New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-29

TaD LscTURr SEASON
Wssdsll PhllliDs sn Psslsseai TsDlss.
In the Old Bay State course, lest evening,
Wendell Phillips gave his new leotnre,
"The Holy Allisnce-Rum and tho South,"
before largo audience. dc was presented
to tho audience BY Judge Pittman In very
complimentary manner, and began HE leo
ture BY saying that one Of the most notice.
sble eharacteristics OF New Engiand Com
give to tho newspapers-.the extent 70
which the average American allows kds
thinking to be done for him by the jour.
malls. All recognised the immense influence
the community allows to the journals. Now
it has q peculiar signifcance, - We are
passing through season OF peril.
The Journals undertake to guide and CON-
troll the public convictions on these great
issues. In every important period for tho
last forty years these Journals have been
misleading. The ordinary commercial
journal that lives by advertising has always
been wrong. Every ono there remembered
their course in the anti.slavery discussion,
when the prominent Journals OF Eastern
Massachusetts ridiculed the anti slavery
cause and considered its leading Speakers
crazy and deluded.
He remembered once waiting on Abbott
lawrence, with several others, among
whom was the poet Whittier, just before
the annexation Of Texas, and urging upon
them the real purpose of the Southern az
gression, but Mr.. Lawrence quietly sho we'd
them letters from his mercantile friends in
the South, upon which he based his assur-
ance, that no danger, - they represented.
was threatened. All the journals in Massa-
chusetts held the same tone. Coming down
that it was nothlnk Uat SrUaien wars Mhe
war was ended, but the grand debate, such
0 debate as never existed before, was not
ended. When Morton and Boutwell, made
the defen 90 against Bsyard in the Senate,
they received from the journals OF Boston
nothing but jeer.
One-6slf of the people of Boston today
them do their thinking. Morton and Bout
we'll we're at the front, whore they had an
unbroken observation of public affairs, and
it would seem that their opinion should be
trusted.
The most ordinary citizens can geo that
these papers have NO unity nor continuity
of purpose. They not only change in Sep
tember to views entirely opposite those
held in February, but some of them seem
to keep two editors to represent both sides
Of the fight. Take the Transcript, said Mr.
PHILIPPE, perhaps a. fair an exponent Of tho
Boston press - can be found. In ono COZ
umn Mr.. Bristow il quoted ~ showing tho
danger from tho triumph of . solid South,
BY saying that The South proposes to gain
BY the ballot what che lost By the bayonet."
That is true But consult the next COL
Loring. He is spoken of - . graceful,
sound speaker, and especially to be
praised, because Tho does not 70 to that
extreme length on the Southern question
which must dlsplease all true Repub-
licans!" And yet on journals like these tho
public rests its confidence and they help to
shape public policy. Now think this is all
wrong. said tho speaker. In these days it
IL men of ideas, independent statesmen in
the true sense, who have examined snd
analysed this great American question. that
are entitled to the unbroken confidence of
the people. 1t il not that the editor isn't
% good judge a. these men, remarked Mr..
Phillips; it 10 because you don't get his real
opinions in the columns of his paper. I say
this because my opinion runs counter to
that Of ,t the average jouIn 3, Of the d Y.
Southern question entirely eliminated from
American politics. The English race has
never settled . question half 90 important
in fifty years. The wars of the Roses lasted
seventeen years; the contest of the Round
head and Cavalier had influence for eighty
five years. To-day the question 10 between
two races-two rival civilizations. It would
be onphiloeophical to expect-no man ought
to think-that an adult generation Of de-
termined and sincere men do not look vt
the great question of today substantially
- it did in 1861.
Gods plan of ruling the world does not
eeem to be by changing the opinions of men
in q generation. Questions can be fully
settled only after the removal of the men
who fight the combat on either side. In .
half century France did not settle the issue
between Republicanism and Bourbonism.
Why should We form the opinion that this
between freedom and aristocracy, is to die
ont in dozen years3 It is impossible.
Wherever you touch the South, whether
you meet their citizens a. strangers or read
their journals, you will find that what Mr..
Bristow said Of them they frankly confess.
They mean to win by the ballot what they
lost by the bayonet. Now what is the diff
ference between US and those who harmon
lied with Southern men at Lexington in
April, 1875! These men admire the sincerity
of the South, which l. too, acknowledge. I
have always said that the two dearest and
sincerest men in America were Garrison
and John c. Calhoun. But sincerity is not
integrity.
There is . difference, an eternal differ
mush concessionists at Lexington had for
gotten. Now believe that sins sin.
A man may have an honestly cherished con-
viction. If it 10 right I will say, "Good
fellow" and pat him on the back. If his
sincere conviction is contrary to the eternal
truth, / shall try to crush him if can.
Now, it is clear beyond all doubt-ss the
fact of the sudden change of these journals
shows-that the dominant issue of this can
vass is whether solid South shall dictate
the next President and his policy; whether,
united as of old, power within power, it
shall hold the balance and decide national
action. The press, l say, Acknowledges
this, though it must eat it's own words, and
60 back on the past. But Blaine. Boutwell,
and Butler, of the seventh District, saw
this long ago. Now it is plain enough that
in the time of the old Wing party. When
the summons for freedom came in 1915,
there was no lack of Mr.. Pliable and q
Mr.. Byends to defend Webster and Everett
and Winthrop in taking their own way and
not meeting the Texas issue. They could
not come up to the new duty of the hour.
Not their honesty, but their eyesight, was
at fault There are two>kinds of false un-
do not believe that Webster
and Everett and Choate and Winthrop be-
lieved lie. They honestly thought that
the Union was in danger through this anti
slavery agitation. Old men of eighty have
come to me with tears in their eyes, said
MIR. Phillips, and bes0ught me net to utter
horrid words against the Union and the
But now recall the days of
1860, when Andrews and Forbes and other
men determined on that tour
to find what the South really wanted.
Charles Francis Adams should love tho