New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-10-06

compromise of dis strenuous life with Slavery. he
vas far ahead Of every American Of that generation.
He recognized the simple dignity Of manhoOd-valor,
courtesy. genius. But he did not see in Labor the
highest dignity Of all. Perhaps we ask too much 1t
required more thorough development Of the French
intellect to know the truth that Labor is divine, that
her affairs should burn incense TO the scayeDger as
chs sternest type Of Labor. We judge Jefferson
TOO critically when We apply 10 his policy test that
statesman nOrphiosopher Ofthet age could answer
mot even Burke, nor Hume nor Adam Smith
The death Of Hamilton, Engands irritating folly
ia constantly teasing and annoying the commerce Of
the young Republic the opposition Of Mr. Adams to
liberal domestic policy, the known preference of the
Federa party for the English system, and above all,
the influence exercised by France in the partial
triumph of the revolution, conspred to overthrow the
party of the elder Adams. Jefferson was our most
powerful statesman. Behind him was Virginia. He
managed Napoleon with cOnsummate dexterlty and
gave Slavery empire in Louisiana The people loved
him with the confidence given by their children 10
Andrew jackson aud their grandchildren to Abraham
Lincoln After be went TO Monticello hecontinued 10
rule His counsel produced the war with England.
lie founded the school known in our politics as the
Virginia Domination" After him We had what is
called the era Of good feeling" The legsiauOn
of the country was devoted TO the Development
of Slavery and the interests OF the South In the cold
States the slave interest never more than NOM
ioa The census Of 1890 showed about $3.50 slaves In
all New England. Delaware had twice the NUMBER.
Virginia Maryland, the Carolinas and Georgia. held
6A6057 nearly one-hall being in Virginia alone Inc
Virginia Domination was therefore the strengthen Sa-
very When jefferson proposed TO prohibit Slavery IN
the territory ceded by Virginia siter the keyoiauon-
airy war, thus emancipatng Alabama and MissiS-
sippi after 1900, Virginia objected. But for
That objection, the Mississippi Valley would have
reverted TO Freedom and Slavery would have been
reduced to the Atlantic coast, TO expire In time,
1olr afan Orfilu
was a compromise filed with all the wees o. COM
promise The very nature Of Slavery was eggres'
sion 1t could live only by preying. 1t never grew
with such rapidity as during the EZRA OF good leel
Ing" That "goOd feeling really meant the quiet Oh
safety, that Slavery would be pleasant and neigh
borly 80 long il would be permitted 20 occupy new
States. elect Presidents massacre the Indians, tight
the English, and buy dOminons from the Spanish and
the French l. the good feeling OF the conqueror
reyelng in conquest. Slavery owned the Government
"a most obedient tractable, subservent Government
why not be amsblel II showed the extent OF this
good feeling when, after having devOured all that
had been given it by the ordinance OF I9I II cast eyes
upon Missouri and yeaned for more.
If ANYTHING were wanted TO strengthen the power
Of Slavery il was the invention OF Eli Whitney, whose
career Mr. Greeley pictures with fond, admrlng elo-
0uepce Truly" be says, GO the world knows little
OF s greatest men" There is a sad romance in the
story Of this mans lfe-his struggles, his disappont
fnents his Hnal recognition, and the power which
his genius has exerted upOu the happiness and pros
perity OF the world. poor quick-witted, ingenious
Yankee boy, given to the making OF Yankee notions,
walking canes and pins, energetic, intelligent, en-
tering Yale at 20 by dint OF hard work. showing
great mechanical power, be found himself drifting TO
The South as a schOOlmaster-all our Yankee gTadu-
Ates were sch0Olmasters in those days-where seeing
the necessity of the cotton crop and its impending
failure he invented the cOttOngin Success developed
malignant opposition. He was harassed by slavehold
sS 10y lawyers, by demagogues who decred his inven
ton as monopoly and by all who were interested in
the commerce Of fax silk wool and furs. His patent
expired leaving him poor man, although BIO had
given 10 America an invention by means OF which the
natural production Of cotton in the Southern States
has been augmented from some five or ten thousand
bales in 1893 70 over five millions of bales, mil
lion Of tuns in 1885, this amount being at least three
fOurths in weight and seyen-eighths in value, OF all
the cotton produced on the globe. ITO say, says
MIR Greeley that this Invention was worth 81 ,000
BOO 900 the slave States Of this country is TO place
very moderate estimate upon its value" The cot
LOn-gn which made the South rich left Whitney poor
the competency he aferward amassed being OBJ
tanned in New-England by an improvement in the
rife musket.
Reinforced by the cotton GIN slavery continued to
grow Beyond an occasional protest from the Society
Df Friends in Pennsylvania, and duly offered prayers
by good men in New England, it az need to empire
nnopposed. The Puritan intellect long protested
against man-seng, but the protest was merely a
mental exercise the expression OF a sentiment
Bmoton. such al emotion as Christian mon feel when
they contemplate the vast extent Of the missionary
work and read Of the horrors Of the Cannbal islands.
II became moral patient sympathy, and found con-
bOatiOD in.eoquent addresses in prayers and hymns
Of hope and freedom. So long as the Cannbals
NAMED at home this consolation would have satisfied
their conscience devOut men content 10 leave tho
matter IN Gods hands TO be remeded in the great day
Of justice and reconciliation. But when Missouri
was devoured they became wroth with evil, espe-
piAlly an evil which no longer a sentiment. but
tyrsnny-cOming to their doors claiming their
heritage aud demanding unresisting allegiance
An intellectual sntagonism between the men
Of the South and the men Of the North family
Hnts the early years Of our history. New
England intellect refined by two centuries Of
America represented logical intrepdity, Virginia In
tellect enthusiasm. The jefferson party was esson-
Gslly French Jefferson himself moderated Plato.
Even bis genius could not soar to the sublime mystery
Df the LOgos. The Vrgni8n intellect was noble i'm.
pusve initiative, fantastic, reckless ThemOde Of the
Virgnisn philosopher was Sparta. He lived IN the
hope Of being one day like Lycurgus or Scion. To
The Puritan these men as other men, no better,
perhaps worse; not beyond criticism or improve
msDt, certainly very beatbeniSh. One retrogres-
Awe the other progressive. Let u.s." said the Jeer-
pOnsns "bec0me as the ancient Spartans." The
ptber replied, 1--WE hope to be better" The one
believed in Hercues's pillars the other pre-
Teued to take boat and see. So while one made
speeches and wrote poems, the other discovered
continent II the warm Southern countries nature
was kind. She invited Incidence. The earth and its
waters gave the Southerner more than his body
wanted. There were no rocks, no sterility, tenn
pestuOus days, short Summers and long, bleak Win
Iers only sunshine and baTvests, plantation dan
pos and rude music. II hard TO live in the North
IL was bard to die in the South SO life and its duties
and ambitions became cheap That contempt for
human existence which France so horribly illustrated
bpread into our Southern countries The people killed
bach other In dues and shot Indians and sent hounds
bfter the negro. Since life was lazy dream, why
hreSd 10 fall sleepi In its political sense this intellect
with its elements OF the Cavalier and Jaeobin