The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
EHxVnrd EYCrctt.

Edward Everett.
Edward Everett is what is called
,,rcat man. He has been editor, poe''
preacher and Congressman. He Is
scholar withal, and bears the reputation
of being the most polished and classical
orator of tie day. He isa gentleman,
too. The nap of his lat is unrufiied, his
waistcoat is in style, his linen is of unim-
peaehable whiteness, and his boots wear
the polish of high responsibility. But
with all his virtues, with all his grace, all
his scholarly attainments and splendid
talents, Edward Everett is fossil-a
defunct man. He has hardly more to do
with the quickened life and awakened
energies of the American people than an
Egy ptian mummy. He is in hearty
sympathy with no great cause. He is a
friend to education, and sometimes makes
elegant addresses at agricultural fairs; but
he uses his vast force of intellect to OPP
pose no popular evil; he hurls the darts
of bis genius at no giant shape Of wrong.
In the stirring life of this nineteenth cen
fury, when, especially in our own land,
Freedom has been struggling in the iron
grippe of Oppression, Mr.. Everett has felt
no accelerated heart beat, has spoken no
eloquent word for the Right, Numbered
no condemnation of the Wrong. He
lacks backbone lie is t:mid and tempo
rizing. -..... ....-+: 5..+.. ...n
Well, Mr.. Everett wrote an Grafton
about Westinghouse very fine oration-
except that it was hardly complete.
Washington emancipatcd all his slaves,
and gave bis testimony against the insti-
tuition of Slavery. A great many very
worthy and sensible people think this an
important fact, but Mr.. Everett neglected
to mention it. Well. Mr.. Everett was a
national man, lie had national reputa-
ton, he was writing a national Grafton,
and he well knew that if he adverted to
this fact, no Southern audience would
listen to his polished periods. es no. 80
A short time since he was invited to
!. Charleston to deliver his Grafton. The
citizens of the Palmetto State rose up to
do him honor. Mr.. Yeadon, of the
Charleston Courier, bestowed on him
such fulsome praise as would have sick
ened an ordinarily modest man. But the
Genius of Slavery is Argus-eyed. The
| Richmond South discovered that Mr..
Everett had signed o paper, expressing
condemnation of Preston Brooks for as
saulting Mr.. Sumner, and a hue and cry
was raised against him.. The "fire eat
ers" showed their dentals in avery UNI
friendly manner. In this dilemma, Mr..
Yeadon rushed to the rescue. He assn
red the excited Carolinans that Mr.. Ever
EFT was sail right, that when he signed
the paper he was unwell, and under the
Iz'' confusing influence of an anodyne, y
that :" he held the institution of Slavery
to be legal one, neither sinful in itself
nor anti-scriptural." i. E" I'd. e.
What did Mr.. Everett say in reply to
this? Nothing! By his silent acquies-
ccnce in this explanation, he apologized
for his mild condemnation of a gross out
rage. Thus does the gentleman, states
man and orator Of New England abase
himself at the beck of the Slave Power,
This is the humiliation to which the gray
hairs of Edward Everett are brought
Punishment enough! Let him rest, bu
let others learn from his disgrace to cult
vate that trait of character which is EN-
phatically styled backbone. i"li9~a 'f
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