Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-17
@MOrtester @ailp spp.
lFor the Daily Spy.l
The Iuquisition Mt Washinnto

Mr.. Edhor:-Since the days OF. the revolu-
tionary tribunal under the reign of Robes
pierre, Danton, and Marat, when have we
seen anything, in the old world or the new,
approaching so nearly in point of resemblance
to that exploded engine of tyranny and despo-
tism, the Spanish Inquisition, as that now wit
messed at the seat of the national government
under the lead of jeff Davis & Co." with
the lying pretense of tracing out the aiders
and abettors of John Brown in his raid into
Virginia If crime has been, or is to be
committed against the sovereignty or the peo-
pie of Virginia, or, if the national armory at
Harper's Ferry is in danger, have we not ma
tional courts, and state courts, sufficiently
competent to take care of all such cases
dow far does the power extend, Of this self
constituted tribunal, to drag men, from Maine
to California, from the Atlantic to the Pacific
70 testify, not only to facts, but to notifies of
action, this way or that. If the Senate, why
not the House, or any of the heads of depart
ments Why not, even, the national demo-
cratic committee, or their subs ? Where is the
power to end
To be sure, we have got the Speaker, and
tlldJ IS IL Iudtler vi or WOulu De, IL
we were not continually subjected to insult
and disgrace. RepubIicanism, as set forth in
SO, was good enough to live by, and as far as
politics go, to die by,-whttled down, as it is
now, to the "non extension OF slavery" per-
haps is all that is necessary to start with-if,
when falling back on our reserves, they do not
all break and run, it will be we'll Already
we hear Forney shouting from the ranks, Il
will go for the fugitive slave law to the DEATH"
happy augury of happy fortune.
But the inqusition. Since the reply of John
A. Andrew to the inquisitors when he was
asked his motives for raising funds to defend
John Brown, and is condescending to state
them fully, take it, the inquiry will take
wide range,-so much so, that should he be
inquired of, hereafter, how he came to take
up the defense of Lamar, of the yacht Wan
derer, he would not only specify his reasons
for so doing, but add the amount of the fee he
was to have for the job; or if the question
should be-"Are you a relative of the man
that cut off the 'figure-head of the Constitu-
ton, one dark, rainy night?" the answer
would be sufficiently amplified to take in the
remotest bearing upon such a dignifed and
profound inquiry.
John Brown had manhood and courage
enough, when improperly Intercepted by
Gov. Wise, to tell him of his impudence to his
face, in asking such question, and Wise re-
spected him for it. Cook, like coward vol
unfairly told all he knew, and got ropes end
for his pains, and the eXecration Of mankind,
to boot, for his want of selfrespect. When will
northern men learn anything! We are ever
prating against the south for running over us
well they may-they know who they have to
deal witl-true, they only now and then
knock down a man ON the Legislative floor, but
this is because they can do better by battering
down or undermining by piecemeal the fabric
of our manhood. Where i'll any other place
on the earth, excepting that Of slave oligar
chic Sanedrim, would witnessIbe required to
state his ''laotiUe" for rescuing man from the
bite of a rabid bull dog. Yet northern men
men of Misunderstanding men-men whom
we delight to houor-governors senators,
representatives, philanthropists-al go up and
take their stand, not to testify to the whole
truth but to so much of truth as will serve to
build up what is designed by its authors as a
political swindle, while at the same time it
shall so operate as to stigmatze and render
odious and contemplate these informers, they
and their associates.
How humiating to see such men as Gen.
Wilson, j. r. Giddings, S. g. Howe, John A.
Andrew, Thaddeus Hyatt, Gov. Robinson, DIR.
Arny-men who for years have labored in
the cause of Republicanism through evil report
and good report-men distinguished for their
faithtulness and perseverance i'll the cause
which they profess to uphod-to see them
dragged before such tribunal to answer to
such questions, which they and all the world
know are propounded not for the object pre-
tented, but mainly Or solely for the purpose
of getting from the mouths of these witnesses
some evidence, some clue, some suspicion, that
they themselves have been engaged in some
way in this very John Browns business, aad
if hapy they succeed, why then their most
sangune wishes are realized. When this view
of the subject is taken, how admirably to the
point is the inquiry, "What was your 'motive'
in getting funds to defend John Brown 2"
1t is a principle with nations that their rights
are respected. When these are disregarded or
rodden down with impumty, in the same "a
ito their character and prosperity decline so,
if not now, will the character and the contin-
uance of q governmental party be measured,
in the future, they must not only do right but,
in order to maintain themselves before the
world, they must see to it that while observ-
ing the rights of others, they are not blind to
selfrespect. C.s.
Ashburnham, Feb II, 1860.