The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-11-19

lesson to the world.
This much all, whether OF the victorious
or the defeated parties, may justly cl1m 2:
We have ret an example to the world OF
what . free republic can do, even amidst
the greatest dangers, which Will be saluta-
what Il Die result? What have wedone?
We have done al that we Intended to 40;
and Providence has not merely favored us,
but laid us under the most solemn oo!iga-
tons that this favor and power shall be
used for the general welfare. And let the
minority remember that, morally, they are
under the same obligations. The case has
been decided against them by the only ou-
thoritv which had the power to decide 1t !;
and there il q moral obligation upon them
not only to accede to that decision, but TO
give the administration Of the country a
patriotic support till the general mind ID
convinced Of it ever should be- that the
This is not only duty, but it is the part Of
Let us now examine the political result Of
the election. Mr.. Lincoln (all Of whose
views are known and clearly defined 10 re-
elected by majority SO overwhelming that
il gives q vast moral as well as political
weight to his Administration. The sum Of
his policy was clearly defined in his note
ITO whom it may concern" This policy
rebels and the abolition Of slavery. No
other conquest of the rebels, however, need
be made, or is desired, than that expressed
in Mr.. Linooln's FIRST proclamAtion-that
those in insurrectiOn against the Govern
ment of the United States should submit
to the Constellation and lGWs thereof. Theab-
clifton Of slavery in insurrectionary States
was begun and is continued a. war meas.
ure, and If peace 10 restored, il is unques-
tiona bly, true that its effect on slave prop
erty not liberated by our armies, must be
adjudicated upon by the Supreme Court
In looking to the effect of the war on sla-
very, we should recollec: distinctly that the
Constitution only recognizes any part Of
this nation, (no matter how large part,
whether embracing States or not,) in arms
against the Government, as an i7asnTTecta0n.
Such thing as o State being in arms
against the Government is not recognized
in the Constitution at all. Two things fol-
low from this fact: /. That the President
has no Constitutional right to treat NTH the
Confederate Government at all. 1t is an
usurpation to do 1t. Mr.. Davis ia to the
President only one of the citizens Of the
United States, who, by overt acts Of tres-
son, has subjected himself to the penalty OF
treason, which is-death bv hanging. 2.
That the President cannot treat any State,
such as Georgia, as out Of the Union; but
1
and Representatives, taking suitable oaths.
whenever it pleases. But traitors cannot
elect these Senators and Representatives,
because the Constitution treats them as in
resurrection. This being the case, while
the war continues, the President is right in
his position upon slavery. But all difi-
Guilty is obviated by another political de-
the United States have elected more than
| tac0-thiras Of the members Of both Houscs OF
Congress that is, these yet to be elected in
the string being made morally certain by
the recent vote Of the people. They have
also elected three-fonrths Of the State Legsi-
laturee. Hence the simplest and briefest
form of amending the Constitution can be
adopted, and in the course of one or two
years the process Of amending the Consti-
will, can be accomplished, and the slave
question taken out Of any future contro-
versy. e6#rf sHaN as&
Again, the last and greatest issue Of
battle-is determined, also. No change in
the President or Senate can now be made
in less than four years, % that the war
policy OF the President, tn the rebels SUD-
nsit, isfxed, BY the national decision, and
must go on till the rebels are subdued. II
may be that the speedy advent Of winter,
| will compel us to go through another cam
paign, but there are both moral and polit.
| ical reasons which make it certain the reb-
els cannot endure beyond another wear
Inc military reasons are still stronger,
The South is SO exhausted Of white men
That they can no longer keep up the force
OF their armies without enlsting the me-
groes. They may undertake this "A a last
resort, bnt that It will be utterly and QUICK
" fatal to them there Is no reason to doubt.
A few slaves may be faithful, but far the
greatest number will be enemies in dis.
guise. Any one who will read the speech
es OF Davis, Beauregard, and other rebel
cnieis, vii! zee ct once that they arc in the
last acts OF the drama. They are speeches
O. despair. urging the people to some last,
desperate act, while the people 1t home are
evidently unwilling to do any more. Anv
one can read these signs.
Ine election may not determine their
minds Immediately for submission. Il
certainly will not their leaders, Their case
rs 10 any event desperate, and a. lonR a.
toey can make resistance, they will. Ant
senMole men not connected with the rebel
Idovelnment-no matter how obstinate or
impassioned they may be-must see their
case ~ desperate, and the only thing to be
0one u 70 save what remains of their nron.
cry anu comfort, by q prompt and honest
euomlssl0n TO the laws Of their countrv -
~ y very evident that the Southern peonle
90 not mean to undergo ssextermination' y
| 0d0 SdplOly approaching. The
result OF the election will have a Certain
II not an immediate effect. on tho Sontho.,,,
mind. ~ 'AAe ou'nefn
Let 10 now turn~lor momert - ~.
conduct and prospects Of the ssDemocrs s IS
party'-that its leaders have comm;..aS
suicide. Is not matter Of donht' ' s.;s,
there remains q question for tho ,asn 81.
number Of people who have snnnor,a a. Ky 81
organization Of the party to determi r su y
This is whether they shall consenf =. r.,
ger but q political existence, as f,c,;n..
opposing measures of the adminis,~ ..tHs,
without any other object than opnos;t;n,,
Or whether they will join the main hni =
Of the people, or to endeavor to ohtain :
speedy success ever the rebels, and 4 tr;'
umph issue to the difficulties OF the con- =.
try. The latter is the course of patriotism
From the beginning we have looked upor
the proceedings of the Chicago Convention
as both . blunder and crime. II wns J
great serong. no less to the people Of the
Democratic party than to the whole people
OF the United States-that this nation
should be compelled, in the midst Of !
great war, in dangerous and troubled times
! to enter upon bitter, heated, political