The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-05-06
washington Correspondence.


house. But in the immediate presence Of
the deed, the sensation has doubtless been
more startling than elsewhere. do not,
even after these several days Of calmness,
feel like dwelling upon the subject. There
are times when rhetoric is weak-when
language 10 too poor to express the depth
andcharacter Of the feelings-when silence,
deep and heavy, almost communicable,
seems the most fitting. and Il the most
natural. Such q time is this. But the
deed itself is lite Cest commentary. II
needs no words to illustrate or enforce any
respect for 1t. It seems a. If the great re.
bellion had eliminated in one supreme act
of ferocious malignity, just as it was to
dissolve as in an instant, and be lost to the
gaze of the world.
The modest, frm, clear.sighted, experi-
10 making friends and communicating en-.
couragement, daily, by his department and
his spirit. There was nota moments anx-
iety touching public affairs. Everything
kept on evenly, quietly, regularly as usu-
al. The shock was moral, not political.
The heart of the nation was shocked, not
our political system, either in lie nature or
however, that our convention remembered
two Vice Presidents had heretofore unex-
pectedly succeeded to the Presidential Of.
6ce, and impressed that body with the i'm.
portance of making its nomination for the
second office deliberately-no bestowing
it indifferently. as q compliment. think
no convention hereafter, Of any party, will
with regard to its candidate for the Vice
Presidency. For myself, in this instance,
should at any time have preferred John
son to Lincoln, SO that the wisdom Of our
own convention Is very clear to my eyes.
]. say this withou; disparagement of Linz
coin, for 1have due respect for his per.
sonal qualities, and an especial iveliness
his tragic, martyr.like end. I know, too,
that all circumstances have tranapired in
conjunction with his peculiar personal
Etraits, to leave his name and deeds apd
memory more imperishable-to exalt him
to higher. wider. and more enduring re-.
nown, than Mr.. johnson can achieve, or
than any other human being can hope to
I may add, that only the rarest of men. can
possibly achieve or worthily enjoy. But
prefer Mr.. johnson - President, for the
future as would have done for, the past,
nevertheless. .5l, ~ .ssf.g--f u.
Nothing Of q public nature, next to the
startling event of last Friday week, has SO
much astonished this community as the
pronunciamentoes Of General Sherman.
Scarcely any thing could have more griev.
ed his best friends. Many had come TO
look upon him ~ our first military genius.
Some Were coming to regard him ~ the
first man Of the republic. in his general
qualities. His military renown remains.
The growing reputation -, TO his compre.
hensiveness Of Judgment, In general way
70 blasted In q moment, and forever. He
Is military man only. And all things
have conspired, in military affairs,-ail
things touching the conduct Of the war, in
all its necessary relations,-leave Grant as
the great central figure, our pre-eminent
military man, the one whose name we are
to contribute to the list of the worlds great
captains. But what great captain was ey-
or fortunate In three such Lieutenants IA
Sherman, and Sheridan, and Thomas !?
son, Pemberton, his army, and Vicksbure.
Lee, his army, and Richmond, as his tro.
phies, it would be fitting close to q mill.
tary career perhaps never surpassed in
good fortune, ii Grant, now with Sherman.
compels the capitulation Of the last great
army of the rebellion, under johnson and
he will certainly have the renown of that
deed, II Johnston capitulates in Grants
presence. Let us hope he may achieve
doubt but he will.
In this connection, however. will saw
That, instead of the terms, which almost
seem like q capitulation upon our part. In
stead Of the rebels, which Johnston was
able to wiring out Of Sherman, 1 do not
believe Johnston will be able to make as
good terms with Grant as Grant rendered
Lee Lee. ! I. am very sure, in fact, that Grant
LINK! inInks ne terms he gave Lee were more
than he would again give him. under sim.
liar circumstances. ~-->>S- :. -
I understand Mr.. johnson saws there is
no urgent necessity for an extra session O,
Congress, and am 1t present inclined "a
think that there will be none. IoWA, :