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

DUhHlVGlON " y
patible with q free Government Decked
with the habiliments of death, surrounded
by all the dread scenes Of war, this incom-
patibility is laundering ct the gates OF the
citadel Of the Republic, demanding recog-
milton. The loyal inmates command N to
obey the summons. But we have not yet
had enough of sorrow, des0lation and
death. We must stop and reason, whne
the national treasure pOurs out in streams
of increasing volume, while the ife-blood
flows from other hearts, while graves in
untold numbers are preparing, and the
ashee Of desolation are cast upon unnum-
bered hearthstones. Wemust not act rashly.
We must be calm, discreet, digniied. We
| must inquire why this great thundereWe
thus disturbing our old traditions and con-
| fusing our conservative ideas. Well, let US
examine this demand, and ascertain upon
what facts it 10 supported.
In order to understand perfectly the OBJ
jects which the people had in view when
they ordained the Constitution of the UNI
ted States, we must turn to the preamble
which introduces US to that Instrument
When we give 1t our attention we find it q
very plain-spoken guide, void of guile or
discrimination. 1t disclOses to US, first,
| that the Constitution is the work of the
people: and this at once developes the thor
ough republico democratic character of the
Government established. 1t was gracd
creation of the people for their own security
IN the possession of the great objects ex-
PRESSED in the preamble. All of the pow.
ers embraced in the Constitution were
placed there for the sole purpose of putting
these objects above interference from any
| source and beyond the hazard Of loss
These objects are not only compatible with,
but absolutely necessary to, the existence
n n ~ IN Nov1t ~ $pn ~
one OF them can be destroyed without det-
riment to the whole and anything which by
its nature is incompatible with either
stands in the same relation to all the rest,
and must, if permitted to acquire suprem-
acy, ultimately subvert the free principles
OF the Government itself. How does the
account stand between slavery and these
great objects? Let us give our attention
! to this question for few minutes, for it is
one Of transcendent importance.
more perfect Union" What has been aud
is now the attitude Of slavery toward this
primary object of the Constitution? When
slavery, in the natural threatening and
disturbing course Of its development, as
ssumed the character and form of politi-
Cal power, its first act was denial that the
people had formed 'more perfect Union,"
coupled with the assertion that the Union
was mere compact between the several
States, which might be dissolved at the
nleaure OF any party thereto. This posi-
ton was selected as most likely to terrify
l.eople into submission, while their power
few, and as affording a plausible pretext
for the destruction Of the Union, in the
event freedom should prove too strong for
slavery, and the people should refuse to
surrender their power into the hands Of
those who would destroy their liberties
Shrewd calculators were the men who Sc
lected and intrenched this position. For
many years the terrors which they exhib-
tied to the people from this cunningly
masked battery OF error held the mass in
check. But when it was almost too late,
the people discovered their danger, regain
ed their power, resolved to enforce the
grand principles and traditions of justice
and liberty, and stood up in their majesty
masters Of the situation. Slavery few to
its last resort, sought to enforce by strife
and battle its doctrine of q compact of
States, and the right to dissolve the same
at pleasure, and for three long and bloody
years has been by the dread power and
fearful engineries of war seeking the des-
truction OF the Union Of the people.
The second object of the people was ito
establish justice. How could slavery stand
otherwise than opposed to this? Slavery il
injustice. The establishment Of Justice
would destroy slavery. Both cannot live
together in peace. In the very nature Of
things state Of strife, contention, war will
and must exist increasingly between these
two irreconcilable enemies until one shall
succumb to the other. Justice is the virtue
"whic., consists in giving 70 every one W hat
ls his due: practical conformity TO the laws
and to the principles Of rectitude in the
dealings Of men with each other" Slave
ry is the direct, perfect, absolute opposite of
this. Must not the house in which these
two anta2Onisms exist be divided against
itself? Can such q house stand? Is it poss-
ib!e to establish justice and maintain slav-
erv? The long, dark, terrible record writ
ten or the pages Of an incessant strife, first
In unhealthy, feverish, exhauBting politi-
cal excitements, and finally in the best,
truest and bravest blood Of the nation, aud
eliminating amid the awful scenes of war
unprecedented in proportions and une.
qualled in the matchless glory of Its prom
Used results, furnishes to us and to the en-
tire world an unQuestionable negative to
challenged the people In their endeavors to
establish Justice, and resorted to the ordeal
OF battle against them in their efforts to
maintain Government founded upon :his
divine attribute. The ordeal Of battle is not
yet closed. The contest il In the full tide
Of its power. All around the combatants
the nations Of the world ~ spectators press
la 81 003SAuSOS 0nU AuI0uSlly VI lUtSx04t
never before prepared for the pages OF his
tory, while the spirits of the fathers Of our
| republican system look down from their
bright and blest abode, hoping for the tri-
umph of justice, and appealto God who has
gathered them to Himself to strengthen the
arms which strike for the right. We know.
the peoples Of the earth know. the spirits OF
the fathers know, that this grand struggle
for victory can be determined only by the
| triumph of justice and the death Of slavery
or by the success Of slavery and the death
of the Republic. No compromise can be
made, no truce can be adjusted. no silver-
tongued appeals for peace can be heard
amid the din of this fierce conflict. We
must establish justice upon the tomb of sla-
very, or have it not atall. We must estab-
llish it or acknowledge the Republic . fail
ure.i We will establish it by destroying. in
the manner and form prescribed by, our
Constitution, that which stands in our way
---slavery. aza e4aa5 -tsai : ~ Z. '.s -,
Another object to be accomplished bv the
adoption Of the Constitution was to 'insure
domestic tranquility" This was the voice
of the people. How stands the account he
tween the Republicr and ialavery concern.