The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-24
Horace Greeley and the Union League



Bsom ne World.
We published yesterday two remarkable
letters, written by two of our greatest masters
of sinewy English, when English is used for
purposes Of invective. One is reply by Mr..
Greeley to the arraignment of the Union
League Club, which is about to haul him over
the Goals, and probably expel him, for being
bondsman of Jefferson Davis; the other, less
interesting production, though one Of the most
vigorous specimens of its authors talent for
vituperation, is letter by Wendell Phillips
20 the Anti-lSlauery Standard, in which he
bears down upon Mr.. Greeley like a seventy
four gun war-frigate. We copy this venomous
philippe merely as being the most readable
sample we could offer of the kind of attacks
against which the editor of the Tribune is
called to make his defense, and dismiss it
without further comment. But Mr.. Greeley's
rasping answer to the Union League Club will
perhaps bear q more extended notice.
The obstreperous hullabaloo which has been
raised about Mr.. Greeley's ears for his recent
visit to Richmond, is a valuable index to the
present state of feeling in the Republican
marty, and is therefore of considerable public
interest 1t proves that the dominant spirit
of that party is a fervor of inextinguishable
vengeance, inconsistent with any peaceful res
toration of the Union. 1t proves that so long
as that party is in power, the only relation
that can subsist between the North and South
is insolent domination on one side and humi-
liating subjugaton on the other. This has
been manifest enough to rejecting men in the
substitution of military tyranny for republi-
can government throughout the South. But
this substitution of despotism for democracy
has been so disguised by plausible pretexts
that the unwary have been misled. The fierce
thirst for vengeance which has inspired the
policy of Congress has assumed the mask of
patriotism, and it needed some such occasion
as has now arisen to disclose to common ap-
prehension the actual motives and spirit of
the Republican party. Vengeance Ven
geance Vengeance! unforgiving and relent-
less vengeance, is the animating impulse of
the Republicans. They are incapable of any
tolerance even to those who have rendered
the party the greatest services, the moment
they venture to take single step towards hu-
manity and conciliation.
We infer from the defiant tone of Mr.
Greeley's letter that he rather courts than
deprecates an expulsion. The language he
uses to his accusers is such an outpouring of
scoTn, such a cOntemptuous belittling of their
Judgment, that if they do not expel him, the
4 public will think they are cowed by his vigor
and dare not 81 arraign you," he says, Gas
narrow minded blockheads who would like to
be useful to treat and good cause, but don't
! association of men whom he thus describes,
and they must be as deficient in spirit as he
tells them they are despicable in intellect, if
they subside, under such a chastisement.
Moreover, the grudge between Mr.. Greeley
and the Club would seem to be of pretty long
standing. "They greeted him, " he says, "with
broadside of scowls" for articles advocating
lenity at the close of the war. When some
indiscreet admirer made present to the Club
of his portrait, its President fared up in an
abusive speech against its reception. Last
fall, they shouted approval of a speech
against his views by Mr.. Fessenden. They
take this fresh occasion to pay off old
scores; and as they would not receive his
portrait, he repays the compliment by paint
| ing theirs.
1t is, of course a piece of intermeddling
impertinence for a political club to assume
an inquisitorial supervision over such parts
of the conduct of member as neither affect
his honor as a gentleman nor compromise
the political orthodoxy of the Club. The
Union League Club may disapprove of the
release of Jefferson Davis on bail; but as
Mr.. Greeley did not admit him to bail, it is
difficult to see how the honor of the Club is
affected by the release Over the Court and
counsel the Club has no jurisdiction, and it
would be sheer presumption and imperti-
nence for them to ''rejudge their justice, I"
and sit as tribunal of revision. But it is
thO OOuICJ anu uOt hlTs OT06l6y, LDdJ Is re-
sponsible for the prisoner being at large. If
Mr.. Greeley had not signed the bonds, there
were plenty of others who would; and it is
difficult to see how the accident that one of
the sgners happened to belong to the Union
League Club makes that body in any way
answerable for what was done at Richmond.
If they do not propose to punish Mr.. Gree
ley for what Judge Underwood has done, but
for what Mr.. Greeley himself has done, it
must be either for expressing his opinion that
the bailing was proper, or for his belief that
Mr.. Davis will not abscond. But the opinion
in favor of bailing was announced long ago,
and if that is what the club are going to call
him to account for their action is tardy and
whimsical. They are really proposing to
expel Mr.. Greeley for the awful crime of be-
lieving that Jefferson Davis will not run away.
If this belief is ill-founded, it is he, not the
Club, that will have to pay the forfeit But
whether the belief be ill-founded or we'll
founded, where does the Club get its autho-
rity to decide that its members shall not
entertain it, or shall not risk money on it
1t is small, pitiful business, and Mr.. Gree
ley's scornful defiance puts them in position
where they will be compelled to publish them
selves as asses if they expel him. or as towards
if they do not.