American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-03-02
Mr.. Brooks on the Negro.

once a Whig paper of decency and inau-
ence, afterwards Know-Nothing organ
and advocate of the straight out" Fill
more ticket in 1885, but of late years a
pro-slavery Democratic sheet of the most
malignant type. Mr.. Brooks is also a
member of Congress from the city of
New York, and has heretofore shown no
disposition to approve single measure of
the Administration intended to subdue
rebellion. "Hshas been emphatically, to
use the significant words of our neighbor
of the Post, a member of 'the Democrat
ic party at the present time"
But Brooks is sharp He is no novice
in the politicians art of reading the signs
of the times, and no sticl1ler for political
consistency when it serves his purpose to
turn sharp corner. In this latter par
ticular he is certainly wise and eminently
Democratic. He does not forget the ira
ditions of his party If tenet of party
faith won't go with the people, Or if it is
not profitable to hold fast to it, the Demo-
cracy drops it and takes another. Ercm-
pH gyat5a: one year ago the Democratic
party vas bitterly opposed to the three
/ hundred dollar clause in the enrolment
bill; just now Democratic editors and
members of Congress are dumb as oysters
upon the horrid iniquity of the "rieh
mans law" Doubtless they think it a
wise enactment just about this time, and
we expect soon to hear them say so. Nor
do we now hear any of those loud indg-
nant protests against negro soldiers with
which the "whito mans party" once filled
our Abolition ears. Every member Of
that party to-day. like Private Miles
O'Reilly, is perfectly wiling to admit the
right of the negroto be "kilt" if thereby
his own white skin can be kept unblack-
ed by ''villainous gunpowder." In fur
thcr illustration, we have recently seen
many of the Democracy attempting to steal
one-half the thunder Of all Abolitionism,
&" "fanaticaP WENDELL PHILLIPS included,
by shouting Justify in favor Of an amend
meut to the Constitution which shall abol-
ish slavery in short meter
Mr., BRooKs is one Of the most "pro-
gressive" ofhis party in trimming his politi-
cal sails to suit the varying "winds ofpub-
lie doctrine" He might well have pasted
in the crown Of his hat, if he has not,
this convenient and sublime motto:
New occasions teach new duties;
Time makes ancient good unc1Uth:
IIe must upwards stiu and onward.
Who who would keep abreast Of Triii'
A man of Mr.. Brooks oycrshadowing
goodness could not, of course, allow him
self to fall behind Truth when she is
marching along" and he doesn't. Mr..
Brooks, therefore, throws the ancient
good" to the dogs, and accepts the modern
good as the very thing he had been look
ing for and longing after.
Mr.. Brooks has recently been making
a speech in Congress, in which he show
ed himself equal to any acrobatic feat that
the oxigencies Of his party or the rapid
steps of Truth might require of him
The speech was delivered on Monday last,
upon the proposition toestablish Bureau
of Frecdmen's Affairs. The speaker du-
ly condemned the policy which had cman-
cipated the slaves, and deplored the pitia-
bic conditioned the freedmen on the banks
of the Mississippi and elsewhere, which
was the direct result of emancipation
Somuch Of hisspeach was in the way of
buncombe for the lower class Of his New
York constituency, and as a means also of
letting himself down easily to the conlez
sion he was about to make lie continu-
ed: "While he, with others, mourned
the destruction Of the laws Of his country
he must cease protesting and resisting
must see thighs as they are. Mustaecept
facts accomplished and abide by the con
sequences. Hence he recognized the
abolition Of slavery; and he intended to
act hereafter upon that recognition, because
it is inevitable So far as he had infu-
ence he intended to withdraw that ques-
tion from the exciting canvass Of the day,
and to go before the people upon other
matters of difference" As if this ad-
mission were not enough to satisfy the
country that hereafter Mr.. Brooks would
recognize the abolition of slavery" he
goes on: II recognize the abolition of
slavery as existing for other reasons that l
have given, and call to law Of the rebel
Congress which | now hold in my hand
The first section of this act declares that
all male free negroes shall be conseripted
and brought into the Southern army
The second section of the act provides for
organizing twenty thousand of the south
ern slaves, not exactly as soldiers, but as
sappers, miners, and navyies, or laborers,