The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-10
THE ABOLITIONISTS AND THE
CONSTITUTION.

CONSTITUTION.
In tbe August number Of the "Out-
look" there IS a continuation Of the life
OF James Russell Lowell. the poet and
minister % England by the Rev Ed
ward Everett Hale. which is a most in
te-esting contribution TO American bio
graphy.
Dr Hale writes with oandor and evil
IDENTIFY desires 20 hold the mirror mp to
nature. The chapter Of the current num-
her is entitled Politics and the War
meaning the politics which preceded the
war. and the position which Mr Lowell
took I'm the politics which brought 1t on.
As Mr.. Lowell was an abolitionist ana
was ono OF the editors Of a newspaper
called the "Nauonal Anu-slavery stand
ard."a fac simile OF the first page Of
which is given I'm the article, Dr. Hale
takes occasion TO describe the different
sorts OF aboliuonists. and he classified
them as tho National Anu-Savery
Standard" abolitonists and the 'Iibera-
tor" abolluonist. The latter class are
those Of whom William Lloyd Garrison
was the leader. and were considered the
radical class: those who were abolition
lists pure and simple. whom one could
underwrite as A No ]. and would have
abominated any vote NJ any election
These were the men who held that the
constitution Of the United states was ~
league with hell and a covenant with
death" Upon this radical class the
"Notional Anti-Slavery" aholoitionists
drew the line because they were not will
ing TO accompany Garrison on such side
crueades as ne might wish 10 undertake
I'm the corse Of the great enterprise As
for instance, the furnishing Of John
Brown with rifles for Kansas and with
pixies for Harper's Ferry
The other class. this National Anti
slavery Standard class, to which Mr.
James Russell Lowell belonged. employ
GA as the principal editor Of their repre-
sentative paper Mr.. Sidney Howard CAY.
Of whom Mr.. Hale says: ole was an
aboliuonist through and through lie
even gave up the study OF law because
he felt that he could not swear 30 sus-
tain the constitution ~ tho United
states. and so could not enter at the bar.
He had very rare gifts of editorial prom
inence and sagacity. ana as the stand
ard" itself shows had the unselhshness
and knowledge OF men which enabled
him TO engage as fellow worl,men, men
and women OF remarkable ability Henry
wilson speaks Of him as the mann who
deserves wen Of his country because he
kept tie tribune a war paper i'm
spite Of Greeley"
We understand then that with this
moderate STYLE Of abolluonlst Mr. James
Russell Lowell cast in his lot, and it is
fair 10 presume that, as long as AIR.
Cav was its editor nothing appeared
I'm its columns which would warn any
one that II was unbecomin an American
citizen 10 have such animosity TO his
government that he could not swear TO
snpport its constitution. Vet it was the
failure Of the aboutionist 20 support this
constitution which brought on the war.
II was a knowledge OF this faithlessness
10 that great compact on the part Of the
North. which made the Southern states
men strict construclionists and insisted
upon adherence 10 the terms Of the con-
stitution.
Nothing more excited the resentment
OF the South before the war than the
spirit OF the Northern abolitionists who
said that they not only defed the const-
tuition OF the United states, but would
kick the Bible from under their feet If
II tolerated any such condition as human
slavery. Nothing more excites the re-
sentiment OF the Confederate veterans
and the Sons OF Confederate veterans to-
day. than the reflection that those men
who denounced the constitution OF the
Irnlteed states. and rofrained from law
ful business because they could not
swear allegiance 20 It., when the country
was one and united, and when they were
enjoying its protection and benefits to-
day revile as traitors and rebels the he
roes OF the Confederacy who lawfully
withdrew from that Union to which they
paid answering allegiance while they
were I'm IT, William Lloyd Garrison and
Sidney Howard Gay and their associates,
who must have felt as Edward Everett
Hale himself termed men without
country" living in it but not of II. are
to-day exalted as the ideals of American
LOYALTY. although they abhorred and
openly denounced the constitution while
men ike Jefferson Davis, Robert Il. Lee
and r. NJ r. Hunter, whose lives were
spent in obedience 70 It and who upheld
ana defended It. are stigmatized as trail
tors and rebels.
In contemplating this contrast. tais
contradiction Of reason and of right
sense Of indignation and evaporation
must possess the heart OF every South
ern man. and he must feel that there
can be no sincere reconciliation between
| the North and the South as long as the