The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-12-11
A Golden Text.

During the last two or three Years no
charge has been so often In the mouths OF
the people who thought they Were sup
porting the Administration. as that OF
treason 10 the Republican party. When
Mr.. Greeley with equal foresight and
humanity insisted that Jefferson Davis
should kc tried or bailcd. and denounced
the pitiiul narrowness which excluded
year after year few thousand Southern
ers from the privileges which were accord
ed To their neiehbors and their laborers,
he was furiously abused by men who
were as incapable OF comprehending his
motives as they were Of initiating his
benesiccnt life. When they cited him 70
appear before little inquisition at the
Union League Club 20 give reasons why
he should not be cut of from among the
loyal, he answered I'm that Incompatible
letter, which will always remain master
piece OF reason and OF rhetoric. giving ex-
preston 70 the scorn which his enamel
pated spirit felt for those "narrow-minded
block. heads who would like 10 be useful
to great and good cause, but did not
know how" In that letter occurred one
golden phrase which then seemed start
ling 10 many ardent Republicans, but
which Is seen every year To be truer and
wiser. "Yolu attempt TO base a great, en-
during party on the hate and tcrah neces-
sayity engendered By a great Civil Var. is
as though yo's should plant colony on an
iceberg Which had somehow driffed into a
tropical ocean,"
These are beautiful and memorable
words. and the Republican party would
have been in far better plight to-day If il
had listened TO them when they were ut
tered. But they were met by the loud
81 . no H..
or laughter of fools. The policy of wrath
and hatred seemedto them the best for all
purposes. They could make more money
and mere votes by it than by any other. Ii
brought forward and kept in public life
such men as Butler and Logan, whose de-
dunciati0ns of rebels covered multitude
of iniquities. Ii proved the cloak TO every
kind of corruption. A rogue had only 10
drape himself in the star-spangled BAN
ner TO steal at his leisure. a man who
suggested that even Southerners had some
right and some interest In the country.
was instantly the target of those glib
scoundrels. who were stealing the South
poor in the name OF liberty. and their pur-
blind associates in the North never failed
TO support them. No eminence, no abili-
ties, no luster of virtuous fame could pro-
tect man who would not join in the
hoarse cry of a vulgar and narrow hatred.
Sumner offended in this way. and an OBJ
scure demagogue could stampede the Gen.
eral Court Of Massachusetts, TO censure
him for il. Trumbull chose 10 follow his
instincts of lawyer and gentleman. and he
was turned out of the seat in which had
for eighteen years done his State as much
honor as service. We will not recall the
infamy of that campaign of foulness in
which Greeley was bounded 10 his grave.
No one will deny that for eight years af.er
the war ended, it was more damaging for
a public man to counsel Justice and charity
10 the South than II was TO be caught pill
fering from the public chest.
But the iceberg has drifted into warmer
seas, and the colony at last finds its foot
ing insecure. This year the managers OF
the Republican party, confronted by the
most serious peril they had ever met.
loaded down with record Of frauds, mis-
rule and abuse OF power which could not
be explained away, and overshadowed
by still more important danger arising
from the greed and selfish caprice of the
President-still could think of no issue TO
fire the hearts of the voters and keep their
lines steady. except the old appeal OF
wrath and hatred. They could find no
other argument to make people vote for
the Administration except that the people
of the South were rebels and murderers.
Ii was tried once too often. The spell has
lost its power. The war was ended nearly
ten years ago, and if the South is not yet
at peace. there Is no hope that Gen. Grant
can pacify il. II the crimson stories were
true, there would be no argument in them.
But they are false, and the people have
punished by their votes the calumny and
the blunder together. The words Of Mr..
Greeley, which were stumbling block TO
the patriots of the Custom-house when
they were uttered, are now the common
thought Of every one. The policy of hate
and wrath will never win another cleo
ton. We leave il to those Republicans
who now see the truth OF the text we have
quoted, to pay the proper tribute of tardy
honor 10 the goodness they maligned and
the wisdom they derided.-Nao FORK Tri-