The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-10-01

dition, deserves the severest reprobation on
the score alike Of public policy and COM
mon humanity. las4s
6. That the sympathy OF the Democratic
2! party y heartily and earnestly extended to
the soldiefy OF our army, who are, and
have been, In the field under the flag of
their country; and, in the event of its at
tanning power, they will receive all the,
care, protection and regard that the brave
soldiers Of the Republic haye so nobly
earned.
Stephen a. Donglas on the WARE.
the Last Letter that he Ever
CHICAGO. NAV 10. 1864.
MY DEAR SrR:-Being deprived of the
use Of my arms for the present by severe
attack Of rheumatism, ] am compelled to
avail myself Of the services Of an amauu-
ensis in reply to your last two letters.
1t seems that some Of my friends are un-
able to comprehend the difference between
arguments used in favor of an equitable
compromise, with the hope Of averting the
horrors Of war, and those urged in support
Of the Government and of the flag Of our
country, when war is being waged against
the United States. with the avOwed pur.
pose OF producing permanent disruption
Of the Union and total destruction Of its
Government.
Al hope Of compromise Nth the Cotton
NtdteS UGS abandoned aUhen then assumed
the position that the separation Of the Enion
acds complete and final, and that they sbO,ld
mever consent too reconstruction n anu
c0ntingency-nOt eUen If are rouid Ornish
them scsth blank sheet Of paper, and permit
them 70 tssScribe their Oaon terms.
Still the hope was cherished that reason
able and satisfactory terms of adjustment
could be agreed upon with Tennessee,
North Carolina, and the Border States.
which would be powerful enough at the
ballot box to destroy the revolutionary
government and bring those States back
into the Unjon by the voice of their own
people. This hope was cherished by Union
men North and South, and was never
abandoned until actual war was levied At
Charleston, and the authoritative an
nouncement made by the revolutionary
government at Montgomery that the se-
cession flag should be planted upon the
walls of the Capitol at WASN'T Jgton, and q
proclamation issued inviting the pirates Of
the world to prey upon the commerce Of
These startling facts, in connection with
the boastful announcement that the rava-
ges Of war and carnage should be quickly
transferred from the cotton fields of the
South to the wheat fields Of the North. fur
nish conclusive evidence that it was the
fixed purpose of the secessionists utterly to
OGettOy to0 OONcJutOeUL O1I our tanners,
and ebliterate the United States from the
map of the world.
In view Of this state Of facts there was
but one path Of duty left to patriotic men.
1t was not party question, nor question
involving partisan policy; IL was q question
OF Government or no Government; country
or no country-and hence it became the i'm
perative duty Of every Union man, every
friend Of constitutional liberty, to rally to
the support Of our common country, its
Government and flag, IS the only means
OF checking the progress of revolution and
preserving the Union Of States.
am unable to answer your questions in
regard to the policy Of Mr.. Lincoln and his
Cabinet. am not in their confidence, as
you and the whole country ought to be
aware. am neither the supporter Of the
partisan policy nor the apologist of the err
rors OF the Administration. NV previous
relations to them remains unchanged; but
trust the time will never come when
shall not be willing to make any needful
sacrifice OF personal feeling and party
country.
! k,,0C Of no mode in schich a loyal citizen
may so uetl demonstrate his derofion to his
country as ty sustaining the Gdg, the Con.
stitMttOn and the Unien, nnder all circuns-
stances and Hnder every ADMINISTRATION, re-
gGrdless 81 party politics, a0ai,,stGH assail-
Gnts, q home and abroad. The course Of
Clay and Webster towards the Admins
tration Of Jackson. in the days ofnullifica-
ton, presents noble and worthy example
70 all true patriots. At the very moment
when that fearful crisis was precipitated
upon the country, partisan strife between
Wings and Democrats was quite as bitter
and relen tess as now between Democrats
and Republicans. ~
The gulf which separated party leaders
IN those days was quite as broad and deep
as that which now separates the Democra-
cy from the Republicans. But the mo-
ment an enemy rose in our midst, plotting
the dlsmemberment of the Union and the
destruction Of the Government, the voice OF
partisan strife vas hushed in patriotic 81
lence. One oi The brightest chapters in the
history Of our country will record the fact
that during this eventful period the great
leaders Of the opposition, sinking the par
tisan in the patriot, rushed to The support
Of the Government, and became its ableet
and bravest defenders against all assail.
ants until the conspiracy was crushed
and abandoned. when they resumed their
folmer positions as party leaders upon POI
litlcal issues. @aa $3.50 aE ~
These acts of patriotic devotion have
never been deemed evidences of infidelity
or political treachery on the part OF CLAW
and Webs1er, to the principles and organ
izatiOn Of the old Whig party. Nor have
any apprehension that the firm and unan-
im0us support which the Democratic lead.
ers and masses are now giving TO the Con.
stitution and Union will ever b deemed
evidence Of intidelity to Democratic prin-
ciples, or want Of loyalty to the organize
ton and creed Of the Democratic party. II
sCc hope to regain and perpetuate the Gscem-
dancy Of our party, tcc should ncUcT forget
that q man cannot De Gtrne Democrat unless
he is a loyal pctrsot. &
With sincere hope that these, my con-
scientious convictions, may coincide with
those Of my friends, am, very truly,
yours,
- - 4A STEPHEN A. DouoLAs.r
To Virgil Hickox, Esq, Chairman State
4 Democratic Committee.
ARMIsrICE AND DIsvN1oN.-An ARMS
tice with the Government OF Jefferson Da-
Wis would recognize and confirm its author
ity of all the States which are claimed as in
the Confederacy. It would give them up
to his power, and would shut ont the way
Of peace to them except through his per-
mission and his tnrma IL would he a rec.