The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-01-05
The Advertiser and the Popular Lectures.
PORTLAND, Dec. 2s, 1868.

PORTLAND, Dec. 2S, 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press:
Isee by this mornings issue, that the Adver
tiser man feels very badly on account Of the
degeneracy of the popular lectures. Previ-
ously had foolish notion that such lectures
ought to be upon such subjects as were most
interesting to the public mind. But see my
mistake. The degenerate public has weak
ness for the display of patriotic feeling, and
this the Mercantile Library Association has
wrongfully INDUCED. What a pity! Sup
pose the poor man, whose outraged classical
tastes dictated SO refined an attack upon Miss
Dickinson as that which ornamented the Ad-
vertiser of this morning, should endeavor to
elevate our groveling tastes to his lofty stan
dard of perfection. HIS course of lectures,
were we thus favored, would certainly present
one attraction; am quite sure that they
would always have seats to spare for such as
chose to listen to learned disquisitions upon
the heroes Of the past and the remote ages
10 which they lived and acted, with never an
allusion to the noble martyrs of the present,
in whose living and dying we each have per-
sonal interest.
But, after, all, the everlasting negro" is the
chief part Of the afiction which calls forth
such a dolorous moan from the Advertiser
man. The poor negro is solemn fact, and
must be disposed Of somehow but there is
much disagreement as to the manner. Some,
viewing slavery as the strongest support of
tla ,.oha
sense principle Of knocking down the chief
prop of the unsightly edifce which we are
seeking to overthrow. Others have SO strong
an affection for the system which has for years
fostered and fed their political ambition, that
they cannot seem to comprehend the idea Of
a Union of which it is not part. To add to
their afflicton, it would now be very diff
cult task to restore slavery to its former basis.
In fact, it is not that which the anti-aboltion
croakers desire. All their twaddle simply
means-the triumph OF the South.
Yet there are those who are really mised
by the factional cry of equality for white men
and negroes. To this l can only say, if it be
possible to equalize the two races let it be
done; l care not how soon. IT, on the con-
trary, as they assert, the black man is only
sort of superior monkey, emancipation will
shortly reduce him to his own level, and the
problem will be solved by the final disappear
ance of the race. OF this no one really be-
lieyes that there is any prospect; not even
those who bemoan the most the injustice of
emancipation. No; they are only afraid that
the South will have forever lost the power of
dispensing the patronage to Northern dough-
faces, which has caused their existence And
so it will and yet the Union shall ere long
be restored.
to forget that the aristocracy of the South is
not simply an assumed dominion over the
black man as such, but over all laboring men,
without distinction Of color. So the Northern
Democrat who opposes the war, If he be one
who "carns his bread by the sweat of his
brow" is warning against his own freedom,
and, it may be ignorantly but none the less
certainly, seeking his own debasement. The
question is not whether the black man shall
be raised above his true position, but whether
the white laborer shall be lowered to the sta
ton Of his black representative in the South.
Try to evade the fact as we will, the degrade
ton of labor in one place tends to like re-
suit elsewhere.
These subjects the public are interested in
hearing about, for they are uppermost in each
mind. Even the refined critic of the Avertis-
err would scarcely object to hearing his own
view Of the national crisis proclaimed from the
rostrum; and IL the public do not agree with
him where lies the fault?
am inclined to think that the good man of
the Advertiser wrote that amabe article be-
tween the twinges of rheumatism, and would
respectfully suggest bottle of Perry Davis
Pain Killer before he tries to be critical again,
as he ought to know that the only just rule
for criticism is to apply the standard OF an ell
evated public taste. That such lectures and
topics "draw,' as he acknowledges that they
do, argues that the lectures are right and he is
wrong. Sorry to pity him, but really see no
way OF escape for the poor editor, unless he
commences another course of "Independent
Lectures" which shall ignore the present gen.
Grafton, the war, aud the negro. S.J.F.