New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-13
which the science of political morals Is max
ing in the public mind.
THE ISSUES or 1861.


for President rather than Mr.. Greeley. Had he
demonstrated on the other side, his letter
would have been hailed as proof positive tLat
MIR. Greeley was tue Rebel candidate; but
since the Grant Convention at Philadelphia
was presided over by Thomas Settle, hght-
ing Rebel, addressed by Gen. Carter, another
of that breed, and fairly idolized Gerrit Smith,
whose name stands next below Mr.. Greeleys
on the jeff. Davis bail-bOnd, we may fairly
presume the loyal" vein nearly worked out.
II remained for Mr.. Gilmer to reiterate and
improve upon q stale calumny, by asserting
that Mr.. Greeley not only favored Secession
in 1sGO-G1 but "ur0ed Mr.. Davis and his
q" Southern friends to secede." Thus, you see,
q lie. being suffered to pass uncontradlcted,
not only endures but expands and grows. Let
us impale this one, so as at least TO preciuue
its further enlargement.
The popular vote in November, 1860, having
insured the choice of Abraham Lincoln as
next President, the aristocracy of South caro-
lima initiated their long meditated Secession,
in behalf of which they had hoped for and
contributed to the Republican triumph. 1hey
wisely calculated that the known reluctance Oh
the sister Slave States could only be overcome
by prompt, unconditional Secession on the
mart of South Carolina, thus cOnstraining the
rest to follow.
How was this programme to be defeated
"By concession and compromise" SAID an
influential body of prominent kepuDlcanS'
led by the veteran then editor of 1he Albany
Epening Journal. ave must waive our re-
"pugnance to the Extension of Slavery, and
run the line of $50 80 North latitude clear
{" across the continent, suTTendering all Fed
L" eral territory South of that line to Slavery
was the gist of their demonstration.
This proposition was strenuously resisted by
the great body of the Republicans, and con-
spicuously by THE TRIBUNE, which insisted
that those who had elected Mr.. Lincoln had
done nothing that they should atone for, and
that there was no occasion for compromise.
"But what will you do to avert the else
"inevitable Civil Warp was vehemently de-
manded. THE TRDUYE's answer, frequently
repeated with variations, was ever suDstan-
tally this-"We will submit the ques-
"tion of Union or Secession 10
"fair vote, after q free and full discus
"siOn, of the Southern people themselves Inc
"JJnion is not a yoke, fetter, prison; 1t Is
.'benefit and blessing to every section, and
"to the whole American people, as their votes
"will attest. Give the friends of the Union
fair opportunity to demonstrate its advan-
"tages, and every State will vote to MAIN
"tain. as every State originally voted
"to establish it. Give us chance
"to argue the matter fairly before the People
"Of the South-to say to them, Tins is your
"'Union as much as ours; we shall not buy
"'you, hire you, bride you, truckle to you,
"'nor kill you, to preserve it; decide freely
"whether to remain in or go out OF 1t, and
"'by your choice we will abide "-such was
TIE TRIBUNE's overture for the preservation
of the Union. That the Southern People, had
its counsel been followed, would have voted
against Secession by immense majOrties, it
did not doubt then and cannot doubt now, III
view of the actual results of all the elections
held in the South for the six months follow
ing the popular vote which insured Mr. Lin
coins election Nothing else did half so much to
strengthen the SecesSionists in that crisis as
the threat of coercion by Northern bayOnets.
Secession never commanded the support of
the Southern people till reinforced by fra
ternal bloodshed. 1t was Rebellion, not 10y
atty, that commanded and initiated actual
sacola, at Napoleon, and around Fort Sumter.
-"Was not THE TRIBUNE then hailed as an
"ally by the DisuniOnists ~ Brave and
true men tTaversed the South throughout
that trying Winter of 1SG0-Gl as CORE
spOndents Of this journal, but not one
of them dared be known in any hot-bcd of
treason as connected with THE TRIBUNE. On
the contrary, they concealed that connection
most rigidly sending their letters under cover
to some mercantile firm. Mr.. A. ID. Richard
sons "Field, Dungeon, and Escape" gives
vivid and truthful accounts of the perils
bTaved in the South by our correspondents,
and in equal measure by no others what
ever. During that Winter (about Feb.
1sO Mr.. Greeley was engaged to lecture
on some non-political topic at st. Louis,
and had reached Springfield, ILL.,, on his way
thither when he was met by tele-
gram from leading Republicans, advis-
ing him that the excitement in that
city was such that it would not be safe for
him to speak there. This was followed by a
dispatch from the person who had engaged
him, virtually Withdrawing the invitation to
lecture Those who threatened a riot in case
he attempted to speak in st. Louis were not
Republicans nor enemies of Secession. Dur
ing that Winter a lady of this City was
seen to enter q church in the company
of Mr.. Greeley and take q seat be-
side him. Their meeting on the way to church
was unexpected 10y either; yet few days
thereafter that lady's father who had sold goods
and ignored politics in Mobile for the ten or iif-
teen years preceding, was warned to leave that
city in hurry, and had to do 1.-THE only
reason assigned for this expulsion being that
his daughter had been seen to enter a church
in NeW-York with Horace Greeley and sit he