Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-24
woRCEs TIE B
SATURDAY. AUGUST 90, 1879
Horace Grcciey's secessionism.

There are some people who appear to be
skeptcal, and ignorant of Mr.. Greeley's record,
whenever he is charged with having advocated
secessionism. The charge can be sustained by
an abundance of evidence; and we are not aware
that Mr.. Greeley has ever pretended to deny it,
either directly or indirectly 1t is evident that,
in 1860 aud during the war, his ideas of constitu-
tional rights and national obligations were very
loose, and, also, that he had some strange
moods caused by cowardly fears. Neither his
courage nor his nerves were equal to the occa-
sion. We will cite some of the expressions of
secessionism to which he gave utterance at that
time. In the Tribune of November ?, 1860, Mr..
Greeley said:
"Whenever any considerable section of this
Union shall really insist on getting out of it, we
shall insist that they be allowed 10 90, and we
feel assured that the north generally cherishes a
kindred determination SO let there be no bah
BILE about the ability of the cotton states to whip
the north. Ii they will fight they must hunt up
some other enemy, for lge are not going to fight
them. \ Il II the people mot the swashy pol
iticians) of the cotton states shall ever deliber
ately vote themselves out of the Union, we shall
be in favor of letting them 90 in peace, Then
who is to fight? Aud what for?'
In the New York Tribune of November 9th,
1860, Horace Greeley said:
of the cotton states shall decide that they
can do better outside of the Union than in it 1Ce
insist on letting them 90 in peace. Whenever
any considerable section of the Union shall de-
lberately resolve TO 90 out, We shall resist all
c0erciUe measures to Keep It in"
In the New York Tribune of December 18th,
1860, Horace Greeley said:
''And if this right justified the secession from
the British Empire OF three millions of colouists
IN l116, we do not see why il would not justify
the secession of five millions of southerners
from the federal Union in 1861. We
could not stand up for coercion, for subjuga-
lion, for we do not think it would be just. We
hold the right of sefgoyernment sacred, even
when invoked in behalf of those who deny it to
others"
In the New York Tribune of December oath,
1860, Horace Greeley said;
q Let the cotton states, or any six or more
states, say, unequiyOcally, " We want to get out
of the Union, and propose TO effect their eud
peaceablv and inoffensvely, and ne nil do oar
best to help them out"
In the New York Tribune of January 14th,
/ sci, Horace Greeley said;
Gas to secession, l have said repeatedly and
! here repeat, that if the people of the slave
states, or Of the cotton states really wish to get
out of the Union, am in favor of letting them
out as soon as that result can be perfectly and
only be patient, not rush to Selling federal forts,
arseuals, arms and sub-treasuries, but take first
deliberately fair vote by ballot of their own
citizens not being coerced or intimidated, and
that vote shall indicate settled resolve 10 get
out of the Union, | will do all l can to help
them out at an early day"
In the New York Tribune of Janury 81, 1861 j,
Horace Greeley said
"What demand is proof that the southern
y dpEfrp in fba froa
states. Whenever assured that that is their set
tied wish | shall joyfully cooperate with them
TO secure the end they seek "
In the New York Tribune ofFebruary %, 1861
five days after the Inauguration of jeff Davis as
rebel president, Horace Greeley said:
eve have said, and still maintain, that pro-
vided the cotton states have fully and definitely
made up their minds TO 90 by themselves, there
is no need of lighting about it; for they have
only to exercise reasonable patience, and they
will be let off in peace and good will. Whenever
it shall appear that the great body of the south
ern people shall have become conclusively alien
aled from the Union, and anxious to escape
from it, we will do our best to forward their
views
In the New York Tribune of March goth, 1861,
appears letter of Horace Greeley to T. NJ
Hawkins of Grenada, Miss, in which he says:
81 would have cheerfully co-operated with
Won in deyising and promoting peaceful means
of liberating the cotton states from a hateful
bond, had they not rather chosen to break out,
aud TO take with them whatever they could lay
their hands on"
In the New York Tribune of April 8, 1862,
Horace Greeley said
"Mr. Garrett Davis, this tremendous civil war
was dreaded aud deprecated by no one more
than myself. / am one of the few northern
men, who, TO avoid it, would have preferred to
let the cotton states 90 in peace"
In the New York Tribune of May 14th, 1862,
Horace Greeley said
eve have steadfastly affirmed and upheld Mr.
Jefferson's doctrine, embodied in the decara-
ton of independence, of the right of revolution.
We have insisted that when this right is assert
ed and its exercise properly attempted, it ought
not to be necessary TO subject all concerned to
the woes and horrors of civil war. In other
words, what one party has a right to do, the
other has no right TO resist And we have
urged that had the great mass of the southern
people really desired adissoution of the Union,
and been willing to exercise a reasonable
patience, their end might have been attained
without devastation and carnage; for we, with
thousands more in the north, would have done
all in our power TO induce our fellow citizens TO
defer to their request and let them 20 in peace.
Now, should the time arrive in our
day, when the greatibody of the people of the
Pacific states shall say deliberately firmly, kind
ly TO those this side of the Rocky mountains:
"You are stronger than we-older, more wealthy
more poweriul-but we ask you TO let us 90; for
we believe wecan do better by ourselves than with
you. We should respond and urge others to
respond, Go in peace and heavens blessing at
tend you"
September ed, 1862, Mr.. Horace Greeley
wrote to H. NJ. Chesney, of Troy, n Y:
But still insist that, if it had been proved
that the people of the slave states-or even of
the cotton states alope-had really desired to
dissolve the Union, and had peaceably, deliber-
ately and authoritatively expressed that wish, we
should have assented 10 il. 1t all eUeRts,
should"
No rational person is likely to deny that the
man who talks in this way is an advocate of
secessionsm. For the rest, we leave It for honest
patriotism to say whether such man is fit to
be president Of the United States; whether he
would be fit TO hold the office, even if he were
qualified for it in other respects Having
adopted and advocated this doctrine of the
southern conspirators, he persisted in it. Sep
TENDER 26 1865, six months after the war had
closed, Horace Greeley delivered an extempore
address in lngersolPs hall, St. Paul Minnesota,
and he then repeated in substance the sentiments
embodied in the extracts we have quoted. No
verbatim report Of this speech was made, but
the following is from condensed report in the
81. Paul Daily Press of September 9th, 1865:
I'm this connection he alluded TO and ex-
pialned his own famous position, taken at the
beginning Of the war, Of the right of any CON
siderable section Of the union, thoroughly con-
Fineed that its interests demanded a separate
and independent government, to form one and
secede peaceaby from the union. He based this
doctrine on the principle Of the declaration of
independence, that governments derive their
gust powers from the consent Of the governed"
Therefore, up to September 18th, 1865, Mr..
Greeley had not changed his view of the right
Of secession, but then maintained and justified
it, lie has never since recanted this tratorous
doctrine, which places the existence Of the
Union and its whole future at the mercy Of any
local discomfort.
The managers of the "libera republican club"
have made the same mistake which their
Is in other places have been continually
;into They are too ambitious, and, be-
'ermined to have a Climb when they bad