Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-21
somc,hing Abou, s,a,esmnp.bip.

SOmetnhuS ADout StatesmanshIp.
The New York World discusses the decline
of Craftsmanship" aiming, however, to make
an assault on the republican party. We are re-
quired TO believe that very great glory of
craftsmanship rested upon the country down TO
the time when Abraham Lincoln became presi-
dent which has since disappeared. Perhaps
the World believes this; if so, its faith must be
set down as one of the mysteries; but we sus-
peet that it is nothing more than the simulated
faith Of partizan warfare 1t may be that
the World thinks it was craftsmanship of very
high order TO do the will of the slave power and
subject every interest of the country to the con-
troll of that power; to use every force of the gov
ernment to aid frantic efforts TO extend slavery
into free territory; to stimulate border rufian-
ism TO invade Kansas, in order to control its
elections, give it Shareholders constitution,
enact its laws, and stamp out the fire kindled
there by the spirit of freedom; and TO
maintain that the fugitive slave bill and
the resolutions of '9S, together, were
proper substitute for the national constitution.
That glorious craftsmanship which, we are
to understand, preceded the advent of the re-
publican party to power, can not be found in the
record Of any preceding administration which
the editor of the World is old enough to remem-
Der distinctly. Was it eminent craftsmanship
that allowed the secessionists to organize their
conspiracy in Mr. Buchanan's cabinet, and then
stood shiyering and excaiming, I've no power
to do anything against them" Ii so, all good
people should pray that the country may
never have another experience of it.
Was it eminent craftsmanship, under the adj
ministration Of President Pierce, which, DEFY
ing its own compromise measures, proceeded
without scruple to repeal the Missouri Com
promise" in order to establish slavery in Kan
sas and Nebraska? And yet, such statesman
ship as the country had in those times was all
of this sort. 1t has disappeared Would the
World bring it back again? If so, it does well
TO assail the republican party under whose in
fuence such craftsmanship can not live The
republican party destroyed it and will never re-
store it. Those who mourn its loss must seek
consolation somewhere else
But the World is not so specific in its state
ments as the case requires. 1t aims, rather, to
be clever and learned in generalities But, so
far as 1t explains itself, it appears to mean that
republican craftsmanship is very bad, because
IT aims TO realize in our institutions the great
doctrine of human rights put forth in the Dec
laratlon of Independence; because it insists that
all men should be made equal before the law,
and equal in civil and political rights. In this
the World sees decline of craftsmanship.
Leaving generaities, il specifies, for illustration
Of this decline" what the republican party has
done 10 secure civil and political rights to
colored men. This republican work, it thinks,
should be revised, or neutralized as far as pos
sible, by means Of political philosophy,
which will establish limitations Counter
poises,' safeguards" "checks," aud other de-
vices for controlling free suffrage. lis meaning
appears to be, that something ought to be done
TO restrain the free suffrage of colored voters
and that democratic craftsmanship will do what
Is necessary, as soon as it shall have opportun-
tyi and this is what is meant by the great ma
Jo1ty of its political associates, for it is con-
stantly made visible in what they say.
There was time in the south when colored
men had no acknowledged rights; when colored
men, women, and children were worked. sold
and treated as if they were cattle; when it endan-
gered mans life to utter the word, freedom,
IN their behalf; when it was a very grave crime
against the laws to teach one of them the alpba.
bet; when white man suspected of abolition
ism" was hunted down by bloody mobs when
The mails were riaed to prevent the circulation
OF newspapers suspected of wanting faith
in slavery; and when few slave
masters deted all laws but their own
and ruled supreme, like so many privileged des-
pots. Was that condition Of the south better
than the present? There is room for improve
ment now; and education, experience, and in
dustrial development will bring improvement.
But, taking the southern states as they are now.
taking them even as they are sometimes libel
ously portrayed by the old enemies of canal
rights, and who can allow himself to say their
condition is not now vastly better, vastly more
hopeful, than that which made those states
what they were previous to the rebellion? That
old condition represents and illustrates the
'siatesmanship" for which the World appears
to mourn, and which the republican party will
never be able toimitate What the World thinks
Of the work Of this party is expressed by that
word decline" But the World can not dictate
history nor control opinion; and, some day, it
viii see, and perhaps admit, that the statesman
SHIP which has saved the nation, DESTROYED
slavery, and established equal rights, is the
grandest thing the world has seen in our time.