribly
IN earnest ir this matter--a people who il
i four months time, will be back under the
Old flag with the curse Of negro slavery re-
moved from their shoulders And Wher
We are back we want people from Tho
, North to come to US. We win remove the
! obstruction OF slavery and invite Won. peo
! pie Of Ohio, to come to US, and exchange d
portion of your greenbacks for Il portion O.
our land. There are fair-haired, bright
eyed daughters Of Ohio with us, who came
70 US years ogo, and who, during this terri
, bic war, have waited anxiously for the
. appearance OF the old tag. They will val,
+ as anxiously for your appearance, and SO
VIII we all. We need more people in Ar
f<>f IA, ..,I,s, ~,