The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-02-20

JUNE, 1859
Of our Constitution, and look with full
confidence for the coming of the time when
the people shall enter upon the perfect en-
joyment Of the rights, privileges, and liber-
ties which the Constitution was ordained to
establish and perpetuate. We expect to
meet, In the onward and triumphant march
OF this Republic, q redeemed, regenera.
ted, and disinthralled" South. We expect
to Join hands with it, and march forward
in the accomplishment of the grand mis-
sion OF this Republic. We expect to see
the power OF the Southern States taken
from the hands Of ''cruel and remorse-
less aristOcracy and restored to the right
fui possession OF whole people. We ex-
pect to labor for the elevation of that peo-
pie, and knowing that the first step to-
ward that elevation is the destruction of
that aristOcratic and semi-feudal system
which has heretofore existed in the South.
we favor the pending resolution, favor it
for the masses against the despotio and
traitorOus few, favor it for democracy
against aristocracy. We would make the
mass landhOlders by breaking up the land
monopoly of the rebel Shareholders of the
South, and placing land within tho reach
Of the poor, and thus add to the dignity
and assert the individuality Of every man.
We are working out the problem which
lishment of pure Republic BY the re-
duction Of the great land power of the
leaders of the rebellion, through the opera
ton of our system Of sales Of land delin-
qnent under the law for direct taxation,
and the enforcement Of the constitutional
power Of forfeiture, we expect to reach the
grand result Of general distribution Of
the land of the South among the people,
An accomplishment of this expected re-
suit works the death Of that atristocratic
power which is comprising the destruction
Of the Republic.
Sir, we are looking to the ultimate ele-
walton Of the common people Of the
Southern States. Weexpect to make them
a power in opposition to that which has
heretofore crushed their spirit and made
them political slaves. We expect our poll
cy TO result in the establishment Of those
great industrial, economical, and educa-
tional principles which have made the free
States supreme in this great contest be-
tween despotism ard liberty. We expect
to.realize as the fully ripened fruit of our
policy the perfect establishment Of repub-
licanisin which has ever lived in theory
but never enthroned itself on the continent
OF America except where the sway Of free
dom was perfect and no Slave appealed to
the God of justice. We look forward to
the time when the school house, tie acade-
my, the college and, the church shall
in the South measure numerical
strength with the same great guardians Of
reput licanism and morals r The the di-
vinely favored land of The North. We
look forward 10 the time when the child Of
the poor white Ofthe South shall pOssesS
the same educational advautact-. which
the free spirit Of the North has y,@eorded to
the offspring Of the rich and pNnr n COM
mon. We are looking to III" airaftages Of
q whole people aCssnOt me-all t4 ttle priv
ieges OF cast, seems 70 le The ease
with the gentlemen who oppose this joint
resolution. We keep pace with the meas
ured step of the civilization OF the nine-
teenth century, and urge hose who are
behind ns TO advance TO Our positiOn.-
Whatever Of good we possess We desire to
extend to otfcrs-not as towards 10 those
whom they fear, but as a magranimous
people to those whom they can conquer
and forgive.
| will consume no more Of the time OF
the House with this subject. The case is
made up and fully understood. Those who
oppose the passage Of the joint resolution
must stand before the country as opposed
10 the Constitution, opposed TO the true in
terest of the country, opposed to the eleva-
ton of the poor whites OF the South, and in
favor Of shielding the leaders Of the rebel
lion from the punishment which their enOr-
nous crime deserves. They have made
| their own issue, and AL the speeches they
have delivered-filled with hollow preten-
siOns of devotion to the Constitution, love
of the Union, regard for the rights of the
people, and reverence for the teachings of
our civiliZation-will not enable them to
disguise the true character Of the issue
Fine words will not mislead the people,
Talking for the Union, and acting and vO-
ting. for a disunion rebellion. is mask too
thin to conceal the complexion of the face
which it covers. Protestations Of loyalty
to the Government, coming from lips
n hich in rH n armed dpfnn0Q Of
| the nation, ask ''When shall this hellish
crusade Of blood and famine ceaSe?" are
| no more sincere than was the kiss Of Ju-
das. The latter was an act Of betrayal, and
| the former are intended to accomplish ne
nObler end.
MIR. Speaker, cannot close without call
ing the attention of the House and Of the
country to One significant fact. For some
4 two weeks we have been listening to
speeches made by gentlemen who approve
this joint resolution, filled with the sever
est denunciations Of the Administration, of
Congressional action, Of every act resOrted
! to by the Government for the suppression
Of the rebellion and the restoration Of the
authority Of the Republic throughout it's
entire dominion, but in none Of these
speeches can be found a sentiment which
would excite the ire or even wound the
feelings of Jefferson Davis and those who
are holding up his hands in Richmond
Sir, this is not the result Of accident. The
speeches are too numerous and the prac-
tice too uniform to admit Of any such ex-
planation. sympathy with rebels and
traitors alone conld produce such shame
fnl and extraordinary result. l. leave this
fact with the country, feeling assured that
the people will so understand il, and pro-
perly dispose of its author.
ne~ The anti-slavery clause proposed for
the Constitution Of Arkansas, by The Con-
vention which met at Little Rock. Janua-
ry 10Th, is emphatic and remark abe. We
put it upon record:
J ART. v. SEC. l.--"Nether Slavery no,
! involuntary servitude shall hereafter ex-
list in this State, otherwise than as punish.
ment of crime, whereof the party shall
have been convicted by due process of law
Nor shall any male person who shall have
) arrived at the age Of twenty-one years. MOI
any female person Of the age Of eighteen
years, be held to serve any person as 3
lCn nvf In~ s~rl&