Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-03-14

Of his pen and voice to bringing about
the present state of things than he has.
Yet, nevertheless, / commend to your
serious consideration, as pertinent TO my
present object, what he was reported to
have said as follows aus
In our land and time facts and ques-
tons are pressed upon US which demand
Christian settlement. Settlement on this
ground and doctrine. We cannot escape
the responsibility. Being strong and
powerful, we must nurse and help and
educate and foster the weak, poor and
ignorant. For my own part l cannot see
how we shall escape the most terrible
conflict of classes by and by, unless We
are educated into this doctrine of duty
on the part of the superior to the inferi-
or. We are told by jealous and fsnstical
individuals that all men are equal. We
know better. They not equal. A COM
mon brotherhood teaches no such absur-
dity. A theory of universal, physical
likeness, is no more absurd than this
Now, as in all times, the strong go to the
top and the weak 60 to the bottom. 1t
is natural, right, and can't be helped
All branches are not the top of the tree,
but the top does not despise the lower ;
nor do they all despise the limb or the
parent trunk; and so with the body poll
tic, there must be classes. Some must be
at the top and some must be at the bot
tom. 1t is difficult to forsee or estimate
the development of classes in America.
They are simply inevitable. They are
here now and will be more. If they are
friendly, living at peace, loving and re-
specting and helping one another, all will
be well. But if they are selfish, unchris-
tisn, if the old heather feeling is to reign,
each extracting all he can from his neigh
Dor, and caring nothing for him ; society
will be lined by classes as by seams-like
batteries, each firing broadside after
broadside, the one upon the other. If,
on the other hand the law of love pre-
walls, there will be no ill.EilI, no envy,
no disturbance. Does q child hate his
father because he is chief, because he is
strong and wise? On the contrary, he
grows with his fathers growth, and
strengthens with his strength. And if in
society there should. be fifty classes or
grades, all helping each other, there will
be no trouble, but perfect satisfaction and
content. This christian doctrine carried
into practice, viii easily settle the most
troublesome of all home present ques-
TONS"
What he here said of the state of things
where he spoke in the State of New York,
and the fearful antagonism of classes
there, is much more applicable to u.s.
Here, 1t IS true, only two great classes ex-
lst, or are likely to exist, but these are
deeply marked by distinction bearing the
impress of nature. The one is now be-
yond all questions greatly superior to the
other. These classes are as distinct as
races of men can be. The one is of the
highest type of humanity, the other Of
3 lowest. All that he says of the duty
OF the superior TO protect, to aid, to en-
courage, and to help the inferior, / fully
and cordially endorse and commend to
20 you as quite as applicable to US and
situation as it Hes to his auditors
whether the doctrine, if carried out and
practlced, viii settle all these most troub-
lesome home questions with US as easily
as he seemed to think it would like home
questions with those he was addressing, l
Will not undertake to say. l have no
hesltancy, however. in saying that the
q general principles ANNOUNCED by him
are good. Let them be adopted by US as
far es practicable. No harm can come
from I-mueh good may. Whether the
great barrier of races which the Creator
has placed between this, our inferior
class and ourselves, shall prevent a sue
cess OF the experiment now on trial, of q
peaceful, happy and prosperous commu-
nifty composed of such elements and sus-
tanning present relations towards each
other or even q further elevation on the
part of the inferior, if they prove them
selves fit for 1t, let the future, under the
dispensation of Providence, decide. We
have to deal with the present. Let us
do our duty now, leaving results and NJ
innate consequences to that
Divinity which shapes our ends
Rough heE them how We will"
In all things on this subject, as in all 9TH
ers, let Dur guide be the admirable motto
of our State. Let your counsels be gov
erned by Wisdom, our measures by Mod
Grafton, and our principles by Justice.
So much for what | have TO say on this
occasion, touching our present duties on
this absorbing subject, and some of our
duties in reference to a restoration of
peace, law and order, without which all
must, sooner or later, end in utter confu-
sion, anarchy and despotism. L have, as
said I should, only glanced at some
general ideas.
Now as to the future and the prospect
before us. On this branch of the subject
l can add but little. You can form some
idea of my views of that from what has
already been said. Would that / could
say something cheerful but that candor
which has marked all l have said, COM
pels me to say that to me the future is
far from being bright. Nay, it is dark
and .impenetrable. Thick gloom closes
in and curtains the horizon all around US.
Thus much i can say: Ny only hope is n
the peaceful re-establishment of good
government and in its peaceful mainten-
nance afterwards. And, further, the
most hopeful prospect to this end now, is
the restoration of the old Union, and
with it the speedy return of the old fra
ternal feeling through its length and
breadth. These results depend upon the
people themselYes-upon the people of
the North quite as much as the people OF
the South-upon their virtue, intelh-
gence and patriotism. But for this |
should long since hSve despaired. Dark
and gloomy as the present hour Is, l do
not yet despair of fF2 institutions. Let
but the virtue, intelligence and patriot
ism of the people throughout the whole
country be properly appealed to, aroused
and brought into action, and all may yet
be well. The masses everywhere are
alike equally interested in the great OBJ
ject. Let old issues, old questions, old
differences and old feuds be forgotten, be
regarded a fossils of another epoch
They belong to what may hereafter be
considered the Silurian period of our his
tory. Great, new, living questions are
before US. Let it not be said of US in
this day, not yet passed, of our countr 3
greatest trial and agony, that There was
a party for Cesar, a Iarty for Pompey,
and a party for Brutus, but 10 party for
Rome"
But let all patriots, but whatever dis
tinctiYe name heretofore styled, rally, in
all elections everywhere, to the support
of him, be he who he may, who bears the
standard with Constitutional Union /"
emhla3ened on its folds. President John.
son is now in my judgment the chef
great standard bearer of these principles,
and in his efforts at restoration should re-
ceive the cordial support of every we'll
wisher of his country. In this consists,
on this rests nv only hope. Should he