Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-09
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. G, 1871.

FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 6, 1871.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
My query applies TO the sudden revival of
schemes for the consummation of disunion or
the recompense of rebels for being made richer
by free labor system, instead OF being hung
for treason, as they deserved, if political crimes
are ever to be punished Until recently l had
tolerably firm conviction that in our case, as
Walt Whitman says so strikingly in one of his
"Chaunts,"
1.-THE sweetness of mercy brewed bitter destruction"
or, at least, has threatened to. In the face of NJ
Theirs ferocity and of the hestial brutality of
the other friends of order" which stoops even
to the Imprisonment and military trial of chill
dren, l am obliged to refuse to fail in with the
popular current, and howl in unison with the
current stories of the commune. 1t pains me
very much TO differ on this subject with my
friend-the respectable average-but am COM
PEELED TO in face of a civilization which
finds no remedy for manifold injustice,
but to guard children with gendarmie
and blow their mothers to pieces with
mitraleuse. But what's this to do with the
starting point? In truth must reply nothing
unless it be that by some subtle connect on my
mind naturally links that wonderful parliament
tary trickste who now thinks he governs France,
and that once pet institution of all our Ameri-
can friends of order"-slayery, with the read
ing of book which have just laid down and
mean TO refer to in this letter.
But to return to my muttOns-in this case the
written and published plans recently given out
for the triumph of the old south. Kukluxism
is either their parent, or, what is more likely,
they are born of minds that sympathize with
kuklux temper, but not their designs.
PAYMENT OF sLAvEs-REsToRATIoN OF THE
CoNFEDERACY.
These are The ultimate aims. Our southern
friends are greedily counting their chickens,
though the little bipeds are unmatched. The
brooding warmth of our divisions is TO hatch
out-the cockatrce of renewed civil strife. But
to the plans.
First comes proposition, made in the Nor
folk Frginian, that argues at considerable
length thar the abolition of slavery, even under
the war power, was wholly illegal. Therefore,
we must be compelled to pay for the slaves, and
in order TO create political force strong enough
to do this, one-half the compensation is to be
given to the freed people as a recompense, |
suppose, for being ruthlessly wrested from the
protecting ngis of the masters.
Second comes pamphlet, privately and eau
tiOusly circulated throughout the south, but not
so carefully but the devouring Herald obtains
copy and senSationalizes its propositions.
Those tI,o ~
scheme of obtaining peaceful restoration of
the conlederacy, and of things as they were be-
foretthe Skull crushing hammer of Thor" rent
them to pieces.
This pamphlet troubles the democratic mana
gers. Some of them were over here yesterday,
and resolved that it did not represent democratic
sentiment, and that it was, in reality, weak
invention Of the enemy. Meaning, l presume
that party committee of which your correspond
ent serves as secretary. Much obliged to Messrs
Randall and Eldredge for their back-handed
| compliment, but we are in better business than
furnishing plans, even in jest or mischief to-
wards discovering the Union. We at least are
| trying TO keep it intact and beyond peril.
However, the brochure excites the fears
OF the democratic executive committee,
ana they are swift TO rcpudiate-as the demo-
crazy are IN general, anything good but office
Inc reputation is nferentially strong proof
that they know the ideas it contains echo those
of many thousands in the south. If has boen ro-
ported that it was written by II Stenbono
he however, denies this. Judging by what
nave seen OF 1t in newspaper extracts the writer
is master of much better English than that mud
died political dreamer, Stephens, commonly en-.
ploys. Putting all this aside the significant
comment on this pamphlet is the fact of its re.
pudiation by the democratic committee.
SOMETHING EVEN MORE CURIOUS.
refer toa book Just issued by Claxton, Remsen
& Hauffelfnger, of Philadelphia. It's A transla-
ton, very well done too, judge of IA remark.
able historical treatise originally published in
1888 and written by IN. Adophe
Granier de Cassagnac"-a name familiar
to all acquainted with the History of the Second
Empire, as that of man who has been its
hireling advocate, and who is the father OF its
paid bully, Paul de Cassagnac The book is
entitled, "The History of the Working and
Burgher Glasses" 1t is translated by one Ben
e. Green Of Dalton, Whitefield county, Georgia.
Now M. de Cassagnacs work is one of value.
especially at the present time, to those who
have gone crazy here and elsewhere over the
idea that the Paris commune meant simply the
communism oil Babeuf, St. Simon and CADET.
and was not an attempt, however madly made
TO revive political unit, the growth of an age
when the commune was the workmen and
traders refuge from ieudal oppression. 1t is
| full of erudition and research. To me, its con-
illusions seem utterly false, designing, as they
do, virtually to make it appear that the burgher
class tends 10 an Ogarchy of wealth and trade and
the roetariat-which designation includes, ac-
cording to the gospel of Cassagnac, as inter.
preted by Duff Green's son, working men, beg
gars, thieves and prostitutes" | am reminded
ny mat classification of one made bv Senator
buuer OF South Carolina, who, in his infamous
hudsiif' speech, deals in the same sort of gen
eIaizatlon' Cassagnacs leading idea is that
'he foundation Of all historical movement is
seen III tne changes, characteristics and efforts
OF two distinct races or classes-tba noi,los or
freed persons, the slaves or proletariat The
collision Of and changes in these two condi,ions
make up the whole of historical movor,ontz
By following these streams from tbeir so,,oos
down, one is able to make genuine history NJ
civilization and what impedes it. Cassaopac
believes all the impediments come from changes
in the great natural conditions.
But my purpose is to deal with the trapsla.
| tarha tusfl &