The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-27
THE rR1rmpH OF rmE rRurm.

From fas Tribune.
AS a year which will always be memorable in
our annals draws toward It's close, the great prn-
cples which underlie the present contest are not
only moro heartily recognized by ourselves, but
more accurately compr,hcnded by other nations.
In public, just as In private affairs, she COM
monest imputation is that of narrow aud
hungry selfishness which, even when it is undc
served, the practical pressure Of events leaves
for Sme unrefuted. This is the misfortune of
most human actions which have other than pal
pable and temporary motives; and to this, in
part, must be attributed the ready distortion of
American passions and purposes which has
marked foreign criticism of our conduct.
To the ariStocrat we seemed to promise too
much-to the Democrats too little; and thus
between the apprehension Of the one and the
hasty misapprehension of the other, we were
= blamed alike for our sins of commission and
omission, and while we eXasperated our enemies
We failed to satisfy our friends. 1t was early
foreseen by all who cared at all for onr national
consistency, that unless we wanted war as pur-
poseless and as incOnclusive as the tacuOn hght
Of an Irish fair we must not shrink from the Op-
poItupity fairly thrust upon uS, OF taking the
devil Of Human Slavery by the throat and straug-
ling it, to the grta Joy ofthe good and just oil al
nations The argument against us, whether 1t
came from eager foes or disappointed allies, that
We sought opiy the status q,to, would have been
painfully conclu i've, If It had only been true.
The first black freed by the war was its living,
embOdied and final refutatiOn; aud now, with
our policy solemDlS declared, we have rlgh' %
ask for sympathy nom al VINO profess TO OelleVe
in human emancipauon from me shachdcs Oh
kipRctaft or of hereditary ar.stocraey. There
was time when our declaration would have
brought us 10 strength; but kings and cabinets
can no longer afford 10 disregard the democra1cal
Tendencies OF the age, and slowly bat surely the
nf n N
the light of a new morning. The century VIII
not shame its incalculable material progress Oy
any adherence to obsolete and clumsy social
forms.
IL is wonderful to notice with how fine SYM
pathy the proclamation Of the President has
been received, even in England. IL may not
change the views Of aIstocrats aud traders, but
at least it has closed their clamorous mouths ;
while upon the great masses, the workers, the
producers, the s,rugglers toward higher social
position, the effect has been almost electrical
Our British friends now oOcuPy vantage
ground from which they may DEFY msrepTe-
sentation and abuse. We no longer ask Tor
ourselves a freed IN which we deny to others
we no longer prOyONe Tidicule by cOntnu Al in
consistency We no longer stand up for giant
wrong in defiance of the fundamental principles
of our Gov,rnment; we no longer seek iot quiet
by an acquesceHce in lnquty-we no longer
dream Of CliDging to a political system ridiculous
nv inevitable conlradicdOns-we have outSrown
the follies of our pou al childhood, and we have
earned the right 10 adore Freedom by the stern
TepuOlatiOn OF slavery WHICH WAS III Oul
power An attitude like this extorts the gratitude
and the good wishes of all seekers for noDle
civilization, wherever they may be laOOrlng II
b.half of mankind We are no louger nghTins
merely our own battle. We are eng gad in nC
pet,y and selfish warfare. Ours is the cause o
the whole human race, and ours will be its grsI
tude.
the generous aud aspsing can sincerely send &
us across the sea the Wa5oOme gift OF their goo
wishes-wheu the E1Bunh people mold GU
their hands, hardened Oyt 81, and bid us CO.
speed with an honest volc,thDl1en oil that Is lei
OF democratic sentiment M France IS with US
when large hearted and great minded Germ IN,
calls us TO be of good cheer II Is blessing 0
God that we can send back 10 them words OF hop
and encouragement and bid them mark that th
fight is 9 ing bravely on, aud that we are seekln
no doubtful, no di honorable victory II we ca
but conquer, we conquer for the continent. W
save il, for a long age, perhaps nom the palsyln
embrace of a frozen a0solutism-we Keep
as the refuge of the oppressed and the detraude
hordes Of Europe we hold 1t as th
practical demonstration OF mans possiOl
happiness--we consecrate it as an ark of safety
. in which his chances Of higher destiny sha'l D
" preserved. This may be sneered at as deiuslo
\ and scofied at as an imbecllity. We do NOT paus
"a 10 dispute with disbelievers, real or pretende,
- We take the love Of liberty for granted, ana v
deduce from il the right We seek the ESTABLISH
ment of Republic as perfect in construction q
il is pure in theory, and to all who udicule Ou
enthusiasm, We have but one stern answer: a
least the experiment should be tried-tTed iairl
and thoroughly, with no adulterating mXture
contradictory theories and perhaps fatal adml'
siOns-tried as II has never bsfore been tried slns
the Lord created the world.
r We have been charged, as people with "a
sensitive regard for the good opinion OF otht
nations. This war, if it has taught us nothn
. else, has at least shown to the relative valu
of the complaisance which is ext0rted by tel
and the hearty good will which springs fro
community OF opinion With the return
peace, and the renewed consolidation of OF
strength, we shall assume a somewhat diterel
position, for we may say without arrogance, ma
balance. and have not been found wanting, "
shall contribute an Invaluable chapter 10 histOl
the record of a civil war undertaken by dem
craey In defense Of democracy, and Of victo
consistent with Itself and unstaned by fat
exeesses This lesson the world has long neede
and This lesson, by The grace of God 1t shall no
have