, 1873-12-11

The Chicago Times, Which WAS the most bitter
asHailaut Of Richard Yates during hIs life, has
hecoma tho solt-appointed custodian ot hia
remains. It does not require great Btretch Of
memory to recall the malignity with which it
followed him when alive, tho snosrA with
which Ii met Ills every service whea Governor OF
this State mud the sensational stories which it sot
aloat regarding him. Now that no is dead,
however, md at rost, whore magnity and sneer
and scandal cauno! reach him moro, tho Times
suddenly vecrs about and becomes his apologist
aud defender. The immediate OCCASION for this
IL not that the Times is any more charitaby dis
posed towards Nichnrd Yates dead than it was
towards Richard Yates living, but because tho
Adoance and tho Advocate aud SOME other
ralgioua papers have soon tit to comment
nppn tho fact TINT Mr.. Yates was
an iutcmpcrate mau,-a fact which was ono Of
public notorioty, from ono cnl Of tho land to tho
other, and which Mr. Yates himae1f did not try
to conceal. No religious paper has ever boon d
FREUD Of the Times. and that papers OF this
class should point moral from Mr.. Yates' life
lds bL4lASA Qp l1O ol46 VI tAp "tEo w aAEA AA
c1tent that it has boldly seized its ac1ton's
shovel and mounted Runrd over tho grave. It
defends him as stoutly as it once assajled him.
It piles epi.hots upon then, as profuse]y as it
once did upon him. 1t seems to have an idea
that these papers arc boly-snatcbers, bont upon
breaking into tho cemetery, ritng tho grave,
and doing some aacrilegtouB harm to tho body.
It will puzzle most people to discover what the
Times il making Ill this noise snl hullaba1oo
about, Or Why it is boaboring the sir with such
wild fury. It will puzzle most people to dis
covcr what tho religious papers hayo eald which
MAS not said a Thousand times while btr. Yates
waa living. It will puzzle most people still moro
to comprehend why the Times should defeud
him Ut nll, excupt upon the hypothesis we have
assumed, tlut 1t iH bound to attack whatever
position religious papers assu,no. II tho Times
had eyor heo1l 9 friend of Nlr. Yates while he
nas aliyo, II it hail oyor spoken good worel for
him, II it had over sustained him politically.
socially, or morally, there might bo sotue coil
pistouoy in its present absurd attitude. The
man whom it now defends 1t then condonlnoA.
Tho yico OF his lifo, which 1t now apologies for,
It tl,on flung III his face W1,ut was then sub
jcot for Insult, Is now only constitutional diH-
easo, upon ulliul, the gonsral pity il invoked.
II Richard Yates could ariss from his grave
aud express his own opinions. ho "ould Infinitely
prefer tllo outspoken commouts OF tho reli sions
par,ors to tne ilsltlious aud posthumous dofenss
OF tl.o Timex. Notwithstanding all his faults,
l,o WIS slncore n,atl who concealed none Of his
faings, and nude no protense OF belug other
than lls was. :lhiH bo1f-sppontef custodian Of
hiu memory would recclvc speedy aud offectuul
discharge, and would bo hidden to atick to itn
business OF asHailng tho living and Let the eRtl
alone, lsichnrd Yates moods no apologlst, loaat
OF all sucA an apo!oglst Az tile Chpagn 7fmeS.
HI woro l,is lite on his nioevB, and It
waA known as,ll reAd Of all mcn. Nothing has
beou pad Of him dead wlol. Nas not said Of hin,
living, and, II he ad dohred to ssuk Ill apologiAt
for lin llfe and defender Of hia nomory, TIM
Ti,ars would hayo aen !le last one llo woaltl
hayu su!cusoi1. Aic',ara Yates IL nsw whsre
neither tho commands ot the religious PRESS 1lor
the blaclsguall .lofonas Of lhe Times Gall rouoll
him but tbero sp ono inference which, oan be
clearly tlsann from tho wholc mAs.eE. namely.