The Burlington Weekly Hawk Eye

The gentlemen who adopted the above resolutions evidently think themselves aggrieved. We cannot agree with them in thinking they have been slandered or abused. The following is the article complained of:

"We are happy in chronicling the fact that a good many persons who have never before given either their money, their labor or even their influence to sustain the government or the war, have very recently given all three liberally and spiritedly in filling the quota of Des Moines county under the last call of the President. We congratulate these persons upon the result. They have now taken the initiatory—they have, for the first time, entered upon the discharge of the plain duty of patriotic citizens, and may they have grace to persevere. We know they feel better and happier for what they have done. They have seen the error of their ways and now place themselves right on the record. They have done much towards filling the quota of the city. Now let those who have been faithful from the beginning, and spent their money freely—who were true and unflinching in our dark and gloomy days—let them come forward and put their shoulders to the wheel and finish the work. The time will be extended and the men can be had—let us send them by all means."

When the call of the President was first made we at once called upon the people to respond promptly. Our efforts in this direction were met by the most bitter and infamous personal abuse. We, with many other prominent supporters of the administration, were abused, from day to day, in the most vile and scandalous manner. It was continued through November and December. There was a persistent malignity about it that we have rarely met. Gentlemen of the opposing party, who have something at stake in this government, allowed this to go on and gave no token of dissent. They seemed to enjoy it. The effect was to prevent enlistments. The old men, and perhaps some young ones, we don't know, determined to stand upon an equal footing with their revilers. They were in favor of a draft, hoping thereby to reach the persons who were throwing mud and the spectators who were enjoying it. This is why some persons who support the war, and have from the first, stood back during the last week.

In the above article we have said that "some persons," not all the persons laboring or giving their money, but "some persons" not heretofore countenancing or supporting the war, have labored diligently to fill the City's quota. These "peace" men, who labored so hard to secure volunteers, we commend for having turned from the error of their ways. As we have brought them round where they always ought to have been, we did in the above article and do now call upon all to come forward and co-operate in raising all the men needed. If anybody can find "Copperheads" in it, or anything else giving just cause of offense to anybody he has sharper optics than we have. Everything—every word and line of it is true. The "peace" men who have been going their length for the war during the last week have our approbation and commendation, and they shall have it as long as they stick to their present course. If anybody understood us as saying or admitting that the money was raised and the men recruited in five wards of this city, by "Copperheads," alone, to fill our quota, from reading the above paragraph, he deserves the medal and ought to go up higher.

The gentlemen of the 3d Ward who have laid off the "treacherous cloak of the politician" had better leave it off.