New-York tribune., 1878-10-15
MLsREPRkSENTING HISTORY.

As time goes by we see more and more plainly the
necessity of fair and philosophical history OF the
abolition of American Slavery. 1t is doubtful
whether il can be written by any reformer who be-
gan by urging dissolution OF the Union. IL was
for the preservation Of the Union that Slavery was
abolished. The reformers of tho GarrsOnan school,
NJ fundamental principle, held that the slightest
deviation from their methods q disgrsceful
abandonment OF principle and necessarily gross
immortality They were never willing to .ad-
mt that any work outside the pale of their little
organization could be Of the slightest value. Now
that the institution has been swept away. they are
still OF the same elusive mind The great historic
fact that Slavery has been abolished does not give
them an unaloyed satisfaction. BY the force of
events the work was taken out of their hands, and
with natural Jealousy they aver that it would
have been much better done IL IL had been left 70
them. There are those 80 blind as not 10 see how,
il so left it could have been done at all they
did not fight aud would not vote.
At Allegan. Mich, on the 20th ult, Mr.. ID. c.
Henderson, of The 1HegdR Journal, delivered an ex-
celent address 10 the colored people on the history
OF the Republican party. This being printed copy
of il was sent 20 Nh Parker Pillsbury the only sur
ylying Garrisonian Abolitionist, the rest Of them
having surrendered the title and acqueseed in the
present position OF public Affairs. to greater less
thoroughly out Of sorts with the remainder of the
human race. He has written a letter 10 Mr.. Hem
derson, friendly enough in its way, but full Of
protest against giving grain OF credit
10 Mr. Lincoln, OF 10 Mr. Greeley, who
are named, or 10 other Republicans who are not
named, or to the Republican party. the very exist
ence of which is not much more than hinted at in
Mr. Pisbury's letter. All his criticism II criticism
Il can be called Of Mr.. Lincoln and Mr. Greeley,
amounts merely to this At certain period of the
Rebellion, both these gentlemen, to save fur
ther efFusIon Of human blOod-the blood
of brethren-wero willing 10 make peace
upon the basis of tho stdtH quo; and at
one time Mr.. Lincoln had some doubt Of the
safety and expedioncy of negro Suffrage as q great
many other sensible men had. OF course, nobody
else saw things with the cearness vouchsafed to
Mr.. Pillsbury and his immediate friends. OF fcourse,
no credit is TO be given to anybody for seeing
things more and more clearly events marched
on. Mr. Pillsbnry has an extremely liberal and
honorable way Of putting his ideas He says:
Constrained virtue, involuntary repentance, mill
tary stress strategy or necessity not righteous
no.s--haye no SAVIOR Of salvation" II we did not
know Mr. Parker Pillsbury to be OF the sweet
est-tempered and least byDercrtical OF man
kind We might say that these words SAVIOR OF
cynicisrn, sourness aud jealousy. For the purpose
of his argument he ought TO show that Mr. Lincoln
issued the Emancipation Proclamation Borely
apainst his will. whereas there is no reason what
ever for believing thai he not extremely glad OF
IN. great opportunity. Mr.. Pillsbury has all his
life argued vehementy that the Constitution sane
toned slavery, and was, therefore, "a covenant
with death and an agreement with hell"
10 use The LibratOTs old and gontle for
muIa. That Constitution Mr.. Lincoln had
sworn TO support. Indeed, it only by Virtne of
the Constitution that he was coercmg the South aud
cpdeavoring to bring her back to her constitutional
duties.
This was the frat great idea Of the war. The
greater idea OF emancipation, as military measure
for only as such was it indirectly sanctioned by
the Constitution-ca later. 1t was a valiant
measure even then. Mr. Lincoln was no more
forced into it than the people OF the country
He and they were both educated by the
war, and neither went one step backward when the
path of duty tending forward became plain Mr..
PiIlsbury was the only man in the country who had
nothing to learn. But il he had been CoDperhead
or Rebel the start 1t is perfectly certain that he
vould have learned nothing. As he was in the be-
qlnning such he would have remained to the end