The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-10-29

JUNE, 1856
with certain rights, equal a. far as there i
| tion, enjoyment and exercise OF those
rights" And subsequently, there il added:
I'm the Divine economy no individual Of
the human race must be permitted to en-
cumber the earth, to mar its aspects OF
transcendent beauty, nor to impede the
progress OF the physical or intellectual
man, neither in himself nor in the race to
which he belongs. Hence, people. upon
whatever plane they may be found in the
ascending scale Of humanity, whom nei-
ther the divinity within them nor the in.
spirations Of the divine and beautiful ma
ture around them can impel to virtuous &C.
ton and progress onward and upward.
servitude and tutelage to the superior race.
until they shall be able to appreciate the
advantages and benefits Of civilization.U
Here is the whole theory Of human bond-
age-the right of the strong, because thew
are strong, to desp0il and enslave the weak.
because they. are weak! The languages OF
earth can add nothing to the cowardly and
is the robbers creed, sought to be nations
allied. and would push back the hand on
the dial-plate of our civilization to the
darkest periods ofhumen history. Itmust
be admitted, however, 3hat it furnishes 4
hitting 'corner-stQne'' f6S the government
OF rebellion. every fibre Of whose body
and every throb Of whose soul il born Of
the traitorous ambition and slaye.pen in
spiratiOns of the South.
To these detestable tenets is added that
other pernicious political theory Of State
sovereignty, with its necessary fruit, the
monstrous doctrine Of secession-a doc
trine which, in asserting that in our fede-
a yNop A.
whole, would compel the General Govern
ment, like japanese slave, to commit
hari-kari whenever faithless or insolent
State should command 1t to do so.
Inus, the ritual, after reciting that the
Sta.es OF the Union are free, Independent
anc .e sovereign proceeds as follows:
THE Government DESIGNATED sThe Uni.
TED States OF America has no sorerei0nfu.
because that is an attribute with which ~
people, IN their several and distinct nOlifi-
cal organizations, are endowed, and Ia in.
a1enaole. 1t was constituted by theterms
q the compact, BY all the States, through
the express will thereof, respectivelySa
common agent, to use and exercise certain
named, specified, defined and limited DOW.
ers, which are inherent Of the soyereirn.
ties within those States. It is permitted 20
far as regards its status and relations. an
common agent in the exercise Of the now.
srs carefully and jealously delegated t. it,
~
In accordance with the principles uDof,
which is founded the AMERICAN fheoru.-
Government can exercise only delegated
power, hence, If those who shall have bean
chosen to administer the Government shaIl
assume to exercise powers not delegated.
they should be regarded and treated a.
usurpers. The reference to inherent pow
err war power or military necessity,
on the part Of the functionary for the sane
ton OF an arbitrary exercise OF power by
him, we will not accept in palliation or ex-
cuse."
To this is added, as a corrollary, sit in
incom patible with the history and nature
oi our system OF Government that federal
authority should coerce by arms a sove.
reign State"
The declaration OF principles, however,
does not stop here, but proceeds one steD
further, as foll.we:
whenever the chosen officers or dele
gates shall fail or refuse to administer the
government In strict accordance with the
letter Of the accepted Constitution, il is the
inherent right and the solemn and imper-
alive duty OF the people to resist the fnnc-
tionaries, and, If need be, to erDel them 6v
force Of arms! such resistance is not rev.
olutioD, but it is solely the assertion Of
right-the exercise Of all the noble attri-
butes which impart honor and dignity to
manhood"
To the same effect, though in a milder
tone, is the platform Of the Order in Indi-
ana put forth by the Grand Council at their
meeting in February last, which declares
that the right to alter or abolish their Gov.
ernment whenever it fails to secure the
blessings Of liberty, is one Of the inaliena-
BILE rights Of the people that can never be
surrendered"
Such then are the principles which tho
new member swears to observe and abido
by In his obligation set forth in the ritual,
where he says: II do solemnly promise
that will ever cherish in my heart 81
hearts, the sublime creeds Of the E. X.
excellent knights), and will, 80 far - in
me lies, illustrate the same in my inter-
course with men, and will defend the prin-
ciples thereof, If need be with NV life.
wheneoever assailed, in my own countrv
first Of all. do further solemnly declare
that will never take up arms in behalf or
any government which does not acknow-
will of the governed"
In the same connection may be quoted
the following extracts from the ritual. AZ
illustrating The principle Of the right OF
revolution and resistance to constituted
authority insisted upon by the order:
"Our swords shall be unsheathed when.
ever the great principles which we aim to
inculcate and have sworn to maintain and
defend are assailed.'
Again: II do solemnly promise, that
whensoever the principles which our order
inculcates shall be assailed in my own
State or country, will defend these prin-
ciples with my sword and my life, in what.
soever capacity may be assigred me by the
competent authority Of our ORDER
And further: II do promise that will.
at all times, if needs be, take up arms in
the cause or the oppressed-in my own
country first OF all-against any power or
Government usurped, which may be found
in arms and waging war against a people
or peoples who are endeavOring 20 estab-
lish, or have inaugurated a Goyernment
for themselves Of their own free choice.O
Moreover, it is to be noted that ali the