The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-04
The Present Revolution.

Ii is the habit OF Us al 10 regard the
present struggle between the nation and
the reeellous states as simply q struggle
between loyalty and treason. The altern-
ative of results lies, in the minds OF most
men, between restoration Of the old order
OF things, mainly. and the loss of the re-
bellioas states TO The Union. This impres-
sion comes very much from the d;rec, OBJ
ject sought 10 De accomplished by the gov
ernnleEt. We have fought to restore the
Union, to destroy the armed power of trea-
son-to prevent the disruption and destruc-
ton of the nation. The object of the gov.
ernment has been simple. They have tried
TO break up the government; ne vetried
10 save it. and the antagonism takes the
form of one Of the most terrible wars that
ever drenched the world with blood. Nei-
ther party has contemplated great polit
icai and social revolution, affecting both
alike, but the revolution goes on, neverthe
less. and every refiek,ng man must see
that in many important particulars the na-
ton is already revolutionized.
The first noticeable feature Of the change
relates to the character of the nation.-
Three years OF war have transformed q
n"tlon devoted 10 peace into nation Of
warriors--of trained soldiers. Where we
had one officer who understood the art Of
war, at the opening OF the rebellion, we
now have a thou sand. Where We then had
a regiment Of trained soldiers. now we have
hfly or hundred regiments. Almost the
entire able-bOdied force of the country has
been trained to arms during the last three
years, and acorps Of intelligent officers has
sprung into life who are capable of mana
ging these men. The Yankee is not, nat
uralsy, fighting man, but he has become
one Of the best fighters in the world. The
nation has also become within three years
one OF the FIRST naval powers Of the world,
and both on land and sea is among the
best equipped Of the great powers. Here
is a total revolution of the position and
and ltS influence upon the future OF the
country will be greater than can now bs
Imagined. .
Hitherto we have had no burdeus to car
~, imposed by the general government -
The modest expenses of the government
have been entirely betrayed by impOsts on
foreign goods and the sales OF public lands.
SO that nobody has felt the burdens of the
government by the weight Of a hair The
transition from this state OF freedom from
all taxation to q system Of direct and heavy
taxation, which must necessarily be con-
tinued leng after the present generation oi
| taxpayers shall have passed away, Is u
very important one, and is revolutionary.
| Nothing but reputation can save us from
| this taxation, and Reputation is national
suicide. The introduction OF this tax as a
new element in the cost Of everything, for
! /; must necessarily touch everything. will
/ produce greater changes in business and
| greater changes in society than could pos
sibly have been anticipated. -
Consequent upon the war and its effect
apon the cbarxrier and position Of the ma
| ton, and consequent upon the general tax
alton. we are to be, in all the future, more
thoroughly fused together as nation, and
to be more conscious of q common central
power. We had, up to the commencement
Of the war, done the business Of the Gov
eminent in partnership way. The State
Governments had great prominence and
great independence. 1t is easy to see that
already the State Governments are
dwarfed. The power that walks into the
States and takes their men by draft, that
sends its assessors and collectors into them
and levies on the property, industry and
| income of every man, is something tha'
they have not seen before. The Govern
rnent has not passed beyond it's constitu
tional right in the matter; and from this
time, henceforward, it must, and Will, re-
main where it has placed its foot. 1t can.
not retire an inch; and hereafter by reason
Of the tax collector, we are to be con-
stantly reminded that there is supreme,
central power, before which Estate sOyer-
eighty" az it is called, is only name
| Indeed, under the constitution of the Uni
ted States it was never anything else.--
There is no such thing as sovereignty in a
subject or subordinate, and the State Go,
c-y, ~ cr -c subordinate = r. ae here ear