The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-03-05


of negroes, or aught else that depends upon
the sword or the accidents Of events; for 1t
leaves no questions to be asked or answer
ed after the sword is sheathed-nO decision
Of the Supreme Court to be waited Tor a1ter
the record of the war is closed. Being the
sovereign act Of the nation, done in con-
formity with the terms Of the Constitution,
il will overleap at single bound, all
squabbles and quibbles about State rights.
strict construction, Virginia resolutions OF
'9S, Kentucky resolutions of ~, and such
like breastworks Of Slavery, and will he
the PEOPLES sirreversible edict of Slavery's
extinction. Renewed applause.] Do any
doubt that such an amendment can nov
be adopted. [Voices-No, no.] Let every
such doubt be banished. The auspicious
day has come for this grand movement OF
the disenthralled nation. The people are
ready for it; the heart Of the nation de-
mands it; three-fourths of the States will
ratify it; the world will hold jubilee over
it, and the regenerated Republic, founded
at last on the rock Of universal freedom,
will move down the pathway of the ages,
luminous as the sun, firm as the solid
earth, and enduring as time itself. [Cheers
and applause.
IMMEDIATE vs. GRADUAL EMANCIPATION.
Again, remember the resolution adopted
by Congress, in April, 1867, upon the direct
and formal proposition Of the President,
declaring ''tkat the United States ought to CO.
operate acith any State Which may adopt
gradual adjustment of Slavery, giCing to
such State pecuniary aid, to be used by snch
State, IN ats discretion, to compensate for the
| inc0nccniences, public and pricdte, produced
by such change Of system.H That 1t was
proposed by him with as earnest q purpose
OF good as probably ever actuated q Chief
Magistrate, and was adopted by Congress
with as sincere hope Of good as probably
ever influenced patriots, do not doubt; but
! it has quietly passed to its endless sleep,
and will be heard Of no more. Already the
nation has renounced the idea Of ransom
/ ing the black race out OF bondage. and with
giant strides has passed far beyond the
sleepy hollow OF gradual emancipation
into the broad and blooming plain OF in
stant freedom.
| UNCONDITIONAL vs.. COMPENSATED ENAN-
CIPATION.
| Again. recall the annual message OF Pre-
sident Lincoln, III December, 1867 in which
with intense earnestness he urged upon
Congress the adoption Of a constitutional
amendment. binding the nation to pay TO
every State which should abolish Slavery
Mt any time before the first day Of January,
| 1900, u specified sum Of money, in the bonds
Of the Government, for every slave shown,
by the national census Of 1860, to have been
in such State. Listen TO his urgent appeals
to Congress in behalf Of this plan:
"Is it doubted, then, that the plan pro-
pose, il adopted, would shorten the war,
and thus lessen its expenditure OF money
aud blood? Is it doubted that it would re-
store the national authority and national
prosperity. and perpetuate both indefinite
ly? Is it doubted that we here-Congress
and Executive-can secure its adoption?-
Will not the good people respond to uni
ted and earnest appeal from US? Can we,
can they, Dy any other means, so certainly
or so speedily assure these vital objects?-
We can succeed only by concert. 1t is not
'can any of US imagine better?' but can we
all do better? Object whatsoever is posi-
bic, still the question recurS, can we &c
better2' The dogmas Of the quiet past are
inadequate TO the stormy present. The Oc'
casiOn is piled high with difficulties, aud we
must rise with the occasion. AS our case is
| new, SO we must think anew. We mus
; disenthrall ourselves. and then we shal
save our country.
Who doubts that Abraham Lincoln.
whole honest soul was in those words? Blu
who doubts also that the plan he so care
| fully and conscentiously devised was lik'
1.-THE dogmas Of the quiet past inadequate
: to the stormy present. 1t did not SO mucl
/ as ripple the surface Of the public mind, al
ready at that time far in advance Of sucl
an expedient as that. Slavery was fighting
> for its own dominion and perpetuity, no
for payment for the freedom Of its slaves
$ and the nation was fighting for its own lit'
and for liberty, not for the privilege OF bny
. ing .SidUeyy out; and this plan Of emancipa
: ton fell stiil-born from the President
: The ferocious and impiacable South CAV
I no signs OF heedingit; and to the question
: '.can we all do better?" the loyal State
: thundcred back, "ies. q thousand times bet
ter light it ont, fght IL out, till rebellion an
!, Stdrc1y are ground INTO dns. together 2
/ Tremendous applause.l And the loya
: States went on fighting. and will keep ol
. | fisyhf in hay ha r. 9
), 10y the finger Of Time the warning legen
d 10 all the future, extinct Forever
r ORIGINAL OBJECT OF THE WAR.
:, Cne more reference 10 history will fms
the contrast between the beginning and tn
2 ending Of the three years OF war, who's
u last weeks are now passing away. No au
a thoritative expression in regard to the OF
q ject ofthe United States in prosecuting thi
war, has attracted more general attention
i and been more widely and more frequentl
/ quoted, or more eagerly repeated and dis
le played by certain classes OF men than IL
q resolution offered by John J. Crittenden
e the House Of Representatives. in July, 1856
se and adopted there with only two dissentin
votes, and four days afterward, somewh.
ss modified, offered by Andrew johnson
Is the Senate, and adopted there with Onl
70 five dissenting voices. As presented b
IT Mr.. Crittenden, it was in the fOllOwiu
"a words:
&c "ReSOtrc0, by the House OF ftepTeSeNt'
D. tives of the Congress of the United State
! that the present deplorable civil war b.
ie been forced upon the country by the di
IA content Of the Southern States now in n
y volt against the Constitutional GOvernmel
Of and in arms around the Capital; that
Id this national emergency, Congress banisl
e, ing all feelings Of passion or resentinen
=, will recollect only its duty to the who
1e country; that this war is not waged {
lis their part in any spirit Of oppression, or I;
IN any purpose of conquest or subjugation,
q purpose Of ofoverthrowingo or interfering wi
ne the rights OIL established institutions
r those States, but to defend and mainta
ne the supremacy Of the Constitution, and
.. preserve the Union, with all the di
nifty, equality and rights Of the sever
n. States unimpaired; and that as soon
in these objects are accomplished the "
of ought to cease"
be To the mind now fully aroused, as th
at Of the nation is, to the true character oft
IT, war, and justly impressed with the natu
n and scope of its demands, this resolution
in equally remarkable for what it contai
rs and what it omits. It affirms that the w
tn is (lpnlOrahlp. hut ventures not to Dr