Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-02
NARROWNEsS OF VIEW.

Among the societies which celebrated their an
niversary during the last week in the city of Bos
ton was one called the " Emancipation League"
At the opening of the celebration it was
stated that "the League had no report to make
of the dongs of the past year, for the reason
that year ago its members, in common with all
earnest anti-savcry men and women of the country,
had come to the conclusion that policy of eman-
cipation was at last adopted at Washington" But
it was added that, after the experience and obserya
tions of the last year. most its members had come
to doubt whether they were quite right in that
conclusion They had had, it was admitted, pro-
clamatons of emancipation, but as yet no "policy"
of emancipation--"n no act coming from the authori-
ties at Washington which justified the belief that
they mean that the slave shall be free as white
men are free" Therefore, for few months past,
those who had been specially interested in this
League had been thinking that it was time to re
new their work. butasit was near the season for the
anniversaries Of the benevolent and philanthropic
societies of Massachusetts,, they concluded to post
pone it until this time. They intend now to re-
vve the organization, "believipg that the great
work of emancipation in this country is yet to be
accomplished; that policy of emancipation is yet
to be inaugurated by the Government, and it never
will be inaugurated until the authorities at Wash
ington are satisfied that the people in earnest
in demanding it."
Among the speakers on the occasion was Wen
dell Phillips, who, as is his wont, held towards
the Administration style of language which, for
min Of fba opd
official integrity, would have been deemed highly
reasonable in the State of Ohio during the mill
tary administration of Gen. Burnside. Certain it
is that Mr.. Vallandgham was exed for uttering
words much less derogatory to the constituted
authorities than those which Mr.. Phillips habitu-
ally uttcrs with impunity-a fact that sufficiently
shows how true it is that in some respects we are
now living undera Government of men and not of
law for the law is no respecter of persons. 1t is
not our purpose to reproduce any of these inju-
rious imputations on the official conduct of Mr
Lincoln, except the one to which the speaker gives
expression in the following paragraphs:
81 am willing to accord to Abraham Lincoln all the
credit that belongs to him for the proclamation If the st
Of January 1868 but want all Of you old and yourg
men, womeD Americans, and Foreigners, white and
negroes who here to-day, to understand when
say that in my option negro owes any thing to Abra
ham Lincoln. [Appause. No negro on this Continent
him the fret shadow Of gratitude. Applause and
Kisses Well hear the hisses and let prove to you
what say On the 4h Gay Of April, 1864, Abraham Lin
coin says to Mr. Hodges, o Kentucky Understand me:
did any thing for the negro on bis account
tried TO help him. Don't accuse me OF principle.
Don't Of love for the negro. did any
thing for him till was forced to- aud then only used
him. That lie his own letter If he does not know hi,
heart, do not ind fault with me. Applause. The
first day Of January 1868 he issued proc maton and
the only reference TO justice snd God in grated into
it by the Secretary Of the Treasury; and the 4th of
April 1854 the President Of the United States says to
Kentucky 'Undsrtand did any thing for the
negro on his account never went him while there
was any other aid left aud when went him. it
only to him.. That is his picture. If you do not
like it, go and find fault with him. Applause II he does
know himself il he puts u low motive which he
really did not feel 10 order to coucate Kentucky do not
blame me. i recte bis record-he writes it. The writer
OF the letter of April 4h 1864 TO Hodges allows that
there rs not negro who owes him any thing and do not
believe there s Tor he touched negro that he did
not break the promise he made to him."
The rude and criminative tone of this reflection
on the candor of the President is the least among
the points Of exception that should be taken to
it. The ground on which the charge is brought
reveals total msconception of the obligations i'm
posed on the incumbents of Office by the trust they
hold Mr. Phillips rails at the President because
he does not make the moral law, as xpounded by
tho Anti-Slavery Society OF Boston, the rule Of bis
official conduct in all that pertains to the welfare
OF the negro. noppostion to this vicwitis enough
to say that the line Of demarcation between
the moral and political world is clearly marked
IL is very true that State afford to have any
political rule or regulation which comes into con-
fict with the prcoepts of morality or religion but
it is equally that all sound morality and all truo
religion warn the magistrate against doing evil in
the sphere of his political duties that good may
come in the sphere of ethics. He may not regu-
late his official conduct under the laws Of the land
by his abstract notions Of right or wrong; for in
doing so he would remit society to the most help.
less confusion, and justly bring on himself the
pains and penalties OF moral perjury. And yet it
is from failure rightly to apply this principle in
their judgments that many men criminate the
motives of their political opponents with as little Of
reason in the grounds which their censure is based
of candor or moderation in the terms in which it
is couched. The President is not the only person
who is subject to such invidious imputations from
the misjudging pctulanco of party spirit in our
country at the present time.