The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-10-22
A Political Sermon By Henry
Ward BeeCher.

Mr.. Beecher soon merged his remarks
into the political drift; said that i: was, to
the last degree, important that the commu-
nifty should learn to understand the signs
Of The times. Everything depended on
prosecuting the present war vigorously, ia
order to secure the peace that was so desi-
rable to one and all. It is our duty to see
that this war answers great end, and that
peace shall be substantial and durable
When this rebellion dashed against the
constitutional Government Of this nation.
no crime could have been greater than to
have given up that Government without !
blow. War was then q virtue; peace
would have been q crime. Il was one OF
those cases in which the instincts OF thu
people were just and noble. And their in
stinct, their impulse to defend their GOV.
eminent by the sword was perfectly wise.
But now there may be crime greater than
cowardice would have been when courage
and frmncss were the all in all. It is the
crime that desires and plots for q peace
such as no honorable and self respecting
people can for moment entertain, peace
which involves submission to traitorous
demands which we have hitherto fought
against. In one sense, peace means every
thing that is noble and true. But peace
may mean treacherous truth-a time for
war to take breath in, or to give rest to
the enemy whom we fight. Which peace
is it that we want? Is it genuine peace.
that springs from justice and prudence? or
- II . counterfeit peace-the peace Of bo-
gus statesmen and insincere platforms p
They tell Us that, after four years Of war,
the attempt to pat down the rebellion by
force of arms has proved q failure. The
briefest retrospective glance proves the
falsehood OF this assertion, when we see
how much has already been redeemed from
the rebel sway. And, after four years Of
war, it viii be crying shame if We end
az We began, with nothing settled for all
time. The peace prater's cry is 1.-The Un-
ion as It was" There can be no Union ar.
ter four such years Of war, just as it was.-
Il is FOOLS counsel, aud none bat fools
will follow It. You cannot 60 back for q
single day; and can you do 10 for four
yearsf It will be shame, withDta shad-
ow of excuse, II the Norfh-the leader OIL
to crush and to command at her WILT
will BE- q lasting disgrace il the North, With
al this power in her hand, shall consent 70
o peace at another's dictation. when she
can command one upon her own terms OF
justice and liberty to all. There are two
kreat questions which tower above all 9th !
ers. One Of these 10 the question Of the
restoration, IN full, q our State Sovereign
ty; whether We are to retain our individ- |
uality as States, or to maintain the intec
rity Of the National Government. The
doctrines Of the North and South ara al |
rectly antagonistic on this subject. The
South CONSTITUTES the Union a. 8 league.
from which State may withdraw at ia
pleasure; while the North believe that the |
National Government has been created to !
remain solely and forever sovereign, and !
that sovereignty cannot be taken from II. |
Slavery was the supreme motive Of the
Rebellion; but the absolute sovereignty OIL
tho States was the fundamentally en-
ployed. We must settle these questions
now, at once, and for all Gme. It win be |
. shame to our memories, II W permit that |