The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-02-13

The Canal Projects.
Tho Chicagoans are laboring hard to in
duce Uncle Sam to build Ship Canal uni
ting Lake Michigan with the Illinois River,
rs u military neceesity''-also ship canals
uniting Lake Michigan with the MISSISSIPPI
pi River opposite McGregor, Dubuque,
Lyons, Davenport, Muscatine, Burlington
and Keokuk. with canals around both
falls. These canals are to be large enough
for gunboats, and we presume before any
Of them are finished, if undertaken, it will
be discovered that canals are great mill
tary necessity-that every citizen needs
one to his door for defensive purposes,
with extra water power to grind feed for
his COW.
We are sorry to know that any body
thinks the Government ought to engage IN
canalling while it is in struggle for exist
ence, involving all the strength and re-
sources of the nation-when our paper IS
worth but sixty-three cents on the dollar.
And we are sorry to see door opened lor
folly, extravaganza, fraud and corruption,
and national bankruptcy, as is sought by
those who are trying to push the
Government into a system OF iniesndi
improvements. We are sorry TO see
people who know better, backing up these
schemes. because some benefits may flow
to them or their particular towns or iocah .
tv. The chief concern OF all true men
ought now to be for the preservation of the
ration-of our Democratic institutions,
and not to increase the burdens of the
whole for the benefit of a part, when these
burdens are already very heavy.
gy- A correspondent of the Chicago
writing from Nashville, states
that he has just received copy Of an ad
dress issued by D. G. HUMPHREYS, OF North
srn Alabama, formerly a prominent ''dem
ocratic' politician of that State, and y
Douglas candidate for elector in 1860. He
raised a rebel brigade, and has been an ac-
tive worker against the Union. But he
has became convinced that the Rebellion
Is failure. and now renounces it and ad-
vises the people Of Alabama to avail them
selves of the Presidents amnesty and re-
urn to their duty. This is one more owl
lence of the wisdom Of that Proclamation
and Of the Influence it is already having
beyond our lines. The door is opened and
repentant rebels are already fiocking
through it. They will come in masses just
IS soon as the military force which now
them is broken up. Matters look
low AS if Grant were about making an
'ther huge step onward, swapping rebel
.ule in both Mississippi aud Alabama. If
ne does this, these States will speedily be
where Arkansas and Louisiana now are,
success attend him.
~ The forces moving eastward from
Vicksburg, under General Sherman, con-
list of the 18th Army Corps, commanded
~ General Mcpherson, and the 10th Army
Corps, commanded by General Hurlbut.-I
The 18th, is in the advance. The first point
o be attacked will be Jackson. The sec
md Meridian, on the west border of Ala
anna, at which place the rebel Gen. Polk
s said to have 900 men. 1t is also said
hat General Logan has moved southwest
rom Huntsville, Alabama, with the 18th
Army Corps, and that the great Cavalry
expedition, which has started south from
Memphis, will cooperate with Sherman and
Logan. and unite with them at some point
IN the direction of Mobile.
If these statements are correct, it is plain
hat the movement is one of very large di-
and it is fair to presume that the
purpose had in view is of equal importance.
1t has grown very considerably within the
past few days. 1t is now intimated by "A
writer from Memphis, that this movement
is but part Of a general plan of operations
adopted by General Grant for the Spring
in the Gulf States. This being
the case, We may look for a move also by
Gen. Thomas, from Chattanooga, as soon as
the roads and weather will admit of it
Gen. Grant was at Louisville a few DAYS
since, about starting for Nashville and the
front. We Judge something will happen
soon. We trust its complexion will suit
the loyal.
&a-The Government pays SIS for re-
cruits and re-enlisted men. BY an order to
be found in another column it will be seen
that the monopoly Of this reward has been
taken out of the hands of Provost Marshals.
and the money now can be paid to the re-
cruit himself or any one else. Let this sum
be added to the amounts given by private
and given directly to those
who enlist. This will tighten the burdens
upon citizens aud add to the inducements
offered to volunteers.
The Kentucky Legislature proposes to in
vest Six hundred thousand dollars of gold
coin in United States Five-Twenty Bonds,
or other National securities. A Bill to
this effect has passed the lower House by
a vote of 81 to 10. The Kentuckians are
learning how to calculate. and don't OBJ
ject to making good investment when it
comes in their way and they have the
money. We are glad to learn that they
have so much gold and that they propose
using il so iudiciouelv II mill 49,, 49,.