New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-20

the people a chance to fill the seats WiIh neh
chosen by maiorties rather than minortles.
They are Justly responsible for the anoma-
lous position of their State, and for the
general halt in the march OF Reconstruc-
ton. You cannot say moro against Jhein
than | will indorse. But they owe their snort
lived ascendency to the treachery or pusll-
lanimity of Republicans in that same Leglsla-
ture. Had these all stood by their colors, in
sisting that the vote on expelling each Colored
member should be taken separately, and all
voted No, the conspiracy must have falleu'
Their presiding officers and few other dough
faces have much to answer for Yet even III
the falsiied Legislature as it stands, the AFth
Amendment would have been ratified II all the
Republicans had voted for it. Why some did
not, can no more guess, than why the Legis-
lature of Rhode Island has acted so mullshly.
But too many have idly fancied that the
Amendment would prevail any how, and have
failed to realize the need of effort and zeal to
secure its ratification.
VI AS tOthe other unrecOnstructcd States, one
of us would seem to be grossly in error as to the
facts. Can mistake in saying that the Re-
publicans Of Virginia carried their State hand
tonal COnmntonP that this Convention made
a swcepinsy proscriptive Constitution and
that, President Grant having submitted the
Proscrptive clauses separately, they were
overwhelmingly voted down at the pollsf Am
| wrong in assuming that the Republican party,
thus identified with Prescription was beaten,
while Their opponents, aided by many Republi-
cans, trunphed expressly on the platform on
which | sttnd, the XVIII Amendment includedY
/ think | lave not misread the essential facts.
Now tun to Mississippi, where the Repub-
| licans wer, badly beaten in their former at
| tempt to nifty prOscriptive Constitution, but
| where thy have now overwhelmingly tr-
umphed, having by Gen, Grants help, thrown
| Prescription overheard, and planted themselves
on platform of All Rights for All. Their
candidat, for Governor was not merely
Rebel, bit fighting Rebel; yet he Is elected
over tho Presidents brother-in-law, who was
no Rebe at all. In Texas, also, Prescription
was expressly thrown overheard, and UniVer-
! sal Amnety made the cornerstone OF the new
political nbric. - You see and rejoice over the
result. viii you not comprehend its moTalf
| VII. Anew words concerning repentance, which
YOU think should precede enfranchisement. |
shall no offend You by abiding to the fact
| that yol were till 1861 a Pro-Slayery Demo
crat-dnbtlcss. sincerely So At length,
great cIsis, great National peril, constrained
Won to cut loose from the party with which
you hac so long and so efficiently acted, and
seek tie public good through other associa-
| tons | am sure that some things wear
n different aspect in your eyes from that
| they wore ten or twenty years ago; it would be
strang, indeed if they did not. But suppose
| those With whom you havo acted since 1851
! had. met Won at the threshold with
| the inquiry" DO you repent OF having nth
erto been Democrat RI am sure you
would have regarded the query as an untimely
impcrtinence. and replied Judge me by my
"acts. If | have been dishonest and insincerc
hitherto, it is not probable that | am now
truthful and patriotic On the other hand, II
4 have thus far in good faith acted up to the
Light vouchsafed me, | shall probably do so
hereafter At all events, this seems to me
! the spirit of n true mans answer. SO that my
compatriot does right to-day and purposes to
| do rigE Tomorrow, do not wish him to for
swear lis sclf-respect by humiliating comics
sions ald abjuratons with regard to what he
Thought right yesterday.
VIII There are passages in your letter which
might provoke a sharp retort; but, my object
being 10 win you to n kndlier spirit, | must
reprcss the temptation. Let me close, then,
with { thought suggested by your plausible
| claim nat public Sentiment is overwhelmingly
| with you and against me on the issue which
divides us:
| | think you will not, on reflection, insist that
your view prevails outside of the Republican
party G outside of our own country. On the
contrary, you must be aware that it has absO-
lutcly 10 champions save among those to whose
passions it appeals, whose personal grievances
| it proposes (after fashion, to redress. Grant
that or political adversaries, whether here or
abroad are partial judges, you must have
read ne stirring appeal of Victor Hugo to
Juarez mplOring him to spare the life OF Max
imiliar, and must have discerned therein the
voice # European Democracy, entreatng us
not to STAN our great triumph with one drop
of blood not inevitably shed in battle. / have
heard no expression of opinion from Euro
pean Liberal adverse to this; | think you
have leard none. On the contrary, our friends
across the Atlantic are proud of the lesson Of
humanity and mercy we have taught alike
to inmrgents and oppressors. And, while l
concele that majority of our party here are
decidedly with you, rejoice in the faith that
it is [. smaller majority than it was last year,
smaller still than it was the year before, and
must steadily waste away until it ceases to
he aIy majority at all. "The murderer has
"but his hour; his victim has all eternity"
says Lamartine, contemplating the lawless exc
cution of the due d'Enghein; and, seeing how
passions cool and wrath abates l confidently
look forward to the time when thousands
who lave cursed will thank me for what |