New-York daily tribune., 1856-08-01

Without being as absolute opt'onists as Can
dide and by no means holding to the doctrine that
everything is for the best in this best Of all possible
worlds, still We happy in often discerning vii
laiIy made the unwilling instrument Of good, aud
the engineer of evil "host with his own petard." :"
The grief and indignation which we feel for the
murderous attempt on the life Of Mr.. Sumner, for
his suftrDgs and for the loss the country sustains
through bis withdrawal from public life at so impor
tant point in our history, cannot prevent us from
SET ing the incidental good which has already at
tended this crime, and which we believe will be
yet multiplied in hundred fold. We do not be-
leve in doing wrong that good may come of it;
but we hold it to be true philosophy and sound
morality to observe and to point out the involun-
tary tribute of good which Providence extorts from
the reluctant hands of crime.
We reed not advert to the effect which this cow
ardly attempt at murder produced all over the
Free States in arousng attention to the true state
of the country and resolute spirit of resistance
to the base and cruel Slave Power which prompted
It. That is patent for all to see; and If the country
Is ever delivered from that fatal sway we believe
the deadliest blows ever aimed at its life were those
intended for the life of Mr.. Sumner by the skulking
Brooks. But this crime, and all that accompanied
and has followed it, will DO yet different and
even more valuable service to Freedom than this.
It has opened mems eyes to the degradation and
debasement which Slavery works in the characters
of those who live within Its influence, and has msde
them realize, as they never did before, the disgrace
and dshOnor of suffering their own best interests
and the reputation of the country to be left at the
mercy of wretches destitute of all sense of justice
Of msgBanmity, of manly courage, and of genuine
honor.
The attention which has been directed of late
years to the subject of Slavery has had the effect
of making its runous influence upon the character
Of the Shareholders better understood. Many a
fair.seemiDg pretension has bscn reft away from
them and troops of Illusions have disappearedin in the
stern presence Of refractory facts STILL willing
are mtn to take other men at their own account Of
themselves, and so perpetual has been the claim
kept up by the shareholders to the possession of
| certain brilliant qualities, that many good, easy
people thought that there must be something 10 it,
There bss Kind Of prestige still clung to them Of
courage, manlness, generosity. nice sense of
personal honor, and readiness to die rather than
| endure the stain of an insult. Those that knew
them be st have always known that their claim 10
these qualities was Of very equivocal char
acter. Men who have wintered and summered
with them, who have slept under the same tent or
walked the same quarterback, know that they
have as tender regard for their own lives aud
limbs as ether men-thst however prone to in
science and domineerDg, little cool determine
tion is always sufficient to bring then to their
bearings and make them perfectly amensble to
good manners.
Th,ir daily life and personal habits are per-
peiusl II ADDICTION to their brsgs Of an especial
couIsge. Brave mtn do To: 90 armed with bowie
hives, reroheis ard swol cpue.. IL is pr. OF