The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-01-16
WEEKLY HAWK-EYE
70 ruRllsrIrp EVERY SATURDAY mohSiS"'
EY 4. nun II 4 NJ


M aJesS,.,.s,S i0eaor &c GdSpufa,5. rdo..-
|srd Lcbouicye Hsart liog,n, = ltgustia
Cpch.a. aaS other Friends q -1mef4cu al
Ernncs % The Loyal National LsGqge Of
.VeD Nork.
GrNr1 EMEN We would have tnanNed
ron much sooner hut for the prolonged alb
senoe of one Of our number. il would
have been painful la us 10 have lost the
collectiye character Of this reply for the
hlordinC of our names is !. PROOF Of that
vreat unity OF sentiment upon al tha. con-
Germs the cause OF justice which by Gods
hvor manifests itself mere below. III spite
Of political and religious differences.
Vet we are careful not 10 oyerrate our
nersonal importance. The League does
not address Is as individuals il speaks to
France, who cherishes. as "A national tradl-
ton. the friendship OF the United States.
II speaks 10 European opinion, which Will
rise up and declare itself more clearly as il
recognizes that the struggle Is between
Slavery and Liberty.
You have co,nprenenaed, gentlemen, hat
neither France nor Europe have been free
from misapprenensions. Light did not at
first dawn upon the nature ~ the sanitary
but painful crs sis through which YOU are
passing; il was not plain 10 ali, al the ne-
ginning. taa, the work inaugurated uy the
election OF Mr.. Lincoln yielded nothing in
grandeur TO tina, which your fathers IL
complished with the aid OF Lafayette and
under the guidance OF WAsHINGr0N.
Europe has had her errors. her hesita
tons, for which we are paying dearly to-
day on both sides Of the Atlantic. What
blood would have been spared 10 You,
what industrial suffering avoided by Us,
had European opinion declared itself with
that force which YOU had the right to nope
fori There is protest of the universal
conscience before which mankind necessa-
rily recoils: moral forces are, after all, the
great forces.
The reyolted South, which needed our
aid, which relied, and perhaps still relies
upon us, would not have long dared to af-
front the indignation of the civilized werld
Why has this indignation been withheld?
Whv has sort of favor been granted the
only insurrection which has neither motive
nor pretext-to the only one which has
dared to unfurl the banner Of slavery?-
What has been the merit of this insurrec-
lion? Ry what charm has it cOnciliated the
sympathy Of more than one enlightened
mind? This is question huniiiating to
put, but useful to solve.
In the first place Europe doubted whetL
er Slavery was the real cause OF conflict.
Strange doubt, in truth! For many years
Slavery had been the great, the only sub
ject of strife in the United States. At the
time of the election Of Mr.. buchanan the
only issue was Slavery. The electoral
platforms prove this fact; the fnanifestos
Of the South were unanimous in this sense;
her party leaders, her Governors, her de-
lucrative assemblies, her press spoke but
surgent Confederacy had made haste to
declare officially that the mission of the
State was to present to the admiration Of
mankind society founded an the "corner.
stonc'' Of Slavery. Lastly, it would seem
that to all rejecting minds the acts Of Mr..
Buchanan and other Presidents named by
the South were proof enough of this truth.
The South thinks only of Slavery. In her
eyes all means are right to secure to Slave
ry its triu,nphs and boundless con0uests.
But, it is objected that Mr.. Lincoln and
his friends were not Abolitionists. That is
certain: their programme went no further
than to stop the extension of Slavery and
shut it out from the Territories. Was this
nothing? Was it not in fact everything?-
Who could have foreseen that, on the ap-
pearanoN Of such a programme, of pro-
gress 80 unexpected, Of an attack so bold
upon the policy which was lowering and
running the United States, the friends of
liberty would not oil have fastened to ap-
plaud. Was not this the time to cheer and
strengthen those who were thus entering
on the good path? Was it uot done to
urge them on III their liberal tendencies, so
that, the first step taken, they should take
the second and 60 on to the end? Ought
not that which terrified and dismayed the
champions Of Slavery to rejoice the hearts
Of it's adversaries2
Your letter, gentlemen, puts in bold re-
lief the reasons which hindered Mr.. Lin
coin from adopting at the outset an
Abolition policy. The President could
disregard neither his oath Of office nor the
Federal Constitutions he had also TO keep
in mind the opposition which Il plan OF
emancipation would encounter in the loyal
States. The head of grea, Government
cannot act with the freedom of a philoso-
pher in his study. In simple truth Mr..
Lincoln should be accused neither OF tim
dity nor indifference. Your letter recalls
the measures Off Presidency. abolition
ofSlavery in the Capital and in the dis
trict OF Columbia, the proc!aimipg of free
dom to fugitive slaves, the principle q,
compensated emancipation submitted 10
all the loyal States, the death penalty ac-
tually inflicted on Captains of slavers. tho
treaty with England admitted the right O,
search, the establishment of diplomatic re.
latiOns with the black Republics Of Liberia
and Hayti, the arming of free negroes, and
At last, when the length and gravity of the
war sanctioned an extreme exercise OF the
powers of Commander r-in-C Chief, the abso
the reyolted States.
We, gentlemen, are Abolitionists and
we declare that we have never hoped nol
wished for mora steady, rapid, and res
o!ute progress. We have understood tn,
ulWcuites which surrounded Mr.. Lincoln
We nave honored his scruples Of consc
ence with regard To the Constitution OF hi!
country which stopped his path. We hav,
aoinlFea me courageous good sense wit
"hicn ne moved straight on, the instant h.
could 50 90 without danger to his cause OF
violation to tie law.
Wonder is expressed that Slavery is
abolished In the resolted States and vet
preserved n the loyal States! III cthe,
wordsthere is wouder that he VII 0 has worn
~ obey tie Constitution should respect it.
a.es no one take alarm at this. There is
w oanger that the domestic institution
crushed in the Carolinas and I,ouisians
IN long survive in kentucky or Mary
And. Already, n you hare stated TO ,,s. s.