The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-16
The Meetings I'm Boston and Baiti-
more.

The Meetings In Boston and Haiti
The intense excitement which was shown at
the mass meetings in Boston and Baltimore
yesterday proves that the people have not
been quieted by the Presidents Message in
respect to Louisiana, but that public opinion
is divided both as to the act and the apology.
Although it is the general opinion that the
President retreated and retracted, we find
man like Wendell Phillips justifying his orig
inal position, and boldly arguing that military
interference with Legislature is right On
the other hand we find Mr. John Quincy
Adams asserting that the Message is more
menacing than the act which it excuses, and
warning the people that they have come to
the point where the roads divide, and that
they most choose between the easy path to
despotism and the difficult way to freedom.
The position assumed by SO able a man as
Mr.. Phillips is especially alarming. We
hear the orator of freedom eloquent in
defence of despotism. The negro that Mr..
Phillips helped to iberate has become his
master. He is like many Of the old abolition
lists, who can see little beyond negro interests,
and who are without any confidence in the
magnanimity of the white people of the
South. Gerrit Smith revealed like spirit Of
natural prejudice when he declared that he
President for life rather than a democratic
victory. Nh. Phillips has given his whole life
to the cause of the negro, and is probably too
old to change. He cannot see that new
dangers threaten the Republic, that slavery is
forever dead, and that it is not disorder
in New Orleans but usurpaton in Washing
ton that the people have reason to dread.
Negro citizenship and white citizenship
were equally attacked in Louisiana. There
fore we are grieved to find Wendell Phil
lips defending Grant, not merely on
the apologize grounds Of the Mes
sage, but on the rightfulness of the
original act of military dispersion OF
the Legislature. Yet we must remember
that Mr.. Phillips is an American citizen who
never cast q vote. He considered for the
greater part of his life the constitution of the
United States to be compact with hell and a
covenant with death, and cannot be expected
to look with much reverence upon it now.
But if he does not prize the right to vote his
countrymen do, and they are not willing to see
a single free ballot transfxed with the point of
federal bayonet
The Boston meeting was turbulent and di-
vided in its sympathies, but its moral weight
is cast against the President and in support Of
the constitutional government our fathers
established. The issue was not mistaken and
proper resolutions of censure were passed. In
Baltimore the meeting at the Masonic Hall
was more Of one mind, and the mastery argu-
ment Of Reverdy johnson, which we else
where present in full, will stand by that Of
Senator Schurz as an bipartisan appeal to
the intelligence and patriotism of the people.
The LOUISIANA REPORT. report of the
subcommittee on Louisiana affairs is laid be-
fore the public to-day, and as the work OF
three Congressman who personally infesti-
gated the condition of the State and whose
ability and impartiality are rot to
be questioned, it will have great
weight. 1t is, indeed, the only au-
thortative and trustworthy statement OF
T.onisiona affairs that has yet been mAde, and
in many essential points contradicts the IN
formation on which the President based his
Message. So great is the contradiction that
it is almost safe to suppose that if the
report had been given to Congress
early in the week that Message in its present
shape could never have appeared What
Congress will do with it it is impossible to
say, but the country will accept it as the vim
dication of Louisiana.