The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-01
Rewards Of the Political AbOIitionists.

Bro,n the ". Y. World.
The great auti-slavery movement by which
the country was preoipitated into bloody
civil war derived its chief impulse from
political ambition. The Garrison Phillips
abolitionists were indeed mere fanatics, or, If
you please, philanthropists, without political
hopes or aspirations but If the anti-slavery
movement had been left in their hands, it
would have resulted in nothing but empty
agitation among small band Of headlong,
excitable people. 1t was not till calculating
politicians took it up, and saw that political
capital could be made out of it, that it as
sumed formidable proportions and con-
vulsed the country. The politicians did
not aim at the abolition of slavery, but
to play upon the natural repugnance OF
Northern citizens to that institution,
as a means of building up political
party and gaining control of the Federal
Government. They steadily disclaimed any
intention to disturb slavery in the States.
By preventing its extension into new Terri
tories, they would not have released a single
negro from thraldom. negro would be
none the less slave by confniDg him within
certain geographical limits The anti slavery
politicians did not seek to confer freedom on
the blacks, but only to open a career for their
own ambition. Slavery was at length abolished
by the suicidal folly of the South in attempt
ing to sever the Union an attempt which was
certain to be resisted by arms, and to end, if
the war was prOtracted in the overthrow
of the institution for whose protec
ton the war was waged. 1t is absurd
to credit the Republican party with q
result which it never had in contemplation
until after the shock of arms had shaken
slavery to its foundations. That the aim of
the party was merely political and selfish is
proved by the fact that it steadily disavowed
any intention to confer liberty upon single
human being. Not many slaves would have
been taken into the new Territories, when
the climate was unsuited to their labor. A
few might have been carried thither as domes-
tic servants in wealthy families, the most easy
and desirable form of servtude. Slaves in
new Territories would have found an improved
condition and kinder treatment. The Repub-
lican politicians must be judged by what they
aimed at; they deserve no credit for what was
accomplished by the progress Of events and
the force of circumstances.
The rewards of the most noted Republican
leaders have been pretty well proportioned to
their deserts. There is hardly a man who W as
conspicuous and influential in inspiring the
anti-slavery movement and building up the
Republican party, whose fondest hopes have
not been blasted, whose career has not ended
in bitter disappointment, who has not found
the coveted fruit turn to ashes in his mouth.
Mr.. Seward, altogether the ablest and perhaps
the most ambitious politician in the Republi-
can party, has gone into final retirement after
long succession of bitter and humiliating
disappOintments. Ten years ago there was no
member of the Republican party who, if asked
to name the first man in it, would have hesi-
tated an instant to say William H.
Seward. He was its universally re-
cognized leader, its foremost statesman,
the originator of its ideas, the author OF
its watchwords, the chief object of Democratic
attacks and Of Republican eulogies, its one
orator who spoke with the greatest weight Of
authority, the one man whose every utterance
was promptly published in every Republican
newspaper and eagerly read by every Republi.
can voter. 1t was he that nursed the Repub-
lican party into vigor; that shaped its policy
that strengthened its organization; that conf
IDENTIFY, and not unreasonably, expected to be
it's official as well as it's intellectual head, If II
should ever be strong enough to elect Presi
dent. But Nemesis is ever on the watch and
it was Mr.. Stewards destiny to be constantly
supplanted by small rivals, constantly sub
jected to the keen humiliation of seeing ele
waited over his head men whose claims on the
party bore no proportion to his own.
Another of the Republican leaders who hai
encountered from the party an incessant series
of sights is Mr.. Greeley. Without him anC
his newspaper the anti-slavery agitation woult
have made comparatively little progress
among the masses of the people. But tn
party has never bestowed upon him any O
the recognition and rewards by which politica
services are usually requited. He was once
member of Congress for a brief period to fill
| out the fraction of an unexpred term; bu
that was while he was simply Wing, lon
before the Republican party had an existence
| The party which he, next to Seward, som
may think beyond Seward, has done NOR
than any other man to build up, has neve
paid him the compliment even of q nomiua
tion to any desirable Office, although il ha
for many years had the bestowal of nearly a.
the offices in the country. 1t has never nOmi
mated him for Governor, it has again an
again refused to elect him Senator; he ha
never had the offer of place in the Cabint
or Of a foreign mission. Mr.. Lincoln put
slur upon him and tried to render him ridicu
lous, by making him the yoke-fellow of tina
hare Drained fool, Colorado Jewett, and senC
ing him on bootless peace mission to NlagaT
Falls.
Another of the most distinguished of tn
Republican magnstes aud party chiefs wa
Mr.. Chase, who has fallen short of his aspirs
tlons, and regarded his appointment to tn
bench of the Supreme Court as an exile fror
his chosen sphere. He was an unfalterin
anti slavery man from the beginning; he ha
always had an intense desire to be Presiden,
he had far higher claims to that honor tina
any man on whom the Republican party eve
bestowed it; but never made a respectabl
show in any Republican National Convention
We might extend this list until it included a
the most distinguished leaders of the Republ
can party, and we should find repetition
the same story OF blasted hopes and dii
appointed ambition. Fremont had th
empty honor Of nomination when b
had done nothing to deserve it; but his mil
tary order in the West which first soupdA