Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-06
OUR MAIL POUCH.
Ingalls, JefYerson's Inconsistency"
Tho Ed;to, Tbo niupatcy


To the Editor of The Dispatch:
Your New Brighton correspondent, in de-
Tending ex-senator Ingalls,, who is charged
| with misquoting the Declaration of 1nde-
pendence in a lecture delivered in Boston,
displays vigorous grasp on old-t:me
| methods of logic.
The quotation which was published in
THE DISPATCH was q reprint from clipping
of Boston paper, whose editor is in political
sympathy with Mr.. ingalls, and should have
no reason to misquote that efervescent
gentleman. Your correspondent flies to the
rescue of the sparkling orator and says it
was Something lie did not say," and then
proceeds to settle the matter by this very
original and exceedingly unique method of
| closing the case:
| eve venture to assert that he Ingalls) did
| not in Boston misquote that famous instru-
| ment as reported in the newspapers" 1t is
| difficult to see just what can be set up
| to offset this courageous venture
which has stopped on mere denial.
| 1t puts the newspapers in as bad plight as it
places the Undersigned, as it was on their
| authority that the writer. as your corre-
| spondent puts it, "called ex-senator ingalls,
| to account"
| But, as there is no getting beyond or be-
| hind, over or under this adamantine Eve
venture to assert" about all that can be
done, is to swallow ones "excited wrath"
and 'slearned Indignation" and retire from
this part of the controversy as gracefully as
possible.
As those who did not hear the declaration
misquoted are vastly in the ma jority, that
probably is settler. The following in it's
way is gem:
"iThat all men are created equal by their
Creator; this has reference simply to bring
ing them into being and has no connection
to what follows" Indeed!
As this seems to ignore such constructive
propositions,asa are involved in complex and
compound sentences and modifying clauses,
it may be necessary to rearrange
some of our modern conceptions of the
common principles and rules of English
grammar.
After our critic has thus given us a sample
of the suppleness and elasticity of his logic,
he comes back with this specimen of his
aerial fancy:
facts of history and especially the one that Jefer
son. with other leading men of the day. laid the
cornerstone Of barbarous institution. which has
been well characterized as the sum of all villainies,
and which eventually drenched his country In ira ira.
Thomas Jefferson equally with the modern poll
teian was prone to indulge in rhetoric ,, and a. bun
and in principle. And we feel safe In saying that
rrs II of on white e shy az he % e Mas
dealing in human beings.as though they were born
only equal and en- dowed with no higher rights than
the beasts of the field. Thomas Jefferson affords an
historic example of inconsistency WHICH the most
reckless and audaciOuS statesmen of the present
day will not dare to initiate.
Mr.. jefferson, with the other leading men
OF his day." including such men as the great
father of his country, was not to blame for
his unavoidable environment. The great
Washington was also born to the heritage of
that "barbarous institution but the men of
that period must be judged. as all men and
measures must be, if judged justly, by their
mentioned had slaves, had dealing in
human beings as though they were
born only equal and endowed with
no higher rights than the beasts of the
field" They were not to blame for the
sentiment into which they were born and
which had come down to them through gen.
erations of Christian ancestors.
1t was grand in jefferson, that his voice
rose higher than and superior to his sur
roundings, and while himself victim to
perpetrating Il wrong. he yet had the moral
courage to proclaim the inalienaDle rights
of man. This is what the pioneer of right
and truth must do, however ''inconsistent"
it may appear to those who view the situa-
tion and get the kink and warp of distort-
ing lens.
Wrenched from the circumstances and
conditions under which it was extended
When bs its terms the assaflants of
the nations life were asked to lay
Contas. down their 1rn' arms retire from the
nationality and that they might then
hold their "barbarous institution" intact!
This too, after they kindled the fratricidal
flame, after years of the shock of war and
while they stood red-handed and ready, and
not in the panoply of patriotism, as they
stood in Jefferson's timei
Will Lincoln, greatest of our mighty
dead, whose memory is as gentle as the
summer air when reapers sing amid the
gathered sheaves." will he also now, for
this, present an historic example of in
consistency which the most reckless and
audacious statesman of the present day will
not dare to imitate?" sr
Must he too, in later years. when the
smoke has cleared away, when the air is
clear and quiet calm prevails have ignorant
obloquy attempt to lombard his revered
character and immortal fame? N.
WAMPUM, November 4, 1891.