Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-02-24
The STUDY OF AMERICAN HISTORY

| The STUDY OF AMERICAN HiSToKN
| The Chicago Tribune comes ont in
bod manner as a candidate for Mrs
Cleyeland's and Miss Welch's class il
American history.
Il Is true that the class was formed
| chiefly to prompt the study OF American
history among women, but lthe men are
not to be excluded. The Tribune says
Nor has the Democratic party ever
supported the chief principle laid down
/ by Thomas Jefferson, namely the doc
trine that fall men are created equal
that they are endowed BY their Creator
with certain alienable rights: that
among these are life, liberty and
the pursuit o. happiness; and that
| governments derive their lust power
from the consent Of the governed 4
At the time Jefferson wrote the above
he was the owner Of slaves; hence the
principle laid down" must have ex.
cluded negroes from the declaration that
all men are created equaw "a the sense
that the Tribune means to apply IL.
Some men were born slaves even on JEFF
Persons plantation. There is eolorsd
janitor now At the University Of Virginia
who IS proud OF his birth as one o. Nj.
Jefferson's slaves
The study Of American history would
cure the Tribune Of such perversions OF
the truth All the state constitutions
recognized the existence Of slavery inst
as the constitution Of the United States
recognized IT, Because the people Of
New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts
and New Jersey could not uss slaves
profsably, is not an evidence that they
hated slavery worse or were more virtu-
Gus than the people Of Georgia, South
Carolina and Virginia, but an evidence
that slavery did not comport with their
business interests" Tne Tribune con
tinues
For forty years Of its existence the
Democratic party supported defended. aud
upheld ehattel slavery, the majority OF
the party even maintaining thai slavery
was Divine institution, and that black
men had no rights which white men were
bound 70 respect and they Rll insisted
on prostituting the National Constitu-
ton Tor Its support and perpetuity,
That is q present perversion Of ancient
history, quoted with the apparently dis
honest purpose Of making the Democratic
party responsible
The Democratic party never did declare
those doctrines, and OF course Is not re-
sponsibie for them now The Tribune.
IL il will study American history, viii
fad that di tinguished man Of Illinois
"a man whom the Tribune advocated for
the Presidency 81 the United States. a
ian whom u assisted 70 eiec As Vics
President, General John A. Logan-as-
sisted in the return o. fugitive slaves
from Illinois and Ohio and thus recognized
them as chattels.
A cursory glance az American history
would imbue tie mind Of the rribuns
editor with evidences to show tina. cir.
camstances have changed ID this c,uatry
since 1855 and that some men have
changed their minds on various subjects
since that time. The Tribune will End
TOO, that the wiss and gentle Lincoln did
not issue the emancipation proclamation
until he was compelled to do It as "a war
necessity" and even then he excluded
those states not in rebellion from It's
operations
Every sane man is glad that slavery
was abolished, but ii is not creiltable 10
the wild and reckless aboitlonists that
they never proposed TO abolish slavery
except by FIRE aud sword. Even the Car Of
Russia did not resort to the John. Brow n
method The Tribune would also fad that
when the war came on those bloody people
remained at home. bought government
bonds at 80 per cent. discount, took suit
ler's contracts and jumped bounty claims.
while the Democrats marched 70 the front
to endure the privations Of war thew
had considered unnecessary and tried to
avert.
The study OF American history Is
wonderful means for correcting some OF
the false notions that Rapublican hypo-
crisy and demagogy have circulated and
now ignorantly maintain.
The Tribune shonld join tie class Ii