Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-10-10
MORNTNGLEADER.



Good I.efter from a Veteran Patriot:
In these days Of spostscism from the prin
ciples laid down by our national founders,
and by the ssges and statesmen Of our ma
tons younger days, it is well to listen to
the infrequent voices which come to us
from the survivors Of that age Of patriot
ism. Among them no name stands higher
for patriotism and national integrity than
ttst Of Josiah Quincy Mr. Quincy was
born in l772, and since 1905 has been al
most constantly in public life, either in
the State Legislature Of Massachusetts, the
National Congress, or as President of Har-
ward College. 30 --.
The New York Evening Post publishes
letter written by Mr.. Quincy to President
Lincoln, commenting upon and endorsing
the Presidents letter to the Illinois Con-
ventiOn. The letter is a good one and We
publish it in full, below;
"QUNcT, September Z, 1868.
1To Hon. abraham Lincola
SIR-0ld age has its privileges, which l
hope this letter will not exceed. But l
cannot refrain from expressing to you my
-zFali6catiUn and ay gratitude for your
letter to The Illinois Convention happy,
timely, conclusive and effective. What
you say concerning emancipation, your
proclamation and your course of proceed
ing in relation 10 il, was due to truth and
your own character, shsmefulIy assailed
IS it has been. The development is an i'm
perishsble monument Of wisdom and vir-
tue.
"Nsgro Slavery and the possibility of
emancipation have been subjects of nv
thought for more than seventy years, being
first introduced to it by the debates in the
Convention of Massachusetts for adopting
the Constitution, in 1873, which l attend
ed. l had subsequently, opportunities of
knowing the views on that subject not on
IL Of such men as Hamilton, King, jay
and Pickering, but also Of distinguished
slaveholders-of both the Pinckneys, of
William Smith Of South Carolina, and Of
nany-others. With the first of these had
personal intercourse and acquaintance. 1
can truly say that never knew the indi-
viduaI, Stakeholder or non-slaveholder, who
did not express deteststion of it, and the
0culLN HAu hAe BObAhAoh " ECl AAu VI H. LAO
only difficulty, in case of emancipation,
wss, what shall we do for the master, and
what shall we do with the slaveP A sat-
isfa.tsry answer TO both these questions
has been, until new, beyond the reach and
the grasp of human wisdom and power.
[" Through the direct influence Of good
and gracious God, the people of the United
States have been invested with the power
Of answering satisfactorily both these
questions, and also of providing for the
difficulties incident to both, Of which if
they fail to avail themselves, thoroughly
and conclusively, they will entail shame
on themselves and sorrow and misery on
many generations.
alt Is impossible for me to regard the
power thus granted to the people otherwise
than as prooeeding'from the direct infu-
ence of experimenting Providence who
ever makes those mad s0kOm He intends to de-
stroy.
"The only possible way in which Slavery,
after it had grown to such hight, could have
been abolished, is that which heaven has
adopted.
SYour fundamentally in the work is to
you subject of special glory, favor and
felicity. The madness Of Secession snd its
inevitable consequence, civil war, will, in
their result, give the right and the power
Of universal emancipation sooner or later.
If the United States do not understand and
fully appreciate the boon thus bestowed on
them, and fail to improve it to the utmost
exteut Of the power granted, they will
prove Ieoreant to themselves and posterity
al write under the impression that the
victory Of the United States in this war is
inevitable.
Compromise is impossible. Peace on
snyother basis would be the establishment |
Of Two nations, each hating the other, both |
military, both necessarily hostile, their |
territories interlocked, with-a tendency to
never-cessing hostility. Can we leave to |
posterity q more cruel inheritance, or one
more hopeless Of happiness and prosperityP /
Pardon the liberty have taken in this
letter, and do not feel obliged in any way
to take notice Of it; and believe NE, ever |
your grateful and obliged servant.
"J0SIAH QUINCY"