The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-31

memory from q just ignominyP He was an
officer holding powerful and influential po-
sition under the Government, and he dehbe-
rately and systematically betrayed the great
trust that was oonhded to him. He not only
gave his oountenance and support to the
traitors who were seeking to destroy the
nation, but previous to the outbreak OF the
Rebellion he was in full sympathy with the
conspirators, and made use of the power that
had been placed in his hands to prepare the
way for them, and to make it easy for them
to strike the fatal blow which 1t was hoped
would put an end to the national existence,
destroy our free institutions, and perpetu-
ate human slavery on this continent Before
the election of Mr.. Lincoln gave the conspi-
| rators an ostensible pretext for putting their
plans into execution. Mr. Toucey, as
Secrtaery of the Navy had placed
many of the best and most patriotic officers
of the service on the retired list; and the
principal naval vessels were despatched to
distant quarters of the globe, where it would
be months before they could render any as
sistance. After the breaking out of the Re-
bellion, he accepted without question, all the
designations that were offered, and so far as
he dared, as member of Buchanan Cabinet,
he openly gave his aid and support to the
cause of treason.
II might be urged in extenuation of the
conduct of some Of the Southern men who
engaged in the Rebellion, that they had been
educated into the belief that slavery was a
divine institution they had large sums of
money invested in slave property, and by CON
slant agitation and brooding on the subject
they had become as fanatical with regard to
retaining it as they claimed some of the peo-
pie of the North were with regard to aboh-
tionism. They we're educated, too, in the
Calhoun school of politics, and from their
earliest years had the notions of Southern
superiority instilled into them, and were
taught to look upon dissolution
of the Union as possible, probable, and
proper solution for the agitation of the
slavery question. No excuses like these pitt
full as they are can be urged in favor of Isaac
Toucey. He was a Northern man, born and
bred in Connecticut He received a North
ern free-school education he saw from his
earliest childhood what the blessings of free
institutions were; all his interests, hopes and
natural affiliations were with the loyal portion
of the nation, and yet he did not hesitate to
betray his country and to violate the high
trust imposed upon him at the bidding of his
Southern masters, who despised him as they
affected to despise the people of the State and
section which he represented. Ere long they
found reason to respect Mr. Touceys fellow
citizens of Connecticut, but their opinion of
him must have continued to the last.
Mr.. Toucey lived see the great conspiracy
expand into a gigantic rebellion, that for a
time seemed to be the high road to sue
cess; he witnessed its destruction, and saw the
nation come out of the conflict stronger,
greater, and more powerful than before-sla-
very abolished forever, and the men whom he
had sought to aid disfranchised and placed
below their own bondmen in the scale of po-
litical equality. Mr.. Toucey died unhonored
and unlamented. He belonged to a class of
men that are of use sometimes to do dirty
political work, but whom nobody more
heartily despises than their employers. He
gained nothing by his subserviency to trea-
son but obloquy and disgrace, which will for
ever cling to his memory.