New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-22
HGLIER THAN THOU!

the sympathy Of all Blndy -cOasloeTute peIsohs'
He has made the Ant-Slavery reform what the
advertising doctors call ga speciality" lie IS
Ike n man who has invented pill, and believes
nothing in the world greater than his orblcular
marvel Of scammODy and gambOge. He some
tines reminds us of the dog in the Prologue of
Rabelais. "Dd you ever" says that facetious
philosopher, "see n dog with marrow bone IN
90 his mouth the beast of all others, according to
" Plato, the most philosophical Ii you have
seen him, you might have remarked with what
devotion and circumspection he wards and
watches it; with what care he keeps 1t; how
" feryently he holds it; how prudently be COB
" bles it; with what affection he breaks 1t; and
" with what diligence he sucks il" Antl-Slavery
is Mr.. Phillips's bone; and no man can venture
to indulge in little philanthropy without pro-
yokDg from that gentleman snbaclduOus snarl
He dotes only upon those who disagree with
him. and all his converts Immediately become the
objects, not perhaps of his jealousy, but GER
tainly of his suspicion He loves his enemies
because it is 50 delightful TO pummel them, and
be dilates with pleasure over some fresh and
uncommon wickedness Just as surgeon admires
large ulcer better than O cheek which health
has ncarnadined. D'lsraei says somewhere that
the Jews shrink from convert as from ca
lamity; and very good AbOlltiOnists may be very
good Jews in more ways than one. Mr..
pbillips is q close communion refOrmer. You
must take the wine out Of his cup, or you
shall not have drop; you must receive the
bread from his plate, or you shall not swallow
scrap. When you have confessed according TO
his prescription, and eaten uncommon quantities
Of humble pie, Mr.. Phillips admits that you may
possibly have a blinking idea of the sin of
Slavery, and just little feeble and emotional
desire to combat il; but what he does not by
any means admit il, that you hate il as be bates
il. that you are sincere as he is sincere, or that
yeu are consistent according TO his code of con-
sistency. He puts you instantly upon the deten-
siye; he challenges your right to assist in the
good work; he carps, sneers, and undervaluesi
and having quibbled You into the category Of
man.stealers he makes cruel speeches about you
upon ell possible occasions. A mind so warped
and twisted Judgment 30 inequtablc and dis
located a character so essentially and inces-
traces of its original generosity still percep-
tble, and when, in spite of its standing protest
against being admired, we cannot help admlring It's
better qualities. The contest in which Mr. Phillips
has passed his life has been a cruel one; we
wish, with all other sacrifices, that he hsd not
felt himself obliged to sacrifice his cathOllclty
auy kindness of nature. A bget Of liberslity,
sectarian anti-sectarau, sour phanthrOpist, is
a not pleasing object. Mr. Phillips should
remember that hostility to human bondage cannot
be monOpozed by seven men in Cornhill, Bos-
ton; and that Presidential Election is of more
consequence in the worlds turmoil than six
" Anti-Slayery Bazaars' with a stock of rirtH
from the Duchess of Sutherland, and of ninety
nigbt.caps embroidered by ths hands of Lady
Byron herself. 1t is one thing to work actually
in public affairs, and to have immediate social
results depending upon practical discretion and
diligence; it is quite another to fight folly and
wrong in tie abstract, to be bold upon plat
form but never TO be seen at u poll. The best
philosophers become in time mere amateurs, and
have no honOrs but those of quotation. Gentle
men who begin by ignoring citizenship are not
the best judges Of those who still recognize pO-
litical relations.
There is one ramifcatiol of Mr.. Phillips's
well-rOOted spleen which perhaps We are not
disinterested enough to consider with charitable
equanimty. lie is afflicted by q great and
chronic grudge against newspapers; and We sup
pose that of the thousand sheets emitted daily or
weekly in the United States, he regards as
worthy of respect only two. For THE TRIBUNE
we are sorry to notice that he has little atfec-
ton; and it is really painful to observe what
cTcultus Journeys he is, once or twice in a
year, in the habit of making merely that he may
have his gibe at us. Ii any journal rises to the
honor Of being named in his speeches, it is al
ways The TRIBUNE; and the impression Of US
which any auditor would receive from these
amable illusions would be, that We are in con-
spiracy with Kett, Slidel and the ghost of Mr..
Preston Brooks to preserve the Union and post.
pone emancipation. We are, as matter Of
good taste, almost defenseess against this kind
of attack 1t is not for US to say how much
We have been enabled 10 do; how many minds
we have convinced, or how many men We have
led in the path Of right action. But We have
certainly the right as we have not less the in
clnation to speak for the general Republican press
Of the country; and to declare that in earnest
and practical advocacy of the Rights of Man,
and in educating the public thought up to q
healthy adherence of Slavery, the Republican
newspapers have done and are still doing a noble
work. Mr.. Phillips, who knows nothing at all
about the conduct Of newspapers, cannot under