The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-03


wisdom and earnest eobriety OF thought It
contains not word which can wound the sensi-
bilities OF. any political partisan; it is an
appeal addressed TO the moral nature,
the sound judgment, the patriotic instincts
of the American people, the mastery con-
els eness of Its diction, the Calmness ard eleva-
tion OF its tones, the breadth of its social phio-
sophy, it's st8tesmanlike forecast and saeacity,
lite grave eloquence, fit it. beyond anything that
has yet been written on the politics OF this con-
junctUre, to produce conviction on candid minds.
such an argument would have great value COM
ing from anybody; but from MIR. Beecher it is
Inestlmable, because mis- eminent position COM
mands for every thing he may say on topics so
interesting the attention of the whole county,
ana especially the respectful attention oil the
Republican party.
II is the too common practice of heated poll
ticians 10 abuse men who differ from them, and
to act as If impugning their motives was suffi-
cient reply to their arguments. The impossi-
bility of resorting to such weapons against Mr..
Beecher is another reason why this statement
of his views will be more effective for good
than If il bad proceeded from any other man
in the United States. Mr. Beecher doubtless
has his faults; but detraction itself would never
think of saying that time serving is one of
them There is perhaps no man in the coun-
try whose moral intrepidity is less open to
question. bold Independence of spirit was
born in him; it comes of the Beecher blood.
Nobody will think of aspersng him as
cring1ng to the President for office; his great
talents have made him as Independent by posi-
accuse him of wanting humanity for the freed
men, OF lurking dislOyalty to the Government,
OF prO-Rebel sympathies during the war, or of
the compromising tameness Of character which
would surrender a principle for the sake or
peace. He, therefore, if anybody, should be
listened TO with candor. And we cannot hest
tate 10 think that every Republican who reads
Mr.. Beecher's letter with candor, will acknow
ledge the soundness of his views and the force
of his reasoning.
Many of Mr., Beecher's statements have all
the effects of argument; as, for example, when
he says:-"0ur theory of government has no
place for a State except ia the Union.r And
again:-"0ur Government, wisely adauted to
It's own proper functions, is utterly devoid of
those habits and unequipped with those instru-
ments which fit centralized Government to
exercise authority in remote States over local
affairs. Every attempt to perform such duties
has resulted in mistakes which have excited
the nation" And this admirable passage:-"To
keep half score OF States under Federal
authority, but without national ties and re-
sponsiblllties; to oblige the central authority
TO govern half the territory of the Union by
Federal civil officers and by the army, is not
only policy uncongenial to our ideas and
principles, but pre-eminently dangerous to the
spirit of the Government. However humane
the ends sought ana the motives, It is, in fact.
course OF instruction preparing our Govern
nent to be despotic, and tamlliarizing our
people TO a stretch OF authority which can never
be other than dangerous to liberty"
We have taken these passages almost at ran
dom; there is hardly q line in the letter which
IS not equally luminous and persuasive. We
call particular attention 10 the victorious but
somewhat trenchant logic with which he eX-
plodes the argument founded on the dangers OF
admitting the Southern members into Congress.
1t is TOO loug or insertion here, and as il could
not be expressed in fewer words than Mr..
Beecher has used, we should only impair It's
force by any attempt at aOridgment. Mr..
BPechor's honest scOrn of the pusillanmty
which fears that the weakened South with its
% u q yVll OF hp hon md
III our politics. is so well supported
by solid and masculine reasoning, that
he compels the readers concurrence in
his conclusion, that If the North with its
mighty prepOnderance, is so demoralized by the
war and so besotted by grovellmg interests as to
allow this to take place, the South is the nobIer
and manlier section. and deserves to rule, on
the principle that the tools belong to him that
can Landle them. in such a case" he says
''the South will not only control the Govern
ment, but it ought to do it!' The soldiers and
sailors, who are the manifest and most self
reliant part OF our population Will fully sympa.
thize with the manlness OF this declaration. If
the South, few as il is in numbers and weak as
il is in resources, has such superior vieor Of
character as to surmount its Disadvantages and
bestride the country like Colossus,
"And we petty men
Walk about under its huge legs
To find ourselves dIshonOrable graves"
then it is time we had master to govern us.
Shame on such abdcaton of manhood! and
thanks to Mr. Beecher for his scorniul and
trenchant exposure oft
The part of the letter in which Mr.. Beecher
discusses the prospects OF the freedmen is per-
haps the best thing in 1t. His views are so inn
bUed with a courageous social philosophy; they
evince so much enlightened reflection on the
nature of civilization and the laws of progress;
they are so tempered by wise humanity, that
they Go equal credit to his understanding and
his moral nature. The Beenness and impe-
tuosity of MIR. Beecher's earlier years have
rlpened into a full maturity OF sober strength
which makes his productions as wise as they
were always eloquent and elective.
Great thanks are due 30 the committee for
giving MIR. Beecher the opportunity for this
seasonable expression of his well-weighed
views, which bear the marks of having been
formed with great care and deliberation.