The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-05-21

Many good men have freely given their
lives TO save our country from disruption
and overthrow, and more We apprehend,
must yet die that The nation may live; but
New York has never before laid 70 noble
sacrifice ON the altar Of national integrity
as when General James 8. Wadsworth fell
gloriously leading his division in stern re-
sistance to the desperate charge Of the CO.
horts ofslaveholding treason, in the terrible
struggle Of Friday last. lsalt
General Wadsworth became q soldier
only at the call ofpatriotism. Wealthy BY
inheritance, and In the enjoyment of every
temporal blessing, he took the field only St
the imperative call OF duty. A Federalist
by education, a Democrat ~ conviction,
he early took part in the ''Free Soir' move.
ment that divided the Democracy Of this
State, and gave q Jealous, effective support
to Van Buren and Adams in the Presiden.
tial contest Of 1S46, 40 also to Fremont and
Dayton in 1855, and to Lincoln and Hamlin
in 1850. Appointed . delegate to the
peace Conferenceo or "COngress" of 1851.
he signalized himself throughout its delib.
erations by a ready and cordial support pf
every proposal of conciliation that a Re-
publican could honorably assent to. and .
stern resistance to the other sort. He wag
. most sealous and efficient supporter Of
Governor Chase for leading position IN
President Iincoln's cabinet, and Of the
maintAinAnce ofthe Union against every
open or covert effort to subvert it I5gHN1
Secession having culmipAted In civil war,
Mr.. Wadsw0rth Volunteered 10 serve the
Uni Union n,ss cause n s. any s:pseitX N Gov Nor
Generals Of the force ~ regiments) -requir.
ed from this State. The Government de-
decided that We were entitled to but one,
and appointed Gen. Dir. Mr.. Wadswortk
asked no rank whatever. but was appOinH.
ed an aid on the stan of Gen. Mcdowell,
and In that capacity participated in the
buil Run S disaster: APgointed Pgsd Brigadier,
Of the Potomac encamped in Virginia, and
shared its passionate Indignation at being
Oooped up and virtually besieged there ~
a force but half as large AZ It's own. H0
served several months as miliy
tary governor of Washington, but was in
due time restored to service in the field,
az Major. 6eneral.a rebel force atI
least double his own in the first days CON-
fiict at Gettysburg, and sharing in the glOy
riOus victory which ultimately crowned
the Union arms on that bloody field. Had
Gen. Meade listened to his urgent advice
in the council of corps commanders the
night before Lee escaped across the Poto.'
have been no great battles 10 fight in 1884,
Gen. Wadswortb was the enthusiastic
choice Of the Republicans and War Dem.
Ocrats of our State for Governor in 1882
and received the votes of SO many OF them
as were mol absent in the Union armies. IL
But seventy or eighty thousand of them
!ce,e thus absent, and hence denied a voice
in the election so a base intrigue among
the mercenary and unprincipled camp foia
lowers Of the Republican standard was en-.
abled to rejoice the heart Of every open or
secret traitor from The st. John to the Rio
9rande by defeating him and electing In
his stead Horatio Seymour. It was the
triumph OF cowardice, treachery, and ev-
cry base impulse, and Of course short-lived..
The blood of Gen. Wadsworth will lioi
heavy on the souls of those pretended sup
porters OF the government in it's hour or
trial who devised and achieved this ma
tional calamity.-N. Y. Tribune. ~