Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-06-13
FRIDAY. JUNE IS, 1899.

IT is said to have once been the custom in
Turkey, when any man was the author OF no.
torious falsehoods, to blacken the whole front
of his house. Addison, in the Freenolder
papers, adds that ambassadors sometimes had
this mark set upon them, who were detected
in giving false intelligence to prejudice the
government and mislead the people; and he
thought that if the salutary custom had been
observed in England, some entire parishes
would have been placed in mourning, and
several streets darkened from one end to the
other. Such a custom in this country might
also give checkered aspect to some of our
political communities; but it would at the
same time take from considerable number
of malcontents their power to do mischief.
The class who make it their persistent bus
mess ''to prejudice the government and mis-
lead the people" have variety of devices,
involving less personal peril than taking up
arms. They make no direct and specific
assaults upon the government. They engage
in no enterprises which are openly and
palpably reasonable. Discarding truth
they take safety for their guide; and that
keeps them measurably loyal. They affect
in the general, confidence in the government;
but attack with exceeding fiuency and fierce
ness, every particular member thereof; and
every particular measure which contemplates
putting such an end to the rebellion that its au-
thors shall have no power left to excite an
other. They are angry with congress, not
Is in no Of i'm
portant questions, but because it has mani
fested-the first time for nearly half centu-
ry-some practical respect for natural rights.
They misrepresent and falsify that earnestly
pure and loyal public sentiment, entertained
by the great masses of northern people, which
desires to see the Union permanently estab-
lshed on the principle of liberty, as it was
expounded by Jefferson and the best of the
early statesmen.
This strange perversity, for which, if the
Turkish custom survived, their houses would
be blackened from roof to foundation, is as
blind as it is wicked. The name aboltionist,
which has been held as an odious epithet for
generation, excites odium no longer. 1t
does not mean hostility to the government and
the laws. The rebellion, every hour that it
remains unsubdued, proves that slavery was
as bad as it has been represented and vind-
Gates the abolitionists from the reproaches
they have patiently borne. Step by step the
people and the government are coming up to
their standard; and for the sake of the con-
stitution and good government are beginning
to do the work which has been prepared for
them. Calamity is an expensive school
teacher; but its lessons, if rightly used, de-
velope and strengthen every virtuous purpose.
Hundreds of thousands of people who never
INDUCED an unkind thought of the institution
either as a social system, or political power,
have received a new revelation of light since
its champions plunged the country into this
terrible and murderous war. Every brave
man who falls on account of this rebellion
and by disease or battle they are falling fear
fully fast-sends up for the overthrow of this
blood-thirsty enemy an appeal which the
country cannot resist if it would. Half-loy-
alist may attempt to distract attention by de-
nOuncing abolitionists and secessionists to-
gether; but the voices of the fallen rise high
er than their own