The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-18

DIR. BREcKINRIDaE.-The presence o1
the Rev. DR.. Breckenridge in the Republi-
can Convention was of itself an important
kand suggestive fact; but the speech which
be made, excellently cogent in its style,
was still more remarkable, coming as il
did from Southern citizen and Southern
clergyman. We like the fine logic with
which DR.. Breckinridge exhibited the
criminal absurdity Of seeking reform thro'
rebellion, under q Constitution affOrding
every. facility for righteous change. But
we like better to hear from such a source
the declaration that 1.-the whole power of
the Government, both of peace and war"
should be used ito extinguish Slavery"
(" unite myself" said DR.. Breckenridge,
with those who believe that Slavery is
contrary to the highest interests Of all men
and Of all government, contrary to the
spirit of the Christian religion, and incom-
patihle with the natural rights of man
These woras, earnest and ex plicit as they
are, have double value, proceeding as
they do from leading clergyman Of a
Slave State, who comprehends, by actual
observation, the evils and the wickedness
Of Slavery. Here is preacher who knows
quite as much of the Bible argumen. for
Slavery as any Northern Doctor Of Divini-
ty. Here is a man who could talk with a
certain degree Of authority about the cursed
condition Of Canaan. -@~
to tumble into slough Of dialectics. In
ead Of doing 50. he says plainly-Slavery
"A wicked-iS contrary to the spirit Of
Observation-Disclosures BILE with the nat tural
rights of man. Contrast this with the slut
tering, apologetic, shutting and radically
false utteraHceS OF some Northern Divinity
Doctor, who never owned slave, whose
relatives never owned slaves, whqee thprcb
members never owned Aeves &h<iA4
syRSpyR Wiak kAty9 T'stenO OF h6mah bon
dAg0>f4t99 PIE hhes serhons in its de-
LfehsA puts out thick books and thin books
with the same purpose, rubs up his He
brew, if he ever had enough to bear rub
bing up, and makes wild guesses at the
meaning of Greek words in the same des-
coming, and will soon be here, when he
will be thoroughly ashamed Of himself.
Tha evils which such men have inflicted
upon this country by their efforts to prove
slavehokling to be q religious duty, are in
because multitudas have been
eontent to think their Thoughts at second
hand, and to I'LL themselves with the dry
husks Of Judaical theology. But we APP
pear to be outgrowing the ancients. We
are finding out that this same slavery has
political as well as moral aspects and
that to US, in this our terrible struggle with
the incubus Of belated feudality, It really
does not make any essential difference
whether slaves were held in Athens or
Rome or Jerusalem or not. II we are not
wiser than all the past, then our Constitu-
ton is q mere farce, our boasting only emp
~ babble, and our civilization a snare and
3 delusion! Some men of prodigious, not
to say asinine obstinacy, will refuse to the
very last to be persuaded; and il is not inn
possible that they may die in the belief that
. society without slavery is under the spe-
cial ban and curse of our Creator. But the
weight of public opinion must be the other
way. Before many years this crime against
nature will come to be recognized as a
crime pure and simple. Our chief busi-
ness now should be to consider it as a
frightful blunder. The world is hardly
good enough to make away with it because
it is contrary to the spirit of the Christian
religion;" but perhaps even an unregener-
ate world may be taught to consider it as
contrary to the highest interests of all
men and all government.-N. Y. Tribune.
F. v. F.-"A Free Vote or Fight is
the cry Of the Kentucky Confederate DEM