The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-17
II Was Years Ago.

~ hDI< TIIIhE< tbht ~ IN
=. this page. in speaking of some
OF the things that have hap
pened since last Monday, we have re-
marked that the bulk of the citizens Of
the United States whom passing events
deeply concern know nothing, by per-
sonal experience. of the wars this coun-
try has fought; that they have learned
much about the triumphs but little OF
the trials that were Incident to our civil
war days; that recent hours Of delay and
Of apparent indecision make these men
nervously anxious: and that thus the
disposition is quickened to be too harsh
In criticism or, possibly. too doubtful
respecting the patriotism of those i'm
power.
The Standard believes that it Is the
first duty of a newspaper. in an hour
like this. to preach patience and for-
bearance and confidence in those whom
we must trust and whose leadership we
are pledged. within very large limits, to
acknowledge. To this end. not un-
timely, as II seems to us, are the les
sons our own history teaches. Let this
page briefly present this morning one
out of many OF those that suggest
themselves n ask ZACH reader to
mark the moral well. For more than
fifty years this country advanced
through bitterness to the point where
the question of slavery must be square
ly met and settled. The new, republi-
can. anti-slavery party had elected its
first president-Lincoln. That settled
the issue. In December. 1860. months
before the time for Lincoln's Inaugural
ton. South Carolina seeded. Within
six weeks. Mississippi. Georgia. Florida
and other states had formed the south
ern confederacy. In January. 1861. the
Star of the West, sent to provision Fort
Sumter, faced confederate batteries and
endured their fire. Members from sew
eral southern states formally withdrew
from congress. Robert Toombs de-
Tended slavery in the senate, as a part
ing shot. Slidell. Benjamin. and other
members OF the senate. delivered their
valedictories. speaking in insolent vio-
lence. The North was afiame.
Congress was i'm session. In spite of
popular sentiment. in spite of the
South's reasonable conduct, in spite of
the clamor of the republican press and
the angry u%tterances of the masses that
had elected Lincoln, who was soon to be
inaugurated, congress spent practically
all of its time, during January and Feb
ruary, in the effort to secure peace
with honor TO reconcile the South, to
compromise the slavery question. In
truth, these republican congressman
went far beyond compromise. 1t as
found the young American who studies
the history of the rebellion period to
read that, at hat critical moment.
some of the most distinguished republi-
cans this country has ever produced
absolutely offered. at the moment we
nave described, to make complete sur
render to the states hat mad formed
the confederacy and were then plotting
and executing reasonable projects.
AT the very height of the excitement,
in February, 1861. there was submitted
to congress, as the result of ar effort at
reconciliation. a proposed Thirteenth
- -
1t provided that slavery should be left
to have its way, and that mo amend
ment shal be made to the constitution
which will give to congress the power to
abolish or interfere with the domestic
institutions of any state. including that
OF persons held to labor or service by
the laws of said state" That is to say.
slavery was to be left to itself and the
constitution could never be so amended
as to interfere with slavery!
The wonder to-day is. not hat this
proposed amendment To h constitu-
tion was seriously proposed; the marvel
is-the history is-that 1t prevailed in
both houses of congress. That is the
record. And among the members who
helped TO give II an overwhelming vote
in the house were Schuyler Colfax and
william Window and Charles Francis
Adams and John Sherman. who to-day
is secretary OF state: while the two
thirds favorable vote In the enate in
cluded the aye of Anthony of Rhode
Island and Harlan of Iowa and Foster
of Connecticut. Morrill, of Maine. who
voted yesterday afternoon against the
recognition of Cuban Independence.
was then in the house and voted wrong.
That was h Thirteenth amendment
that wal submitted to the ountr a