Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-16
WEDNESDAY. . JANUARY 16. 1889.
Two Error!
II IL very poeiical 10 say
sKrror wounded vrithes in pain

AZ ~ NCfF pJffi'a' W Wy
Error wounded vrithes in pain
And dies amid her w0rshippers,"
but II Is far from being true. Statements in-
Vulnerable are accepted as facts while they
have no basis on which 10 resE- Much that
IA called history aud printed As such 10 our
sebooI-beoks and standard authorities IL
firrnent OF the brhin--the creature OF passion
or imagination. Errors are not only accept
ed as historically true, but they are not I'M
frequently eanonized into sacred beliefs and
boosted OF as national virtues and the proofs
u superiority in judgment and morals.
The war bstween the states has generated
q brood OF such errors; and writers who
ought 10 know better itei ale and reiterate them
AZ the conclusive evidence OF higher civil
cation and a more cultivated conscience.
We do not refer here 70 political errors, to
bsseless assertions as 10 the origin OF the
Federal Government, or as to Its powers, or
its relations TO the States. THE correction OF
these Is hopeless. Two errors OF a different
character are constantly reproduced as his
torical verities.
FIRST. IL Is asserted that the war was ga
war TO the death against American slavery"
Such rs the language Of the editor in the
January number OF the North American
Review. Over and over again President
LINCOLN and Others declared, In emphatic
and authoritative terms, that the abolition
OF slavery was not the purpose for which
the war was waged. Quotations immune
rable could BE- adduced to disprove the asser-
ton OF the editor. "The object OF the
prosecution OF the war, as at0wed, was to
preserve the Union, to establish the national
character OF the Government, to prevent
secession, 20 "restore the constitutional re-
lstious between the United States and each
OF the States and The people thereof In those
States 10 which that relation had been sus-
pended or disturbed" TIE northern army
was called the Union army, and the sentj-
msnf implfed IN that designation was every
where invoked 10 secure appropriations,
stimulate enlistmens, and inname zeal
and courage.
That the abolition Of slavery was result
OF the war nobody questions aud no sane
man deprecates or regrets; but that that was
avowed as, or was, the real object Of the
war rs sustained by the North, there Is not
q sciptaila OF evidence to sustain. The con-
temporsneous e1 cdthedra State papers all
negative such an inference.
Second. The Century has been publish
ing an elaborate biography OF President
LINCOLN, written by Messrs. NICoLAY and
HAY. I1has literary merit and is interesting,
but is SO partial preiudced, one-slded. that
Il reads like partisan campaign document,
and can have only slender pretensions to
veritable history. In that biography, In
many sermons and addresses, in nearly all
northern publications bearing on the war
or slavery, there IL either the positive as
sertion or the quiet. csnceited. seli-satis-
fed assumption that slavery was abolished
in response 10 the demand OF the con-
science Of the North. That the North, as a
unit, was hostile TO African slavery IS ad.
mltted that a party or faction Of men and
woman OF little political importance desired
and laborcd for the immediate aud uncondi-
tioual emancipation Of the negroes and de-
nounced the Constitution for its recognition
and guaranty OF property In slaves as "a
covenant with death aud an agreement with
bellO Is also admitted. But Il nevertheless
remains true that slavery did not cease, so
far as the action OF the Government OF the
United States was concerned, by legislative
act or judicial decision. The document
which clustered IN the great political re-
generation OF the American people," os The
biographers describe 1t, was the proclama-
ton OF President LINCOLN declaring the
Freedom on LIST January, 1869, "oi all per-
sons held rs slaves within any State
then In rebellion against the United States"
Mr. LINCOLN said; GAS commander-in'chiei
OF the army and the navy in the time OF war
suppose have the right to take any mea.
sure which may beat subdue the enemy.
view the matter A. practical war
measure, TO be decided on according to the
advantages or disadvantages 1t may offer to
the suppression OF the rebellion" The
House of Representatives subsequent to the
issue OF the proclamation, by vote OF IS to
ba, adopted resolution that the policy OF
emancipation as indicated In the proclama-
ton OF the President "was we'll chosen as
war measure.
Whether the people Of the North approved
emancipation or not Il not under discussion.
We content ourselves with an explicit denial
Of the statement or assumption that the
abolition Of slavery was measure dictated
by and responsive TO the troubled. restless
conscience of the northern people. Moral
credit Is now claimed for an act, or for the
result OF an act, which act was syowedy q
war MEASURE. military necessity, essential
20 the Suppression Of "tie rebellion" This
taking OF credit for emancipation rs proceed
ing from virtuous motlve-this thinking of
themselves more highly than they ought TO
think--is an siterthought aud an illustration
OF INSTRUMENTATION for the acts OF Others
or seli.gratulstion for sensitlvensss OF con-
science which arose literally after emanclpa-
ton had been effected.
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