, 1877-03-04
AN EVIL LEGACY-~A BRIGHT FUTURE.

Oe0tu houet1luES DIlug5 JOY 10 q cotnmu-
nifty, if not to the family Immediately con.
cerned It occasionally happens that the
prosperity Of town or Of ueighborhood is
retarded for years by the continued life of a
few wealthy old men, who own large tracts
of lnnd which they refuse to sell or to build
upon, while they resist tnxes and oppose
public improvements It is q common say
ing that before such q locality can prosper
there must be few ''frst-class funernls :"
We call to mind, also, as We write, the relief
not long since experienced by certain VII
1age not far away when one Of its Oldest in
habitants died, who had been standing an
noyance and obs truction in the matter of
public and private improvements, always
turning up with claim Of damage or intru-
sion, and blocking the way by vexatious pro-
ceedings at law. When such men die the
relatives put on mourning, while the people
rejoice.
It was very much so when that sspecu1iar
institution Of the South died. Slavery had
many friends aud extended interests while
it lived and it has not few sorrowing rela-
tives left, now that it has gone to the grave.
But it was a milestone about the national
neck, and drag to nll the prosperity Of the
country. It disgraced our religion, it taxed
our business, it confused our craftsmanship,
and it corrupted our politics. Patriots wait
ed in vain for it to die. Like the ancient
settlers above referred to, it seemed to have
n METHusE1AH-life, and it oppressive1y rode
the national back, as heavy and tenacious rs
Old Man of the Sea. It finally
died, but how, the historians do not yet
agree. Some say by suicide; others by
murder; and others by net of GoD. No
matter how let it suffice that it is dead and
can have no resurrection.
But dead men leave 1egacies; and SO do
dead institutions. And lcgacies are not al
ways blessings. Heirs sometimes find TINT
they have practically inherited IN expensive
lawsuit. In other cases they take, with the
family quarrels, which embitter all
that generation. Occasionally, ll-gotten
riches seem to carry with them curses to the
legatees. There is reason to. think that
Slnvery, barbarous aud CRUEL in its life, left
just such an ill-fated legacy to our National
Union,-a legacy Of hatred and Jealousy, of
strife and ill-will, of disseusion and division,
Of corruption aud violence, of ignorance and
vice. The corpse is safely under ground,
but its odor is continually exhaled, and the
pestilential effects can easily be traced |
Twelve years have gone by since . the
funeral; but, though no monument |
with lying epitaph has been erected |
in its honor (albeit 3lAErN FaaouHAn
TuPrEa tried to write one the other day., |
The smell Of the graveyard is all through the
South. The noisome perfume is in the State |
and pervades the garments of
lie Democrats who come from that section |
to Congress. And the annoying, as well |
Is partly amusing, thing is that they like it, /
md wonder that the rest of the people do not
ake to the fragrance! ssYou do not like
t; you call it vile stencil? We will make
7ou like it, and praise it, aud use it, as so
many of the Northern Democrats are clad to |
TO-" Such is their language in the newspa-
'ers, at the polls, and on the floor of Con-
'ress. They have talked ieeringly Of tie
NELL Of the negro; but that is e1u de
Cologne compared with the smell Of the
'utrid corpse Of Slavery!
Now let us look troublesome facts in the
ace, and talk plainly about them. We do
lot mean to lose our temper, aud VIC want
0 come to an intelligent understanding. It
hall not be our fault it by the death Of
lAvery the nation receives only legacy of
iscord and ill-blood. Properly it should
My fall heir to millions Of fertile acres in |
ne OF the sections of the land naturally
lost favored, and from which has now been |
fted mortgage Of two centurics' standing
'hich drained away its value. The only
easonable problem is, how to make The best
the situation; how to secure the speediest
nd highest prosperity to the two races fnow
pom an equality before the law which are
lnhablt the land together Hostility
Htween them ia madness for both. alike,
i'd threatens ruin to the whole land. Better
'unsels must prevail, and, We believe,
i'll prevail. Twelve years of mistake,
lsrule, and misfortune should suffice to cool =,
passion, to enlighten ine1perience, and /