The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1874-11-25
4 GOLDEN TEXT

A GOLDEN TEXT
During the last two or three years no
charge has been SO often in tho mouths
of the people who thought they were
supporting the Administration, rs that of
treason to the Republican party. When
Mr.. Greeley with equal foresight and hu.
manity insisted that Jefferson Davis
should.be tired or bailed, and denounced
the pitiful narrowness which excluded
Year after year few thousand Southern
ers from the privileges which were aecor
ded to their neighbors and their laborers.
he was furiously abused, by men who
were as incapable of comprehending his
motives as they were of initiating his
benefcent life. When they cited him to
appear before little inquisition at the
Union'League Club to give reasons why
he should not be cut off from among the
loyal, he answered in that incompara bic
letter, which will always remain a mas
terpiece of reason aud of rhetoric, giving
expression to the scorn which his emunci.
pated ss!-:t felt for those narrow-miud-
ed block heads who would like to be
useful to great and good cause, but did
not know how" In that letter one gold
en- phrase which thenNeemed startling to
many ardent Republicans, but whicn is
seen every year to be trner and wiser.
Your attempt 20 base a great sndurino
party on the hate and serath necessariIv
engendered hy great Cicl Var, is az
hough you should plant colony on an
iceberg t0hieh had somshow drifted into a
tropical ocean," p
These arc beautiful and memorable
words. and the Republican party would
have been In far better plight to day if IL
had listened to them when thew were
uttered, But they were met with the
louder laughter of fools. The noi;cv % oS
wrath and hatred seemed to them tb.
best for all purposes. hey could make
more money and more votes bv il than
by any other. 1t brought forward and
kept in public life such men as RntIcr
and Logan, whose denunciations of
rebels covered a multitude of iniouities
It proved the cloak to every kind of cor.
ruption. A rogue had only to dran.
himself in the star-spanglcd banner fo
steal at his leisure. A man who sugoes'
ted that even Southerncrs had somo rierbt
and some interest in the country W,o
instantly the target of those glib scoun.
drels, who were stealing the South moor
in the name of liberty, and their purblind
associates inAth North never failed to
support them. No eminence, no alili,io..
no luster of virtuous fame could protect n
man who would not join in the hoarsc crv
OF vulgar and narrow hatred. Sumner
offended in this way, and an obscur.
Il magogue could stampede the General
ourt of Massachusetts, to censure him
for it. Trunbull chose to follow his
Instincts Of lawyer and gentleman, and
he was turned out of the seat in which
he had for eighteen yeirs done his State
as much honor as service. We will rot
recall! the infamy of that campaign of
foulness in which Greeley was houndeJ
to his grave, No one will deny that for
eight years after the war ended, il was
n, ,re damaging for q public man to coun
sci justice and charity to the South than
IL was to bs caught pilfcring fram the
public cae.t.
But the iceborg has drifted into war ".
or seas, and tho colony at last finds its
foo'ing insecure. Thi. year the manager.
OF the Republican party, confronted b1
tie most serious peri! they had ever m Il.
loaded d',wn with rec rd of frauds
misrule and abuse of power which could
not DO explained away, and ovcr-sh,dow
ed by a still more important dang.r
ari ing from the greed and selfish caprice
- the President still could thick of no
issu. to fire the hearts of the voter, and
keep their lines steady, except tho Old
appeal cf wrath and hatred. trhey could
tlhd NO other argument to make peoplo
vote for the Administration sxcept that
the people Of the South wero rebels and
murderers. 1t was tried once too often.
The spell has lost its power. Tho war
was ended rcarly ten years ago, and il
the South is not yet at peace, there is no.
hops that General Graht can pacify it. If
the crimson stories were tru., there
w1uld bc no argument in them. But
they are false, and the people have pm
isbed hy their votes IT,. calnmny aod til,
blunder together. The words of MIR.
Greeley, wEich were stumbling bio 1
to the patriots of the Custom house when
they were uttered, are now the eomn,o,.
Thought Of every one. The policy of
uatc aad wrath will never win another
c,.ctio3. We leave 1t tO those Rcpui,I,.
cans who now see the truth OF the teyt
we have quoted, to pay t'.e proper trib
ute OF tardy honor to the goodnes. tbov
n,ailgned and the wisdom they derided2
~, r Tribune.