Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-31
FROM CHICAGO.

Correspondence ofthe LedGer.l
CHICAGO, May 29.-The weather is
very fine, though hot, and everything
indicates that tomorrow, Decoration
Day, will be pleasurable as to the
elements, if, on the other hand, it be
a mournful event. 1t is beyond a
doubt that ninety-nine out of one
hundred of this broad land deeply
~deprecats the fratrieidal strife that
caused so many thousands of the ma
tons population to sink into soldiers
graves fighting for principle. The Gem
eteries tomorrow will in every way
behtting the occasion. Flowers will
be streWn upon the graves Of the he
role dead and tears be shed for their
loss and strong hearts that survived
their martyred comrades will heave
with sorrow IS memory recalls the
terrible vicissitudes only known TO a
soldier through which they passed.
while grim-yisaged war" triumph
anty stalked throughout the land in
days agene.
ApropOs of Decoration Day, | must
CRAFTY myselfby a few comments upon
one who aided materially to involve
the Union in a horrible bloody war.
and that one was William Lloyd Gar
risOn, the oral anti-slavery champion
Of the Eastern States, lately deceased.
1t cannot be denied that Mr.. Garrison
wa a fearless advocate of his fanatical
doctrines, and lived to see them
crowned with success. As success
makes the mar nowadays, in his line
he was eminently prosperous. But
there is one blot in his character that
his biographical ~eulogists fail to rub
out. Granting him a large share in
bringing about a war Of sections, and
concluding that he was sincere in his
professions for reform as to slavery,
and allowing that he was the foremost
leader Of the Abolition school. then
why was he not one of the first to
take up arms and do bloody battle
for the cause he espoused?
Why did not he draw the
sword and step to the front, and
imperil his life for his professions F?
Was it because he was a coward. or
because the sacrifice was too great?
If the former, then such an excuse
would be barely admissible. But if
the latter reason was paramount then
the so-called disciple of negro free
dom was an arrant knave and dema.
gogae; aye, a riotous criminal, whose
place was under the law ban. If Nh.
Z. was a sincere advocate of his pecu-
liar faith, then he should have been
one Of the first TO brave his breast to
the wild storm of war and risked grim
aud CHASTITY death for what he believed
right. Instead of this it appears he
skulked in the teal and lived to reap
the reward Of a victory that Others
died to gain. The Liberation of the
negro never would have occurred
IN Mr.. Garrison's time, nor by his
method. The colored man, as he we'll
knows, is merely indebted for his free.
dom to starye because of the great
necessity on the side of the Federals
for a larger army to fight men deter.
mined to die for their rights. To
attain this end the negro was unlaw-
fully declared free and not because
the country approved Of Mr.. CARR.
sons cut-throat policy as demon
strated by that maniac, John Brown
Then why should the result of thi,
accidental necessity be manipulated
by Radical writer's to weave a crown o.
glory for one who began life by max
ing war upon the laws Of the nation
If he had unsheathed the sword anC
risked the fortunes Of war when BRAY,
men were needed much, then hi,
adOrers might be excused for placin.
him upon the roll Of the apostles O.
freedom. AS it is, gazing from
your correspondents eyrie of in
formation, Mr.. Garrison player
a contemptuous part in maxine
heroic history. Those scribblers who
compare Garrison with such men a
George Washington must do 50 for mar
tisan ends, or they must be woflll,
ignorant Of the characters Of the meI
whose acts they compare. Mr., Gar
rison deserves no place among IN,
great names of history, except wherl
demagogues and fanatics appear. II,
assisted in involving the nation in
horrible war, and in robbing the SoutI
Of hundreds Of millions OF her pro
perty, in the possession of which sh
wasprotected by the lawsof the natior
Mr.. G.'s memory most certainly wi
not live glori6ed The slight atten
ton paid at the funeral eeremonie
yesterday in Boston shows how littl
hold the acts Of the departed hav
upon those who should have admire
him most. If the abolitionists hav
a martyr, John Brown is the mar
He suffered aud died for bis iRssn