The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-10-24
Man Change, but Principles never.

recollection few evenings ago while hsten-
ing to Judge Rice who was addressing his
democratic brethren in New City Hall, and
advocating the election of the Mcclellan and
Pendleton ticket. He made rather prosy,
but elaborate argument to prove that Presi-g
dent Lincoln's emancipation Proclamation
was unconstitutional, inexpedient and very
dangerous to the liberties of the people. The
Jadge expressed great fears for the safety OF
our institutions because the war against the
rebellion had taken turn and was now pros
ecuted for the purpose of abolishing slavery
in the South. He says "Lincoln came out
with his silly proclamation. that If the South
did not do such and such things, he should
abolish slavery in those States" Well, the re-
bells continued to fight against the govern
ment which the confederate Vice President
Stephens said had never injured the South in
the least degree. The ninety days expired
and then the President issued what Judge
Rice calls his 'illegal proclamation that all the
slaves In the rebel States not within our mill
tary lines were absolutely free.n
1t is somewhat remarkable that this demo-
cratic stump speaker should so far forget and
ignore the principles he once advocated with
a zeal becoming an earnest lover of human
freedom as to call proclamation Silly and IL
IeoaG the sole object of which was to break
the letters which bound four millions of human
beings in slavery and set them free! But such
is the power of party politics and party preju-
dice on the heart and mind Of some men in
this world that they will turn about and eat
their own words. Judge Rice in his speech
exhibited much fondness for records. Now we
signed his own name to, August "a, 1888.
He and three other anti-slavery men address
ed a letter to Judge Kent who was then Gov
erno. of Maine, in which they say in black
and white, We are ourselves AbolitiOnists,
and as such, feel deep interest in ,ohatever
may affect, ecen though remotely, the success
Of our principles and the final triumph Of
the Gauss of emancipation Such wereJudge
RIce's principles in 1888, and what a change
has come over The spirit of his dream.
Is not liberty worth as much now and as
dear to human hearts as it was then? Can
few years of time render null and void prin-l
ciple so sacred as that of Liberty91 What did
he mean by 'the success of our principles ?"
All, he meant well enough then, but alas what
does he mean now when he sneers at such
principleP "The dnal triumph Of the cause
of emancipation These are brave words
and breathe a noble spirit. But this demo
cratic stump speaker takes them all back and
advocates the election of a man who would
do all in his power to keep slavery on it's tren-
bling legs. "What falling off is there, my
countrymenp @We are ourselves Abolition
ists.~ And pray, what are you now? Have
you entirely changed your principles? True
Seth May has not, and he signed the letter
with YOU. How it may be with the signers,
BENJAMIN and Robinson, We have no means Of
knowing. But this we do know, that the
whole tenor of the letter above referred to was
in favor of freedom and against slavery. You
very well know, Judge Rice, that Gov. Kent
was not at that time half anti-slavery enough
to suit you, and the letter was written on pur.
pose to stir him up and induce him to answer
it and thereby show his feelings and opinions
upon the subject then SO near your heart. But
the Governor did not answer your sharp in /,
terrogatories, and for the reason, probably, 8
that he was not quite SO much of an abolition
ist as you were! You had studied the sub
feet of human bondage more, perhaps, than
the Governor had, saw more light and was
ahead of him in discovering the enormous
evils resulting from the peculiar institu-
ton" .r.sq ssv --5a-sz n.re saR
How is it now? But we forbear to pursue
the subject further at this time. We are in
cliued to the opinion, however, that Judge
Kent would not now make two hours speech
upon the affairs of the nation without saying
something about the evils of slavery and be-
slowing some praise on the Presidentsproc-
lamation of emsncipation-a subject which
you once Rugged so closely to your bosom.
He has gone ahead In the good cause aud
mounted up into the regions of light, while
you have refrigerated and gone back into
darkness. What changes there are in this
worid' True, men do change, but principles
never. g