Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-08


suspicion has touched" There is moth
ing peculiar in this. In the ordinary
dealings of business life, no doubt, Mr..
Greeley is honest; he will neither cheat
nor pick your pocket. But in his poll
teal management he has been and con-
tinues to be far from upright, substitut-
ing a low eypediency for answering
ractitude. The great American COM
promiser Henry Clay, living and dying,
was alike his idol and model. He does
not find it difficult to believe that the
end sanctifies the means. To adhere to
fixed principle of right, come what may,
he regards as fanaticism to sacrifice it
for present attainable advantage is in
his opinion craftsmanship. In the treat
ment of public affairs he is unreliable,
and without vision or Judgment. The
latest exhibition of his slipperiness is
seen in his high protection dodge at Gin
cinnati to reconcile free traders to his
nomination. He seems to be quite des-
titute of moral sensibility, and when 0c-
casion favors can easily be dipped. He
sees no good reason why fire and gun
powder should always remain at vari-
ance, or why light and darkness should
never coaIesce. It is only for Southern
disloyalty to put on the guise of patriot
ism to be accepted as proof Of repent
ance and regeneration. The Adversary,
when dressed as an angel of light, is not
to be repulsed or suspected, but it will
be a Christian act to shake hands with
him, whether over a ''bloody Chasm"
or the bott0mless pit! His clamor for
universal amnesty, and for a total OBJ
livi0n Of the causes and consequences Of
the late dreadful war; is directly in the
interest of another Southern rebellion:
anil should he be our next President, as
he has repeatedly proclaimed his belief
in the right of secession if agreed upon
by a controlling sectional majority, there
is reason for the gravcst approximations
as to what may transpire under his adj
ministratiOn. There need be adduCed no
case for greater Gistrust or stronger con-
demnatiOn than is found in the fact that
the great body of Southern whites
loyal in form by necessity, not choice
are eager for his success, while as large
a proportion of the Southern freedmen
are trembling in fear Of it; for they
instinctively perceive what will be the
sad consequences to themselves They
NAV not. indeed, be again reduced to
be little regard paid to their personal or
political rights. For this reason it is
that they are feeling so alarmed and in
dignant at the stupidity or perfidy OF
any Of their number in voting for the
Greeley ticket; and well may a wide
margin of allowance be made for them
if, in any case, they have attempted 10
prevent this by threatening personal
violence. Their object is not to strike
down freedom Of choice, but to save
themselves from a cruel betrayal. You
can shed no light on their pathway for
they have much clearer vision than
your own. and practical knowledge Of
men and things around them that yOu
do not possess. Talk not to them in
disparagempnt of President Grant; tell
them not of the superior virtues Of Mr..
Greeley. As a matter of common
sense and ordinary prudence, they only
ask-thev need only aSk-on which side
are their dpspisers and prosecutors raj
lying. Ku KluXes and all. to come to the
sensible conclusion that their safety lies
in an opposite direction. Yet it is
Charles Sumner who is eXerting all his
powers to persuade them to the con-
trary. BY what witchcraft has this
been brought about?
80 madness of DISCOURSE
That cluSc sets IN with and against itself!
Bi-foId authority! where reason can re-
without perdition, and loss assume all
reason
without revolt: this is, and is not, Cres-
sid"
The special point that you press upon
the grateful consideration of colOred
voters is this: Horace Greeley, from
early life, was earnest and constant
against slavery. full of sympathy with
the colored race, and al50ays foremost IN
tile great 5attle for their rights.
| am so much of a Republican that l
wish to SEQ in the Presidential chair Il
Eff-7o7aq -A5o1tj0nist" Here. again, as
in the case of Gratz Brown. you make
claim that cannot be substantiated.
Mr. Greeley never was and never as
sumed to be an AbOlitiOnist He never
denounced slavehOlding as a malum IN SO,
nor advocated the immediate liberation
of the slaves, nor recommended a direct
assault upon slavery itself, nor discoun-
tenanced all prO-slavery compromises,
nor objected to a slave representation in
Congress or to the legal rendition of
fugitive slaves. nor connected himself
with any anti-slavery organization, nor
sanctioned the abolition movement. lie
was a trimmer throughout the whole
struggle, notwithstanding that he wrote
and published much that was servicCable
to the cause of freedom. lie was not
even a Frae-Soiler but always a Henry
CLAW Wing until Repubicansm sup-
planted the Wing and Free-SOil parties.
Even after the slaves were set free I'M
der Abraham Linc0ln's Proclamation of
Emancipation. he was in favor OF pay
inc those who had robbed them of every
right and ri0ted upon their unpaid toll.
not less that four hundred millions Of
dollars Far different was the manner
in which your friend, Mr.. r. w. Elmer
son, regarded this peCuniary adjustment
between the slave-maSter and slave
s'Give the o1Uper compensation;
Fill up the bag to the brim!
Who is the owner The siGre is owner
And ever was Pay hiD?"
Not so, said Mr.. Greeley; pay the
money to the slave-masters. And this.
too, after they had risen in rebellion,
and involved the country in all the hor-
rors of civil war to peIpetuate their des-
potic power, and at the cost of thOus-
ands Of millions Of dollars
And this is your ''life-time Abolition
ist," Mr.. Sumner, always foremost in
the great battle for the rights of the col
ored race, and full of sympathy for
them. :" Why, even their colonization
in Africa was an agreeable device for
him; for, personally, he cherished the
common prejudice against them, though
certainly ready to befriend any suffering
applicant, black or white, being natur-
ally of benevolent disposition. II is to
his credit that he was opposed to the in
PRODUCTION of new slave States into the
Union, and also to the annexation of
new territory for the extension of slav-
cry; nevertheless, with his compromis-
ing tendencies and sentimental views of
peace, if he had been in the Presidential
chair when the rebellion broke out, the
chances would have been that the Con-
federate States might have dictated terms
to the whole country, even to the eX-
tent of RECOGNIZING their independence.