Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-07-23
ALetter from ThnrIow weed,

ALetter from ThnrIOw Weed.
ThurloW Weed writes letter to the New
York Times regarding the persecution Of
the cOlOred raoe, in which he speaks will
proper indignation Of the fsndish cruelty
with which the eOlOred citizens of New
York we're treated By the mob. He says
."The page that records their wrongs
during the three days Of misrule in New
York, will be the blsckest in its history
That the wretohes should have deliberate.
Iy marked, for rapine and murder, q class
at once the least offending and most de-
fenceless, is fact and feature in crime
at which civilization and humanity reTolts
and shuddersP
This is speaking as every candid man
must speak, who has read the history Of
the COpperhead riot in New York. But in
his further comments, Mr.. Weed greatly
dsmsges the reputation which he once sus-
tanned (nOw much damaged, we admit, as a
high-minded statesman. He is actually
guilty of apOlOgizing for the mob in such
language as this:
q But when all the circumstances have
been reviewed, the popular condemnation
of those who, while the nation is stIug-
Cling for existence, thrust the unoffending
negro forward as a target for infuriated
mobs, will become general and emphatic.
| Observation-Disclosures were hailed in South
Carolina as the best friends of secession.
Practically, they are the worst enemies of
the colored man. But for the 'mslign in
fuence' Of these bowling deuagogues in
Congress and with the President, rebellion
would not, in the beginning, have assum-
ed such formidable proportions; nor in its
progress would the North have been di-
vided, or the Government crippled"
We're there not abundant proof of its
authenticity, we should not hesitate to pro-
nounce this letter forgery, it is SO gross
ly fslse in sentiment and argument. Mr.
Weed charges that "ultra-AbOlitiOnis
thrust the unOfFending negro forward as a
target for infuriated mobs." Where IS his
proOf2 What did Wendell Phillips or any
who agree with him do to "thrust the ne
gro forward" in New York; The Abo-
litionists" have claimed for the negro his
rights, and no more. They have denied
the justice Of the Dred Scott decision, and
have demanded only that the right to life,
liberty and labor should be insured to the
black man. Before the war, they de-
nounoed the system Of slavery for its in
herent injustice, and when the war had
begun they declared that the negro had
an equal right with white men to fight in
the field or to earn living in the ranks
Of labor. Even in this, the rebels had
thrust the unOffending negro" forward
before the Abolitionists. They employed
them as soldiers and made them work for
the support of themselves and the whites
at the very outset of the war. The Abo-
litiOnists" claimed that they should do for
the cause Of the Union, at least as much as
they were doing for the rebellion. II there
was any thursting forward" here, pray
which side insugursted it?
Mr.. Weed speaks of Observation-Disclosures
as the " best friends" of secession. One
test would quickly settle such a question.
Let an ultrs-Abolitionist" and Conser-
vative or COnciliatOr attempt to travel
through South Carolina, and see which
would go the greater distance before he
adorned the lower limbs Of a Palmetto.
We're Conservatives lynched in South Car
Olina before the war, while ultra-Aboli-
tiOnists were left to pursue their way un-
Mr.. Weed charges upon the Abolition
lists the responsibility for the magnitude
Of the rebellion. It is true, in the same
sense that the magnitude Of the disturb
snce might be charged upon the citizen
who defended his life and property against
what would otherwise have been quiet
burglary and murder Had he kept still,
.he knife would have silently reached his
heart, and even his family not have had
-hsir slumber disturbed; while by his self |
iefense he causes the affair to assume |
such formidable proportions as to alarm
he whole street. The " mslign influence"
" the Abolitionists consisted in urging up
IN the Government two years ago, the
policy toward slaves and slavery which it |
has at length been compelled to adopt
hat of calling them in to aid in crushing |
he rebellion.
Thurlow Weed of ten years ago would |
,e ashamed of the Thurlow Weed of to-day. |