The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-12-10

The ONE PATH TO PEAcE.-In his au-
TOPOGRAPHY, Gen. Scott praises Mr.. Sum-
ner for the resolution he offered in the
Senate in May, 1862, that lit is inexpedient
that the namei sof the victories obtained
over our own fellow citizens should he
placed on thel regimental colors Of the
United States" Our fighting generals call
this namby-pambyism, and regiments that
distinguish themselvss are allowed to re-
cord their victories upon their battle flags,
just IS In q foreign war; and trophies are
sent home and exhibited in the National
mentalisrn, however, that induced Gen.
Scott and Senator Sumner to deprecate
this practice. but very natural mistake
as TO the Effect produced by it. Expert
ence in the war has already proved that we
are winning the respect Of our southern
feilow-citixens" by defeating them. They
have the highes; respect for our boldest
and most successful commander, and gre
always ready to meet on friendly terms
the regiments that have done them the
most serious damage. Before The war they
had been taught that the Yankees were
towards. That error has been corrected,
and they respect us, and they will respect
US more and be the more ready to come
back cordially into the Union, if thorough.
~ defeated and compelled to acknowledge
it, than ii we make Terms with them be-
fore the superior power OF the government
and its loyal supporters has been fully de-
monstrated by arms. 1t il fortunate, in
this view Of the case, that'we are under the
necessity Of finishing the controversy by
utter destruction OF the rebellion.
Some of the administration papers are
inquiring anxiously, as if already repent
ing of the alternative they have accepted,
whether there is not some means by which
the people Of the South may be divorced
from their leaders, and the war ended
without further sacrifice of life: We see
no way TO this result, but war. The people
of the South will stand by their leaders so
long as they can make them believe there
is any hope Of success. The illusion il
only to be dispelled by the destruction OF
the confederate armies and the occupation
OF the principal cities Of the South by our
troops.
Then, say the Democrats, the war will be
eternal; the South can never be subjugated
they will never give up slavery in order
to secure peace and reunion. None Or these
declarations are tenable; the most difficult
steps towards the subjugation of the South
have already been taken, and the rebels
are now debating the question whether
they shall not give up slavery for the sake
OF disunion. Let our troops keep march
ing on, and the question with the rebels
will soon he whether they had not better
give up slavery for the sake of the Union.
It is too late now 20 inquire If they would
not have come back sooner with slavery.
The policy Of the country on this question
is fixed. II the Presidential election cid
not determine it, the character Of Congress
does, by making certain the adoption of the
constitutional amendment to abolish slav-
cry. The South understands, therefore,
that whether slavery is abolished as con-
dition Of the return OF the States to the
Union or not, il will soon be abolished by
the sovereign act Of the people, in accord
ance with the Constitution. The thing is
fixed beyond recall. The reluctance Of the
South to yield this main point in dispute
between the two sections may prolOng heir
resistance, and doubtless will. But this
cannot be helped now, and for it the rebels
alone are responsible. They might have
remained in the Union and chung fast to
their barbarous institutions; they might
have saved it by yielding after the first
year Of the war. 1t is too late now. They
must give up slavery or lose everything
And the conservatism that does not see this
and stand by the Government in its entire
war policy is not conservatism, but stupid
Republican.