The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-18
Disfranchisemien mt.
Correspondence Gew York World |

WkftINaToN, May Tt is the universal testi-
aud qualified by examination and experience to
spea upon the subject-thst the class of mon in
the Jholc South most quick to comprehend, and
mos anxious to perform, the duties of citizens Of
tho Quilted States, the late sodery of tho Con-
fedtacy. Mr.. Truman, the correspondent of the
Thes, Is the last witness upon this point; and the
opportunities he had of learning, and the capacity
hthas Of judging, must be apparent to every one
wlo reads his very interesting letters. This is
typ very class OF mon which the Radicals propose
t disfranchlse, for time at least. If tho object
y what s facetiousy termed the Union party
| 5ncus a NON tucendo, is the temporary preserva-
ION OF political power, the action of the majority
In Congress Is very wise if not, it is very foolish
whenever party is originally composed, as
was the Republican party one-eighth fanatics,
ono eighth scoundres, and six-eighths ignorants
the fanatics or the scoundrels always dictate it's
policy, and mako the fools say and unsay, turn
somersaults, or eat the dirt Of the ring at the
crack Of the whip.
| Lincoln, who was the most cunning man in the
UNION, and who had just exactly that calibre OF
intellect which is consistent with cunning, appre-
ciated at its exact value 30 precisely the average
Ignorance Of his fellow-ctizens that he put for
ward the most monstrous propositions without
any fear Of their fsllacics being detected.
In his first inaugural he told the Union and the
World that, If judges were to decide upon law, and
L their decisions were to form rules of human
tSson then the people had put the power out Of
words and said the proper judicial tribunal is tho
ballot box, the absurdity would have been moro
IPalpable; but it could never have been too papa-
l.
/ SO, when he said if slavery is not wrong no.
thing is wrong, and that he had always thought
SO. he either said what he did not believe, or he
lshowed that he was utterly incapable Of dstin-
gushing how it happens that such words as right
and wrong occur in any language, or have any
ioundatIon in human nature and the conduct Of
The truth in relation to Mr.. Lincoln is that ho
was man OF very strong natural parts, probably
Si Oh very klnd' genial nature, but who was only
half educated. He had learned to do everything
but Judge. His great power consisted iu knowing
about as much as men generally know, and in
who Conducted The Colonial cause had Sne, been ss
shallow in their learning, and as little removed
from the inevitable ignorance OF tho masses upon
have been loyal subject Of Victori, writing about
Mitchell. 'o--
How thoroughly educated the great leaders Of
the Colonies we're; how thoroughly familiar with
Locke and BIontesquieu, Machavelli, and the
great Greek and Latin recorders of the life OF the
Greek unions and Of the Roman republic, any one
sees instantly who is at all familiar with the his
tory OF that glorious era.
In fact Lincoln, like Greeley, did not know the
history even Of his own country; for we would not
do his memory the injustice to suppose that when
practically he asserted that the Union made the
Constitution, not the Constitution the Union, he
uttered an untruth instead OF mistake.
The si1-eighths Of which we spoke, the ignorants
were just the class MIR. Lincoln represented, as
Beecher and Garrison did the fanatioal eighth;
and those lawyers who, well educated and know.
ing the TRUTH used the honest impulses of the
honest masses to get power and profit at any
price, we're the scoundrel one-eighth.
The masses OF men in the free States never
meant to be dishonest; never meant to take from
southern State right, nor from a Southern
man cent. They were told by their leaders that
q subject was within their Jurisdiction which was
not within their jurisdiction, and they decided as
IL was proper for them to decide, II the subject
had been within their jurisdiction.
What those masses want now is the Union they
fought for; the men they respect arc the men
they Fought against; take away the antagonism OF
party, and seven-tenths of the white citizens of
the Union care no more about tho rights Of the
blacks than Greeley cares for the horror which
the spirit OF Beau Drummel, in spiritual circle
number seventy.seventh million, expresses to the
spirit OF an inquiring Bostonese at the white coat
OF Philosopher Squirm. II Sumner and Stevens
want the Democratic party restored to power,
they are taking the most effeotual means to secure
that object. Il IL bound to come in very shortly;
whether 1t will come in mild and beneficent with
charity and conciliation as always before, or i'm.
patient to avenge aud swift to strike, depends
upon the present majority. @,