The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-29
Mr. Huuhes-His subdued Past.

Mr. Eughes-His Snbdued Past.
we canuot but admire the meek attire In
which our separated fellow-citizen Mr.
HreHEs drapes his past opinions: e, those
he entertained before the war. He was an
indifferent Democrat, the gentlest OF States
rights men, and In heart Federalists yet ne
associated almost exclusively with the south
ern fire-eaters. and wrote for both CHARLES
r Borrs's Standard aud JOHN NJ. DANIELS
Erom,ner-indeed, from '53 to 'o7 1t was
Mr.. HUGHEs's Examiner. He had proprie'
tary interest In it, and it was as thoroughly
southern and States rights as it ever had
been or was afterwards under the diree-
ton Of Mr.. DANIEL after he resumed
his entire ownership OF the paper
Nor did the return of Mr. DANIEL sever
Mr. Hrcurs's connectionwith the Erami-
Nor It's columns were still ilumined with
his writings. which were, Of course, in uni
son with Mr.. DANIELS ideas and with the
spirit of the Examiner, which fired the
southern heart, cheered on the war, preached
heroism to the Confederate soldiers, and, by
way Of nerving their arms in the southern
cause, held up in flaming colors before them
their wrongs and outrages and the odious
dispositions Of their adversary. Who can
sift out Mr.. HuGHEs's from the luminous mat
ter that shOne through the Examiner, Tor
which his pen is said 10 have written more
than that Of Mr.. DANIEL!
Nobody dreamed at that time That Mr..
HUGHES was not entirely in sympathy with
the well.known party Of southern States
Rights men. They never thought that there
were rights under the Constitution without
remedies. They never thought that the
President OF the United States could put his
loot upon State and treat with entire indif-
ference the authority of properly constituted
officers of State. They never tolerated the
idea that the Federal Government could
quarter its army upon the States and place
the State elections under the menace of the
bayonet; and they never dreamed That can
didate for Governor Of State would seek
aid from the Federal Government to secure
his election. They did not dream that any
one in their ranks could SO far forget his
principles and his sentiments as to sustain
these outrageS upon the Constitution, TO
justify reconstruction. force bills, kukluX
bills and prosecutions, or become the mendi-
cant at the footstool Of the President in
Washington for help to enable him to gov
ern an intelligent people unwilling to be
ruled by him. This DIR. HUGHES has done.
But il would now seem from Mr.. HUGHEs's
disclaimers that he had before the war sue
ceeded in dcuding his confrereS-he was not
the man they took him to be. He must have
known he was not at the time, if such was
the fuct-he was mere counterfeit States
Rights man and Gre-eating southerner-he
VAS no more these than was NICK BORON
the lion-he was no more terror to FEEDER
aIIsts than was BoTToA, the counterfeit
lion. IA terror to sentimental and nervous
ladies. Indeed, so far az the matter of the
issues of the real States Rights party was
concerned Dir. HrGHEs was necessarily
sham by his own confession, and now that
tHtN uiC ClotSS Nv
comes out from among his old comrades and
tells how unreal were all She relations he
bore toward them before the war and how
deceptive were the signs by which people
were universally led to class him with the
party that claimed the right uf secession for
the States.
lie now states that he did not 60 with
Governor FLOYD, and was opposed to his
views, when everybody thought they were
identified in politics, as they were supposed
10 he bosom friends. How much the world
has been mislcd!
The case is unprecedented. A gentle
man, after his associates in politics and soci-
ETY. are all heaten.and ruined, declares that
ne never agreed with them-he considered
'hem sinners, and is in no wise guilty Of
their sins. How hard that he should have
been so unjustly suspected, and that merely |
because he chose TO side with them, write |
with them, and vote with them, TO rejoice
at their victories and lament with them in
defeat, and refuse TO be comtorted when they |
We're not. Why, if the world goes on con-
yicting men upon such slight preteXtS as
these what may we not expect III the way Of |
unjust judgments.
Even since the war Mr.. HUGuEs-So much |
TO be pitied-in his innocence wandered into
the Conservative Convention in New York
aud voted for the nomination of SEYMOUR
for President and BLAIR for Vice President-l
BLAIR the rebel, who wanted to inaugurate
another scene Of violence by driving out the
carpct-taggcrS from the South at the point
OF the bayonet! And this act he repudiates |
as not his own, but that Of his constituents,
whom he was bound to represent. Was there
ever man 50 greatly wronged? He is taken |
up by the people Of his district, who mis-
take bis opinions, aud forced to 60 to New
York, and there again forced, against his
VIII and against his Judgment, to cast vote |
which they desired should be cast; and So |
great is his respect for those people that ne
submits 10 their wishes without murmur.
He does not tell them that he differs with |
them, nor that he cannot agree to vote Tor
the men they prefer, but, sitting his own
feelings and putting on anair of cheerfulness
and compaisance, goes on his errand and
does everything with grace and with the
smile so bland. s..
Never in the history Of the country before
was there man 80 little understood, so mis-
placed in the public Judgment, and SO grlev-
ously wronged, yet who bore all injustice
so uncomplainingly, so meekly!
1t might be regretted that as Mr.. HUGHES
LID eona CO long in fhe cnmnanY and the