The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-10-17
To the EDITOR Of the wosKmsHAs's ADvocArL


with our friend Of the quill from Nashville Ere
FORM" do not propose this from any spirit Of
eavilling, or from any morbid desire to invite
discussion; for bold that when all are work
ing for a common cause. harmony aid brother
feeling should be the prevailing 5. timent. But
as friend Reform" has taken exception 10 that
part Of my letter Of Aug 18th, 10 which al
luded to the la.e Hon Thad Stevens, and sug-
gests the propriety OF studying the lives Of
great and good men before we critici>e, and
as il is possible he himself may be in error in
mis- estimate Of the life Of the late Hon. Mr.
Stevens, thought IL would not be cut Of place
~ say a few words about
/ GREAT AEx.
/ There is nothing in which We are more liable
to err than in pronouRceing particular indi
sidua great man, or great woman. We are
to apt too estimate mans greatness according
to our own prciudices, and we often. indeed
too often, make these the standard Of his excel
lence reason, and judgment, we cast aside and
read him through the instincts of our passions,
( Unhappily or might say uniortun ateIy, this
/ is & wes&ness Of human nature, which few
can over come The cunning and ambitious
study the nature of man to make him subser-
Went TO their purposes. They have found by
experience that by psndering to his passions,
and not bis they best accomplish
their purposes. Upon this theory many of the
past were, and many of the present are mis-
called great men True greatness is true good
ness LIS attributes are charity, forbearence'
Justice, honesty, managniaimity. A truly great
and good man in civil life, must possess all Of
these attributes, and before we can pronounce
him such he must have demonstrated to the
world that he does, or If he be dead, his friends
must prove that he did possess them
Friend Reform" claims for the late Thad
Stevens, are, that he was "a great and good
man. and ne based his claims on the assertion
that he was the "leader Of a party in congress
who for years, made constant warfare upon the
worst class Of capitalists known TO the civilized
world" BY this understand Reform Say
that he, Stevens made war upon the slave hol.
ders OF the south, and because he did this he
is to be looked upon as e great and good man
Let US see it the claim is well formed
AFRICAN SLAVERY
in the United States t. now thing OF the past
and men are free To speak 81 il as il was. with
ont leaving themselves liable 70 be charged
with psrtiality for a desire to see il restor-
I'd. African Slavery as il existed IN the Uni
ted States beneficial and preparatory in
stitatiou. 1t was beneficial inasmuch as that
the STAKEHOLDER Was compelled 70 take care of
the Young and provide for the old Il was pre-
paratory 10 as much as il took le negro out Of
the lowest depths Of ignorance and bruta,sm,
in which condition lie was broughtto thus coun
try, and educated him Is certain degree OF
civilization, thereby preparing him for higher
order w the scale of iutelle idsl xisteace. The
general condition Of the southern slave was
contentment, ease and happiness. The clothing
aud farming implements required for the use
OF these negroes were manufactured and pHr
chased in the north and the cotton raised
through the labor Of the southern negro, and
exported to Europe through the agency Of New
York and Boston, served a basis Of American
credit, in Europe, keeping the money, the gold
and silver, AZ home and also ke ping the bal
auce or trade in our favor. TT ese were some 1
Of the benefits that the white man and the ne
gro enjoyed through the system of African slav-
cry 10 the American republic.
About the year SPOT there was organized !
an Artl-Slavery Society The success Of this !
organization was At fret precarious but As it |
was organized for political purposes il finally !
0 =
less spirits in NE Re public, whose chances Of
success, 10 eiih,r Of the two contending par
ties Of the day we're infinitely small joined
the Society. This Society, or a. il subse |
Qnently called, The Abolition Party, made sew
erai Intellectual attempts TO get into power, but
in All they siguaIly failed, and it was not until
1890, aiser all the isms opposed to Democracy
bad been combined, that the Abolition party
got footholi. TIE war, with all its fearful
consequences, follow the South vas sub
dued and legacy Of over 81, 300, O00, 600 il
left 10 the workingmen and their posterity to
be paid out the sweat of their brow.
This war brought Mr. Stevens TO the surface
as the leader Of the extreme Radical element
OF the RepubIi an party. His course IN Con
gress is too familiar 20 require a review on the
present occasion. Reform admits he was the
/ leader Of his party, and he and his party are
responsible for all the mislegislation OF the last
six years. Nov We apply the principles Of true
greatness, as above stated, 20 this mans public
character, (for Nth HE private character W
Z have nothing ~ dol pronounce hin
great and COCO Did he have charity, Lei
7 bis hatred Tor his fe.low-man answer. Did he
nave forbearance Why prosecute powerles
people Nashe justf WHY deny 20 bis fe'
iow-men their civil rights and libertiea Wss
I be bonestf Why not have protested against
! the Essteful eXtravagance and corruptioDs oi
4 his own party Was he magnanimouss WHY
I not have extended the hand Of mercy and for
giveness 70 a people entirely in his power
Surely YOU would study the public lie Of tho
I late Thsddeus Stevens IN vain to find any Of
I the traits II true greatness.
/ Yet such is the character OF maHy % the men
whom We are asked 10 recognize great men.
| speak Of the living. | would say 10 our fel
low-workingmen, and also % friend Reform,
let us not judge according 20 our prelu
dices but rather cas-; aside these deluslve guides
and accept nothing bus What our reason tells "
is great and good.
During the year 1859 and the Succeeding
years 20 1872, We will party. have many Of
these great and good men o. coming among n
The election, which i 10 come Of 90 the I'd Of
November, will compel many, If they desire to
remain in public life, 20 seek other relations
than those they at present hold ln the dis
Indignation Of parties, whibh must follow the
Presidential Inauguration Of 80, new hight
/ will dawn on the vision Of those great men I'd
and having a philsnthrop;c turn 70 anything
they caa get Office BY, il is more than probable
that tLey will see in the Labor Reform party
new road TO greatness But let all Who desire
the success Of the party, above the qualification
Of partizan zeal, personal ambitions or selfish
interests, unite in educating the toiling mil
lions TO a sense Of their true interests, and 20
avoidance Of those party strifes and bieker.
/ ings, BY which the politicians Of the day hood
winks the honest toiler. VERRAs