The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-12-24
Liberal Voice. from Europe.

The New York Loyal Publication Society
has recently received a letter from the follow
ing true-hearted Liberals of France who have,
for several years, taken deep interest in our
national affairs, to wit: A. De Gasparin, Au-
gustus Cochin, Henri Martin and Edward La
boulaye. These patriots and lovers OF liberty
and equality the world over have watched the
progress of events in our country during the
last few years with an interest and an emotion
such rs intelligent and whole-souled lovers OF
humanity alone can feel. We make the fol-
lowing extract from their letter to which we
have above alluded: .s... IN
The necessity of putting an end to the negro
question has assumed the character OF self
evident axiom. This necessity Mr.. Johnson
denies, or rather systematically forgets: He
talks plausibly of being just to the South, but
he forgets the duty of being just to the men
who have shed their blood to suppress the re-
bellion of the South He talks plausiby of
| the equality of the States, but he forgets the
equality of men. He talks plauslbly OF pubic
liberties, but he forgets personal heertles. ne
talks plausibly of peace, but he forgets that
| Justice is the condition OF peace. he talks
plausibly of the Union, but he torgets that the
| Union cannot be re-establshed so long as the
least vestige remains of the slavery questoh
| How many fruitful texts for political orat1ons
/ the above extract would furnish! Every SEN
tence is full of meaning Mr.. johnson has
covered up by "glttering generalties" the
main points in the question, but the people can
and do see them in spite of all his piausibility
These Liberals well say, "To proclaim emanr
cipation and to deny equality is to take BACK
with one hand what you gave with the other.-
In the slave there is, first of ALL a man. free
the slave and the man remains" True, every
word of it, and our government must treat him
as man, or the legitimate results of our recent
war will never be attained, and at some future
day the battle will have to be fought again
These lovers of liberty say that the lament
ed Lincoln, at the time of his death, was paw
| ing the way for the return of the South with
general amnesty. an heart like his there
was room for the rights of the negro by the side
of the pardon Of the whites" How admirably
they describe the character Of the martyred
President! And they further say he always
walked in harmony with Congress- He did SO.
No man ever watched the progress of public
sentiment more wisely than he. Believing in
the moral instincts of the people he did not at
tempt to lead but to follow. He had no pride
| in resisting the current of public opinion, but
II OH contrary nt WIS SdtishCu W hOae "oh6
with it, feeling all the time strong confidence
in the virtue and patriotism of the people
And he was right. But Mr.. johnson seems to
care but little for the opinion or sentiment of
the people, especially when that opinion and
sentiment run across the track of his stubborn
| will . .....,. .......t ..a...sa -gtr
1t is somewhat remarkable that he scarcely
alluded to the recent elections in his late mes
| sage, though on his speech making tour from
Washington to Chicago he had much to say
about the dear people, leaving the Consti-
tuition with them, and contessipg they were
| the legitimate source of all political power
But since their voice has been heard through
| the ballot boxes he is dumb as sheep before
the shearer. Why is this sudden change?-
Why ignore that voice now which but few
weeks ago he reverenced SO highly? The am
swers are at hand and no one can mistake
them. These French lovers of republican
principles understand the game MIR. johnson
is playing quite as well as we do. They say
| the Democratic party seeks TO make the South
| lever against the North, thereby hoping to
gain the ascendancy in the councils OF the ma
| ton. Mr.. johnson throws his weight upon
this lever; but the North is too firm to be NOV
ed by such lubber lifting. The Democratic
party has made very bad record during the
| last few years and it cannot be rubbed out in
this generation. Black lines have been drawn
around it and many look and mourn over it as
| the grave OF once powerful Democratic party.
Noble voices indeed have reached us from
France saying to us in tones which cannot be
| mistaken: Emancipation and Union are in
separable" Let us heed those patriotic voices,
and the dark clouds which now seem to hang
over oul Republic will be dispersed and the
star spangled banner will float around the
world in ? II its former splepdor and glory.