Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-09-06
Greeley. the Secessionist.

We understand that leading Greeley men il
this city have the hardihood u deny outright
that Horace Greeley ever advocated the abstract
right Of secession. The "cheek" involgei in
tuch denial is sublime The record proves
beyond all possibility of moral dispute that Mr.
/ Greeley approved the Southern theory Of rebel
lion in sll essential particulars, and he express
ly di'spproved beth the theory snd the policy Of
mainianinz the integrity Of the Union BY arms
To illustrate the extent of Mr. Gresley's coiuci-
dence Of opinion with the promoters Of secession
we present few quotations from the files Of the
Tribune. On the 9th Of November, 1860, the
second day after hr. Lincolu's election the Tn
bane contained an editorial undoubtedly writ
ten By Mr.. Greeley. inssnuch Sc it is transferred
to the psges Of his history Of the war, entitled
1.-The American Conflict" In this editorial Is
this paragraph:
''Nsy. we hold with Jefferson to the inalien-
able right ofcomnuuites to alter or abolish forms
Of government that have become oppressive or
injurious, aud If the Gotten States shall become
ratified that they can do better out Of the
Union thar in it, we insist in letting them 90 in
peAcc Tie right 70 secede may be revolution
sry one, but il exist. nevertheless, and We do
rot sec how one party h.s aright 10 do what
another party has right TO prevent We must
ever resist the asserted right Of any Sts:e to re-
main il the Union and nulify Eni defy the laws
thereof To withdrGT from the Union is quite
smother matter; and lrheRerer a considerable
section Of our Union shall deliberately yes0irc
10 90 out Jre shall resist all cosrcire measures
desigRed 10 keep them in 1t. We hope nerer 10
lire i9G republic iChsre one section is ginncf
TO anotier by JayonctS."
This position r.s stsadfa,tly maintained.
On the l7th Of b D,cemter following the Tribune
declared that if the doctrine Of the Declaration
Of Independents '.jusifei the accession Of three
millions of colonis;s in l776, We 60 not zee wby
it would ret justify the secession OF Eve mi!lions
Of sou;hcrrers from the Federal Union IN 1851, ,"
and sdlei
"Ifse7en or eight contiguous States shall pre-
sent themselves authenticity st v Washinetdn,
saying: I'VE hste the Federal Uoion We have
withdrawn frcn K; We give you The choice
between acquiescing in our secession ant arrsur
ing smicsbly all Incidental eusEtions Cn the onc
hand, and attempting TO subdue US on the other,
"tre could not stand uD for coercion, for SUD-
JayaHoH, for re DO not hiat IL 'r0rM Be just"
We have here sa Interpretation CT The parase
- ccrr.d0rs5ls sJctioa,' used in the f1.r1er
quotation. l, means seven CT eight S;ates, but
ia area vas very much diminished rs The ai-ua-
tor developed. Mr. Greeley v-s wiling that
the ssve States, he cotton states, or the rulf F.
States, OF in fact tuy section large enough TO
form sn Independent, seif-iubsis,iug nation. - .
shoul1 sever its relations with tie Union without
resistance. The ssne doctrine va, reiterated en- /.
the zi;h aal 18th Of December, ind sesersl .
TINES in JSnasry. Oa TIE 23l O.. February ls .
ss.i, I'VE have ssii, aui ttll u,;utsia, ths., .
provided tttt TIC cotton S.stes have folly aai .
definitely made Up their riuds 70 60 by th7m-
selves, there il 10 uocd cf fighting about Il, f5-
they have only to exercise reasonable patience
and they VII. teie IF in pescs sad coed E:l.'' .
On the li.h Of May, 1st2, the doctrine Ess-
retfErnei by the Tritr-c IN arsuMksble naa-
usr
We have t;eaifas y affirmed AID Upheld tir
Jefferson doctrine. embodied in the Declsrsti-n
Of american lndepea1ence, Of tie right Ct rav-
Were rrf
is asserted, and i's exercise j. properly s,.emp-
ed, it ought rot 20 be necessary to subject 81.
concerned to the woes ard horrors Of civil war
In other words. what cue party has ieht 90
do smother can hsvc no right 20 re sist. And sc
have urged that, h'i the great msss # tae
Southern people really desired dissolution u .
the UIion. and teen wiling TO exercise q resso1-
able patience, tier eli night have been attained .
without devastation Sni cirnsgs: FIR We, with .
thousands m1Te in the North, would haze done
sl IN cu- poEer TO incline cur fsloF ci,izsus 70
defe- TO their rcgussi and let them 70 in 1cace
should tie tin1s arrirs in or try
chen tie great toiy qf the seople Of .-r P1eife
states shall sag deliberately, kindly. frniu
10 those this side lf the Rocly -Nolrtliss,
" You are stronger than ue-0licr, more
irsaihy more porcrful-bu iee G5t y9t 10 ist
Us 60; for ire be!isrc irs can 40 batter ~ our
fsires then lruh yol-G0 IN Pe1re 11i
Helreg's blessing attend g1l We believe
that It il right, the Wiss; the Christian autyer to
such request, aud thst the world will yet per-
ceive and recognize the past.
In conr ecGon vith the .boye. two ez7rer,iors
Of later dste deserve &c he contii,rcd The
fret is from letter III. C. to Il. " Cheney
Of Trey, n. Y, published in the T,!5use Sep
tem5er 26, 1859 Ia it H-r,,e Greeley e,ii ever
he osu initials
" But sh.li ins.t that Il It hal been proved
th.t the people of the slave States. OF even
of the cotton states allue. hsi desired 10
dissolve ;de unicn, SD peace.bly, deliberately
sul su;h5ri,2iivsiy eypIefs1i tia; Ni,h, We
shouN have sssea,el to it. At all events,
should"
The sscon s, from Letter by L o.. rl5.izhsi
in the Tribune. Jias s. 1871 .vrit,sa while Nr.
Greeley Was oa h'a Southern toa- last year
That those wdo struggled aai tough; for
fscezson geuerAllg believe they Ee:e right ia 80
doing, cannot doubt But While ttey stil
Affirm the rign Of secession. en- sstifs1 ta.t
= nsjoriy Of them believe lis practical assertion
was urEise Sni inexpeiiea;. They bold tist
they should b-ve made thsir iAie sJrgfg'e n tie
Union, no; sgs,cst it-rrdcr tic dag cf cur
fathers, not ih., of the s,Irl sad bsrs-in csten-
sio'e deieuce Of tie federal Constitution, not in
resistance to it's sutlori,y They propose 10
reH6ir the fight. bat not uiti gun and sabre
They erpeci TO reGGi7 as democrats, through
elections. the p0'rsT ttsy lost Is rs5eis Through
trqT."
And Horace Greeley is nov sc;ively engaged
in helping then 10 to DO I. this the kind Of a
'' philosopher " We want At Tie hs.l Of ,he gov
ernuent, ,aId ia command of the Army sni NsgJ?
whs: say the intelligent voters o. Yermo-t2
- fla F-a. p,s.s.-4 r-r---