The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-16
THE AMERICAN EXAMPLE OF EMAN.
CIPATION.
From the N. Y. Times.

=
Strange as it may seem, the abolition of
slavery even in this country is not univer-
sally admitted to be wise measure. At the
South, where slavery prevailed, it was in the
greatest favor, and even now those who were
most familiar with it are its most strenuous
friends and apologists. Politically, morally,
and socially, there seems to have been an in
fuence about the institution of slavery which
blinded men to its worst features.
In this country, political resistance to
slavery originated at the North, and among a
class who had little, if any, practical know
ledge of its evils. Its enemies were stimu-
lated by a recital of wrongs they had never
witnessed, and became indignant over cruel
ties which they knew of only by hearsay. 1t
was upon this secondhand information that
the country was stirred up to that decided
course of action which resulted in the cleo
tion of Abraham Lincoln. Not one in O hun
dred of those who voted for MIR. Lincoln had
ever visited the South or witnessed the social
degradation caused by slavery. The people
drew their inspiration from the press, from
the platform, and from narratives in various
books.
When the Rebellion broke out America
was the foremost supporter of slavery in the
world, 1t represented the only nation, claim
ing high civilization, which held so large a
percentage of its people in bondage. Even
with its slow political progress Russia had
taken steps to emancipate its serfs before our
Rebellion began, and the amelioration of their
condition is not to be attributed altogether to
American influence.
During the first year of the Rebellion, and
thenceforward to the end, the real issue of
the struggle was understood by all foreign
nations to be emancipation. 1t was natural
that such an issue should attract deep atten-
ton, and that it should greatly affect the
nl1er piuili1afinna ri Thara is dn,1ht fhot
silent influence went out from us among all
the nations which even incidentally tolerated
slavery, and that 1t has undermined the insti-
tuition wherever it existed
Not only in Turkey and Russia has the
noble work of emancipation been carried on,
but also in Brazil and several of the other
South American States. Quite recently a
proposal has been seriously discussed in
the Spanish Cortes for the abolition of slavery
in Cuba, and in the other colonies. We are
told that the foremost citizens of Cuba are
in favor of the abolition of slavery at the
earliest practicable moment, and they per-
ceive that the example set them by the
United States must be followed In other
words, they admit that slavery can never
again exist so near to us.
This is one of the first fruits of our ex-
ample of emancipation-an example which
will yet be followed by every civilized nation
holding slaves. The great struggle by which
We were enabled to wipe out the stain on our
national character will never need to be re-
peated. No other nation will ever be called
upon to make like sacrifce-and, indeed,
no other could make it and live. We do not
believe that any great war will hereafter be
fought for emancipation. Whenever the
spirit OF freedom becomes strong enough to
justify resistance, the influence of our ex-
ample will be felt, and the chains of the slave
will fall from his limbs.