The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-05-07


Destiny has invoked many changes with
reference to the present rebellion, but now
comes the strangest Of ell; the large braz-
en- shield which always has protected and
saved slavery viii b changed intoa sword
for IT'D destruction. The Federal Constitu-
ton, heretofore its palladium, must serve
now to give slavery its death blow.
- yet but insufaciently understood. It
prevented the slave from flight, in demand
ing his delivery. It prevented every re-
belliou, in pledging the whole power Of the
nation for overpowering it. II cut of the
slave from all outward aid in guaranteeing
the sovereignty Of the individual States,
with provisions which did not touch the
exclusive control Of the State over domes-
tic Institutions. Thus It entirely and close
" shut up the slave, and rendered every
outward Intervention unnecessary. 1t did
the institution not only this material SER
vice, but also moral one of equal moment.
The Federal Constitution, an object of re-
spect and admiration for the whole civilized
world, on account of the magnificence of its
sublime plan, and the blessings Of its eff
cacy, reflected much of its own dignity and
sacredness upon the evils which it protected.
But slavery received, through the Consti-
tuition, still moro important advantage.
Although itself moral evil, slavery could
only be attacked by another moral evil of
no less compatibility, namely: by viola
ton Of the organic law Of the Government
TO the maintenance of which the States and
the people were bound BY every sanction of
motive Of social security. Thus it came
that we saw the mass of the honest, moral
men of the North stand perplexed and mo-
tionless between two positive duties for
years-the duty to combat slavery, and the
duty not to do it-and finally saw them full
fill their obligations in abolishing the insti-
tuition In the Territories where it never ex-
. shadow, and nevertheless charged them
selves with extensive duties against the
same, ~ their fathers ever have done in
avowing to maintain inviolate the institu-
tons in every State in all future.
The convention which nominated Lin
coin, banished slavery from the territories.
confirmed, on the other hand, in their
manent truth-that the maintenance Of the
rights Of the States, and particularly the
right Of every State to regulate and control
it, own domestic institutions according to
its own exclusive judgment, il essential for
the balance OF power, upon which the per-
lection and stability Of our political system
The Republican party brought this after.
ward into execution, in uniting themselves
IN Congress almost to the last man with
the Northern Democracy in the adoption Of
resolution to present to the people q con.
stitutional amendment Of the following i'm
port:
mo amendment shall be made to the
Constitution which may authorize, or give
the power to Congress, to abolish the do
nestle institutions Of State, or to interfere
with the same, inclusive of the institution
Of persons bound to labor or slaverv."
No one doubts that every Northern State
would have ratified this amendment. If the
rebellion would not have broken out. Thus
the Constitution was to be made the eternaI
advancer of slavery. As preservative of
the liberty of the whites, It might be al
tered but a. rampant of slavery Of the
blacks, it was to be Arm like the pyramid.
The amendment to the Constitution.
already adopted by the Senate, overthrows
all this with one blow. The same formi-
dable power of altering the Constitution.
which was invoked to secure the institu.
ton perpetual existence, now destroys the
same. This also happens in the one case.
Just - it would have happened in the 9TH
er, without compromising a hair. breadth
IF the reserved State rights. The Consti-
,ution, according to its own language is the |
highest law Of the land" and according
o the same language, three-fourths of the !
states can make an amendment thereto, |