The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-11-19
Misqenapg
A GOLDEN TEXT.
[From n. Y. Tribune. sth.l

From N. Y Tribune, 5th.l
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 to the Republican party. When
Mr.. Greeley with equal foresight and hu-
manity insisted that Jefferson DAVIS
should be tried or bailed, and denounced
the pitiful narrowness which excluded
year after year a few thousand Southern
ers from the privileges which were ae-
corded their neighbors and theirlaborers,
he was furiously abused by men VINO
were as incapable Of comprehending his
motives as they were eliminating his be-
nefcent life. When they cited him TO
appear before little inquisition at the
Union League Club to give reasons why
heshould not be cut off from among .ne
loyal, he answered in that incomparaDle
letter, which will always remain a mas
terpiece of reason and rhetoric, giving
expression to the scorn which his eman-
cipated spirit felt tor those narrow
minded blockheads who would ike to be
useful to a great and good cause, but did
not know how" In that letter occurred
one golden phrase which then seemed
startling to many ardent Republicans,
but which is seen every year to be truer
and wiser. " Your attEniPt TO base
great, enduring party on tie late and
7vyaH necessarily eagendere6 by a great
Civ2 Wl1y, is as though yOH should plant
a colony on an iesbeyg 7Uhieh had some
ko7V atItfsd into a tropical OcSaH.'
These are beautiful and memorable
words, and the Republican party would
have been in far better plight to-day II 1t
had listened to them when they were
uttered. But they were met with the
loud anger of the violent partisans, or
the louder laughter Of fools. The policy
of wrath and hatred seemed to them the
best for all purposes. They could make
more money and more votes by it than
by any other. 1t brought forward and
kept in public life such men as Butler
and Logan, whose denunciations of reb-
els covered multitude Of iniquities 1t
proved the cloak to every kind OF cor
ruption. A rogue had only to drape ehiin,,
self in the star-spangled banner to steal
at his leisure. A man who suggested
that even Southerners had some right
and some interest in the country was in
stantly the target of those glib scoundrels,
who we're stealing the South poor IN the
name of liberty, and their purblind as
sociates in the North never failed to sup
port them. No eminence, no ability,
no luster of virtuous fame could protect
a man who would not Join in the hoarse
cry of a vulgar and narrow hatred
Summer offended in this way, and an
obscure demagogue could stampede the
General Court Of Massachusetts, to CEN
sure him orit. Trumbull chose to follow
his instincts of lawyer and gentleman,
and he was turned out ofthe seat in which
he 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
to his grave. No one will deny that for
eight years after the war ended, it was
more damaging for public man to coun-
sci Justice and charity to the South than
it was to be caught pilfering from the
public chest.
But the iceberg has drifted into warmer
seas, and the colony at last finds its loot
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,
misrule and abuse Of power which could
not be explained away, and overshad-
owed by a 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. 1t was tried once too often.
The spell has lost its power. The war
was ended nearly ten years ago, and II
the South is not yet at peace, there is no
hope that General Grant can pacliy it.
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 a stumbling block
to the patriots of the Custom House when
thew were uttered, are now the common
thought ofevery one. The policy OF hate
and wrath will never win another cleo
ton. We leave it to those Republicans
who now see the truth of the text we have
quoted, to pay the proper tribute OF tardy
honor to the goodness they maligned
and the wisdom they derided.