The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-12-24
Rebel Views Of Mr.. Lfncoln.s

+.
fers Of pardon and forgiveness. He informs
his Congress that 1.-THE war continues."-
| Fearing that Some may have believed the
| Oft-repeated assertions that the rebellion
has been suppressed, and may be laborinR
under the impression that his re election
had already ended the war, as has been 90
often affirmed, he informs hts Senators and
Representatives that ''the war continues"
Europe will read the announcement with
astonishment, and wonder why it was nec-
| essary to formally assert fact which is at
tested by the graves Of half million Of
people, and by the loss of thousand mil
lions Of money.
| As long as 'sthe war continues our read
| ers can never be entirely Indifferent to the
s.message and accompanying documents" !"
of the enemy, and therefore we have give n
the space to this message very much
| agains: our will, though our readers will
observe that Mr.. Lincoln is at great pains
| to convince his people, and perhaps our
people also, that in money and means the
United States is by no means played ont,
as some were supposing, but that, in mon
ey matters the debt is only 81, FAC, ,69O, ,4S0 40.
"Probably,', says he, "should the war con-
tinue for another year, that amount will
be increased not far from tive hundred mil
lions" But what is two thousand five
hundred millions for the United States?--
And in men they have gained over tn e
election Of 1860, Notwithstanding the war,
l45, ,55l votes, which Is comforting, If there
were no suspicious of ballot -stuffing which
hang round the previous history Of suf-
frage in that country, and old stories Of
"pipe-laying," which make people dubious
Of estimating population by ballot returns.
last, )" and 1.-THE conditions Of peace close
the message, and herein the amiability,
mercy and goodness of Mr.. Lincoln stick
out like the ears Of an ASS"
We are informed that we can at any mo-
ment have peace simply by laying down
our arms and submitting to the national
authority, under the Constitution. for he
could not, If it would, maintain war against
them." That is to say, after we have sur
rendered we will not be ''shot to death with
muskets," as deserters are, but we should
be adjusted by the peaceful means of
legislation, courts and votes-all, ofcourse,
in constitutional and lawful channels,
which. disrobed of its taut0logy, means
hanging and confiscation; or, as the Her.
aid puts it, give up the negroes and farm
Of fifty acres to each negro soldierl' Such
is the message Of Mr.. Lincoln. Newspa-
per men are obliged to read II; but any one
else who does 20 IS guilty Of time thrown
away.
TEE MESSAGE "coxMoNp1AcE, supERF1-
cIAL AND FEEBLE."
From the Richmond Sentinel. DEC. 1ol
/ To crafty the curiosity Of our readers,
and to place upon the record . document
which Is q part Of the history Of the times,
we print TO- day the Message sent in to the
United States Congress on Monday last, by
President Lincoln. It has neither clear
ness of arrangement nor grace of diction.
The several topics seem to have found their
places and succession by chance, and the
treatment is exceedingly commonplace,
! superficial and feeble.
| The only portion Of the message in which
our readers will feel any interest is that
which relates to the war between the two
countries. The message claims that all the
| lnies have heen maintained, and advances
made. The fact that the General-in-c chief
has felt himself able to detach Sherman on
such an expedition ~ he is now upon,
"teuds to show great increase in the r0la-
Itiv0strength. The result not being known,
however, the message prudently abstains
from conjecture. A little more Of the same
prudence would have also prevented a
boastful reference to that undertaking at
all, until the result shall determine wheth-
er 1t was wisely or rashly adopted. The
object, however, seems to be rather to fas-
ten the responsibility on the General in
chief, than toexpress exultation. Thefact
that Gen. Hood is laundering at the gates
Of Nashville 10 q singular commentary on
the statement that the old positions are all
maintained; while the loss of so large n
portion of trans Mississippi Is not thought
worthy to disturb the Presidential felicita-
tions. @as
The Presidential election is appealed to
and the figures paraded, really because II
is joyful remembrance to Mr.. Lincoln,
but Ostensibly to prove that the United
States have more men now than when the
war commenced. Figures do not lie, but
We are told also that great deal Of lying
il done with them. The aggregate vote in
the Federal States proves nothing, unless
for frauds and pipe-laying. 1t is not un-
common if we may believe the opposing
prints, for town to give more votes
II. to contain more men over twenty-One
vears-thau the total number OF men, wO.
men. children and babies combined. An
order for votes, like an order for pegged
shoes, is filled by contract, ana illustrates
tion. more than the numbers. That the
late 80. called election eclipses its predeces-
sor In this sort of Yankee enterprise. we
snnpOse is not to be questioned, as Lincoln
was determined to be elected. II ne had
needed more votes he would have found
moro voters.
Rnt there is another reason for q large
poll .list Since the last Presidential elec-
tioh. the Washington Government, to stim.
ulate the enlistments Of aliens In the army.
conferred citizenship on all who should
take its bounty money and enter its SER
vice. A multitude was thus added TO the
sssovereigns'' Of those who otherwise would
now be Foreigners"
Mr.. Lincoln will hardly be able to recon-
cile his bravado about the increased num-
bers ard determination OF bis people with
the increased difficulty, almost, OF obtain
ing recruits, and the comparative barren
ness Of his sweeping drafts. If we were TO
be put down by voters, we admit that we
should be overwhelmed with the figures
which would be promptly. rolled down
upon US. But voting and fighting are very
stand putting in q ballot better than put
ting in soldier; and though they may
crowd around the polls, they show no blood.
thirsty eagerness to crowd to the 'front.'