The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-03-19
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAWK EYE:

,EKLY HAWK-EYEs
will not make much progress in the good
graces of tho electors unless he makes q
good deal more progress in penetrating in
TO the South than seems at all likely. Gen.
Ere mont seems to be in the position Of a
horse entered for the Derby, bnt which 1t
is KNOWN, from former failures, has no
chance, of winning. The not improbable
collapse OF some of Mr.. Chase's financial
bubbles will place him outside Of the com
petltors, who will even have an opportun-
" IN Joining in q general scramble for an
office WHICH is soon to be vacant. But at
the eleventh hour perhaps the most power
ful or Mr.. Iincolns rivals will unite their
forces to eject him, and to put a joint stock
nominee Of their own in his place. ---LoH-
don Post, Feb. o3d. .
The Progress Of ReeonstFueti0n.
3 THE PRESIDENTS PLAN AND IT'S OPpo-
NENTs.--Ihe Presidents plan for the re-
ments has been successfully adopted in
llOuisiana, and soon will be in Arkanaas
and Tennessee. Notwithstanding all theo-
retlcal objections to it, is it not as simple,
direct and practicable as any that can be
devised? Would it be good policy to su-
persede II by any system that seems to
have advantage? Can it be set aside with
oGt lnvalldatlng the process by which
West Virginia was separated from the
Old dominion and made free State?--
And II the whole matter is thus broken up
and thrown into the seething cauldron OF
presidential politics, is it not more than
probable that the democratic theory Of re-
construction will prevail, and the reclaim
ed States be allowed to re-organize with
q u N fVy Stnfn =
questions worthy Of some thought by such
republicans as think nothing done well
that is not done in their favorite way, as
OF those who oppose the Presidents plan
only because il is the Presidents, and they
wish to throw him over board with il. The
operation may cost too much.
1t must be admitted that the Presidents
plan securethe things most essential to safe
reconstruction. 1t puts the new State
governments into loyal hands, and destroys
slavery. What more can any plan accom-
piish? The opposition contend that the
emancipation oath excludes some who are
loyal. Admitted; BIZ. the number must be
very small. Nearly al, the loyal men Of
the South recognize the fac. that slavery
must perish by the war. and acknowledge
the right OF the government 70 seek its de-
struction as ipcans Of weakening the re-
belIion. and the large ma oritv OF Southern
Union men are more relent,essiy against
slavery, naturally and properly SC, than
the Union men % the North. Probably
not enc in ten Of the Union voters in the
reclaimed States would consent to the
removal of the emancipation les: from the
oath o. renewed allegiance. Nor is there
any force IN the objection that i is anti
republican, TO allow one-.en.h the voters to
govern q state. kepI blcHnis,n does not re-
qnlre that traitors or alien enemies should
have. the rights Of citizens. quite the con-
trary; pQt tenth, or any other proportion
of the citizens in any State who arc loval.
they are the only legitimate voters. This
Is no move, rule, arbitrarily set up, but an
established principle. And where there
is now tentfl Of the people really loyal,
there will soon he more. In Louisiana
more than one-tifth of the voters have de-
ciared themselves .or ashe Union aud
emancipation at the first. election; that
proportion will grow rapidly with the Ger
tainty that the new state government is a
permanency. In Arkansas from one-third
10 one-half the voters Of the state will unite
III re-organizing the state government, and
about that proportion in Tennessee. Would
there be either justice or reasonably discreet
policy in renanding these states and West
Virginia to military rule, for the sake Of
any theory, or any party statagem?
Mr.. Boutwell,, who made the best argn-
ment in Congress for the State suicide doc
trine and against the Presidents plan of
reconstruction, insisted that there are six
things necessary 10 the existence Of State
in the American Union. Three OF these,
territory, inhabitants and admission into
the Union, all the States have. The sece-
ded States, If we admit certain sort Of
validity in their acts Of secession, lack the
other three-the recognition OF tho suprem-
acy OF the Constitution of the United States
in their COnstit buttons, State officers sworn
to support the Constitution Of the United
States, and Senator'S and Representatives
in Congress. Mr.. JBoutweli is, or was,
quite sure, that the absence Of any one OF
these conditions take . State out Of the
Union. II is not obvious how the neglect
Of State to be represented in Congress in
wolves State suicide, or indeed, either Of
the other offences named by Mr.. Boutwell,,
for although the Constitution OF the United
States requires its own recognition in the
manner specified, il does not provide that
neglect or violation Of this provision, or Of
any other requirement Of the Constitution
and laws, shall annul the act admitting the
state into the Union II il were 80 there il
hardly State now IN the Union that can
not be proved ut some time guilty Of this
AOrt Of suicide, and 80 logically, there il no
Union At all, and no Constitution. Quite
as little authority is there in the Constitu-
ton for demanding to q Territorial condi-
ton any State in the Union, for whatever
aud unprovided for. The question, there
fore, for practical patriotism is, Does not
the Presidents plan accomplish the object
desired as well as any? Or if not SO much
rs that is granted, does j. 10: accomplish
the object 60 well that it 10 not best to make
g change nOw?-SpriN4feld Republican,.
MILITARY ANECDoTE.-The following is
. true story, which has never before been
tnr3 - e. tate
upon the word Of one who was present and
heard it. We hope our readers will excuse
the liberal profanity which pervades it,
"Our army swore terribly in Flanders, !"
and they doubtless did the same thing at
Shiloh. We could not very well exclude
these explosives without doing injustice to
the quaint, terse and fierce grit Of the orig
inal. Much also must be conceded to the
soldier, under the influence of intense ex-
element, whose early education was pro-