The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-15
HIS RADICAL YOUTH.

rate the late James Russell L0Weii ZOO
radical in his youth, +" but as commercially
conservative in his later days" Lowell
ia his youth, while not an abolitionist,
was an ardent anti-slayery man, holding
the same hatred Of slavery and waging the
same warfare upon the pro-slavery within
the constitution as the anti-slayery
Wings and the anti-slaycry Democrats,
who subsequently fused 70 form the Re-
publican party, between 1874 and
1850. He vas just as radical in his opin-
ions and not more 50 than were Seward,
Greeley, Van Buren,, John Quincy Adams,
Charles Francis Adams, Hamlin. Ran
toni, Chase, Sumner, Hale, An
drew and Lincoln, who whether
OF Democratic or Wing antecedents favored
the Wilmot proviso; he was not an aboi-
itionist or non-yoter like Garrison, but he
was the inplacapie enemy of slavery with
in the constitution upon the platform Of
the non-extension of slavery. For this
reason be was opposed TO the annexation
Of Texas and the war with Mexico; be was
not webster" Wing in 1850, but Sew
ard Wing, and bis radicalism in his youth
was neither more or less than the radical
ism upon which the great Republican
party was founded in 1S54-lSJS. If, then,
Lowell was ''too radical in his youth" the
whole Republican party was ''too radical
in its youth" for it was exactly upon
Lowell's platform Of unrelenting opposi-
ton to the extension Of slavery territory
that the Republican party fought and won
tie great revolutionary battle of 1850.
whose consequences were the revolt and
final defeat Of the South, emancipation
and the extinction Of slavery.
Measured by its benehcent fruits, this
radicaiIsm Of Lowell. which took political
form in the Republican party, would
seem to have its soundness justified by
these great events, and it does not seem 10
US that in his youth Lowell was whit 700
radical, but if he was, the whole party Of
his youth, which in 1860 stood for the
dominant public opinion OF the North, was
too radical. In those days there was far
more danger of being too conservative
than too radical The conservative Dem
ocratic party Of those days was the pro-
South were Toonbs and jeff
Davis, and whose leaders at the
North were Douglass, Cass, Pierce
and Buchanan. The conservative
Wing party Of Lowelrs youth from 18f4 to
1850 was led by Webster at the North and
by Henry Clay at the South, but this con-
servative Wing party could not outbid
the Northern Democracy with the Slave
ocracy OF the South, and with the tremen-
dous defeat of General scott in 1852 the
Wing party disappeared TO make room for
the new Republican party. which, re-
cruited from the ranks of both of the old
parties, accepted the radicaiism Of Low
ellis youth for its platform, and under
this name and sign it conquered So much
for the ''radicalism Of his youth"
Now when did this radicalsrn of his
youth leave him? Lowell was an unhinch-
ing Republican up TO 1877, when he was
appointed minister TO Spain by President
Hayes; he had been 50 pronounced Re-
publican that he was made Pres
idential elector in 1876, so that up.
to 1877 when he went abroad,
or until he was at least 50 years
old, Lowell believed still in the radical
ism of his youth, and he accepted further
hOnors under Hayes and under the admin
istratiOn OF President Arthur. Indeed
there was no suspicion that Lowell had
abjured the party founded on the radical
ism of his youth until he was relieved by a
Democrat and returned home in 1883.
when he was rs years of age; it took him
until that date 10 wear out the radicalism
OF his youth, for IL is fair to assume that
II he had not approved of the policy
of the Republican administration IN To
that date he would not have been
Presidential elector, nor accented and
retained office under both HAYES and
Arthur. During the last six wears of
his life Mr.. Lowell has been what our
Democratic friends regard as ''conserya-
tlve;' that is, he has been a very warm
admirer and most eloquent and incessant
panegyrist OF Grover Cleveland. on whom
he lavished q wealth OF classic compliment
with as free hand rs Edward Everett
used when Wendell Phillips described him
as always finding time to gild crime
against human nature with Il Greek anec-
dote."
Something in this mood of conservative
enthusiasm Lowell hailed Cleveland as
one who might have sat as a model to the
Roman moralist, Seneca, when he drew
his famous picture of the ideal pilot of
the state Indeed Mr. Lowell's conserv-
atlsm seems 20 have been chiefly displayed
In throwing up his hat at every
opportunity for Cleveland rather than for
Cieveland's party. He seemed to admire
Cleveland great deal more than the party
did who elected Cleveland president, and
he may bee truthiully said 10 have
had Cleveland" and Anglomanla on
the brain for the last few years
Of his life. This is the form OF "conser-
yatism' that Mr.. Lowell in his old age ex-
changed for the radicaiism Of his youth"
Ia ms youth when he was too radical"
he sat at the tcci Of the great and noble
men vino watched the Republican party in
its cradle; In his old age, when he became
conservative. who was his model for the
ideal pilot of the ship Of state2 not Conk-
ling. nor Sherman, nor Hawley: not
Thurman, nor Hendricks. nor Carlisle:
none Of these exceedingly intellectual men
excited his enthusiasm; or commanded his
political affection aud admiration in the
morning'hour Of his newborn "conserva-
tism.