New-York daily tribune., 1855-08-23
A LAZY MANS APOLOGY.


put forth by Mr. Washington Huat in his late
letter to The Commsreial Adrsrtisr are good res
scss for not acting with the Republican party,
they are at the same time equally good reasons
against acting with any party. As such they
may salt well enough those who, like that gen
tleDan, have Withdrawn from the arena Of
"poitics," but can be Of very little use to thOs'
disposed 10 take part, however humble, in the
active management Of affairs.
If Sc gross q case, as Mr. Hunt fully admits
the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise to be,
does not justify politi ,sl combination among
the sufferers to defend themselves against that
great wrong" and TO relieve themselves from
that "unmtigated calamity iii in case of
this kind instead Of uniting to demand redress,
and if II be not yielded by those in power plac-
ing Others in power who will give it, we are, as
Mr.. Hunt proposes, to content ourselves with
begging aid and assistance from parties no.
toriously incapable to render it-if such
be the policy which we are to adopt in
this momeDtous crisis of our national af'
fairs, why not as well join the NOn-resistant
Society at once, and renounce forever sny fur
emergency like the present one cannot stir us,
none other seems likely to occur sufficient to
wake us from our tranquil dream or to rouse
our neiveless muscles to action.
1t is much to be feared that since Mr. Hunts
withorawsl from the "arena of politics" to the
"more genial occupations Of rural life" he has
fallen into il dolent habits. At all events, his
letter calls to mind certain passage 10 Prov
erbs: "Tte slothful man saith there is 6 lion 10
"the way; lion is in the streets. AS the door
"turneth upon its hinges so doth the slothful
"upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand n
"his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it ag ain to
"his mouth The sluggard is wiser in his own
"conceit than seven en- that can render rea-
"sOn." Though elevated now to rural life,
Mir. Hun. has not forgotten the ingenious ar Ii
fees Of the bar. His case is skillfuly enough
put, but still we find 10 it not the wisdom of a
retired statesman nor the sentiments of pat
riot, but only lozy mans apology.
Mr.. Hunt fully admits the justice, propriety
and urgent necessity OF the restriction OF Sla-
very within its existing limits; but then in tse
way of the union OF parties at the North to ac-
complish that just, proper, urgent and neces-
saIy object he sees lion-yes, indeed, two
lions He is afraid of rushing into al unnatu-
"ral alliance with reckless, unreasoning fanat.-
"cism," and he is frightened at the idea
of sectional party. By reckless, unrea-
soniDg fanatics Ex-Governor Hunt no doubt
means the Abolitoasts; and yet he makes
it one Of his objections to the proposed
fusion party that it cannot abolish Slavery in
the States. "Can it," he asks in reference
to the proposed new party, " emancipate single
"slave, or improve the condition of the African
"Iacei" If the editor of The Commercial Ad.
rertiser had been a Garrison Abolitionist we
could well have seen the pertineacy of this in
quiry; but addressed to Wing, and especially
to conservative Whig, il seems entirely out Of
place. 1t is not the object Of the proposed Re-
publican party TO emancipate slaves, nor to i'm
prove the condition Of the African race, but
only to restrict Slavery within its present
limits.
AS To- the other questions which the Ex. Gov
ernor asks in the same connection, though pat
in sufficiently pompous way, and as if he
thought them quite decisive, they do not seem
to US 10 involve the least shadow Of objection to
the proposed fusion party. "Wil party" ne
asks, Nso constituted, confined as ii must be to
"tbe Free States, confer any practical good
'upen the countryl" Now inasmlch as the
Free States have it in their power TO choose
President and msjOrity Of both branches of
Congress, We see no reason why party 80 con-
stiiuted, even allowing that it must be confined
TO the Free States sho Id not confer all sorts of
practical good on the country, ss much indeed
as any other party. Why not
"Will it's effects again the Ex-Governor asks,
:" advance the interests Of liberty and civilization p
To which we say, decidedly, Yes" A party
having for its end and object the repression Of
slavery within its existing limits cannot possibly
fail especially if it succeeds in that object in ai-
yanciDg the interests Of liberty and civilization.
"Wil its struggles for supremacy" the Gov
ernorseoes Cd, strengthen TIE foundssiSh. of
American freedom and independence 2" The
struggles Of sueh party for supremacy being
struggles to rectify great wrong, and TO save
she country from the calsmitous consequences
Of S gross breach of faith, how can they fail TO
strengthen the foundations Of American freedom
and independence Upon what foundations do
American freedom and independence rest, if not
upon those of justice aud good faith
"wil it do anything for commerce, for inter
"ral improvements, for domestic industry, or
. for the promotion of the general welfare ?"