Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-24
NO. 2O2.

EeFolt whenever tue way opens. Inc WIDE
spread organization Of the Ku-klux shows the
same thing. That organization existed only
because public opinion there cheered it on,
and in suppressing it our government had no
little OF help from the former rebels. All this
was to be expected. 1t would be contrary to
history anu experience were it otherwise.
10 put the slightest faith in the protesta-
tions of copperheads and secessionists, made
only to get office, is building on a quicksand.
W Wlth the exception Of Mr.. Sumner, no lead
ing liberal republican does really put any faith
In those protestatiOns. Theirs is not case
OF delusion. They are hypocrites, not dupes..
They know well the plot, and for the sake Of
office are willing to help it and risk the con-
sequences. asssg s4 a4s
They know that Mr.. Greeley's election
means the negro surrendered to the hate Of
the Southern States, with no interference
from the nation in his behalf; that it means
the constitutional amendments neutralised by
eopperhead Congress, our debt tamperedI
with, and our bonds falling twenty per cent
in every market. The democratic u..ilionairs
who is willing to risk this has already
''hedged." He holds millions Of Confederate
bonds, and is plotting to make on them more
than enough TO pay four times over for all he
loses on the national securities, and then
safely laugh at the small bondholders he has
duped. 1a9s sAs
Observe that count as MIR. Greeley's allies
only the copperheads of the democratic par.
ty 1t is loose talk to say he has joined the
democrats. Such statement is an insult to
| the democracy. The exact truth is, he has
joined the copperhead wing of the democra-
| cy-its worst element. They are his reliance.
/ know some honest war democrats wish 70
change their base and accept heartily the re-
suit of the war. All honor to them. But
their place is not with Greeley, but with
Grant. They fought at his side; there they
should stand to-day. l know 1t 10 hard to
confess mistakes but / practice what +
preach. sa.sz sag "
Ii General Grant is set aside who Is Of
fered US in his place? Horace Greeley
| need not tell you, my friends, what Hor-
ace Greeley is. We abolitionists knew him
only too well in the weary years of our
struggle. He had enough of clear moral
vision to see the justice of our cause. But
he never had courage enough to confess his
faith. If events had ever given him the
courage, he never would have had prinei-a
pie enough to risk anything for an idea.
A trimmer by nature and purpose, he has
abused even an American politicians priv
ilege of trading principles for success.
But for lack of ability he would have been
the chief timeserver of his age. never
less and undiscriminating as even to claim
that he was sincere man. As for his
honesty-for twenty years it has been a
byword with us, that it would be safe to
leave your open purse in the same
room with him; but as for any other hon
esty, no one ever witnessed enough to
connect the idea with his name.
Mr.. Sumner trusts him as ga lifetime
| II, s- ,s,,1r -
you and me. You and know well, when
dbolttiontst, was a term of reproach, how
timidly he held up his skirts about him,
careful to put u wide distance between
himself and us. You will find few work.
ing abolitionists who stood in the trenches
from 1910 to 1860, willing to trust the me-
gro race to Horace Greeley. l can re-
member the day when he and his fellow
republicans quoted our criticisms upon
them as certificates that they ere no abo-
litionists. We can give him just such
certificate now with clear conscience.
Judged by the files of the Tribune itself.
there never was an hour when Horace
Greeley could have been trusted with the
care of the black mans rights.
No man has known better than he how
| to manufacture political and peeuniary
I
men. For himself he never had con-
viction. Men contrast his former praise
of General Grant with his fault-fnding
now. Neither his praise nor his blame is
of any account. Neither comes from the
heart Both are measured and weighed
out with shrewd calculation for effect. Ex-
anime the files of the Tribune and you will
see that whenever mems convictions on
| any subject got u keen edge, Mr.. Greeley
was always ready to blunt them with u
compromise. He is only acting now the
part he has always played. Men laugh
when some stirring and loyal sentence is
quoted from the Tribune OF 1862 or 1864,
and Horace Greeley Immediately proves
that he did not write it. But you and
always knew that three-quarters OF the
loyalty of the Tribune was smHggled into
it in his absence, or in spite OF him. II his
letters and communications to Lincoln,
during the dark years OF 1862 and 1868,
are ever published, the world will see what
you and have always known, that he
could hardly have aided the Confederacy
more unless he had enlisted in its ranks,
or taken seat in its cabinet.
If. as Mr.. Sumner says, Mr. Greeley, is
a "life-tme aboltionist," how comesl it
that, till within three years, Mr.. Sumner
hardly ever got a kind word and never had
any hearty support from the Tribune
How often have Mr.. Summers friends
heard him expatiate at length on this
point On the floor ofCongress he has
stood, for many year, the incarnation OF
the anti-slavery movement. But he has
again and again complained that, instead
of giving him any support, the Tribune
has constantly belttled his efforts and put
obstacles in his way.-cheering his oppo-
nents and carping at his measures, or at
best damning them with faint praise. My
recollection of these well-grounded COM
plants is SO fresh, that look at Mr.. SUM
ner's picture of Mr., Greeley with unieIgn-
ed astonishment. Even the supposed con-
version of the southern rebels Is not so
wonderful as that of the Tribune into
supporter of Charles Summer.
Doubtless we could find man who would,
even if elected by rebels, still use them ior
his own purposes. And it is possible that,
in rare moments of exceptional courage or
virtue. Mr.. Greeley may dream Of doing so.
Rut in cool and sane moments he knows he is
,La;r fool and il coutented TO be so. Every