New-York tribune., 1903-07-12

i
ard and Chase men earnest in their oDPosi-
ton to slavery as the most uncOmprOmisins
Abolitionist. but also masters OF expediency and
possessed OF the instinct for the shaping OF po-
HticaI movements. The great contribution OF
Salmon p. Chase to this end. and the effective
labors OF Governors BrOugh and Morton, Justice
Mclean. Thomas COrwin. Joshua r Giddinss
and other Western men receive particular atten-
ton from Mr.. Smith who. through association
and cooperation with them. was better equipped
than most students of the anti-slavery struggle
to appreciate the value of their IabOrs Chase
was just coming into prominence as a leader OF
the Fee Democracy when the Southern and
Western Liberty Convention held in Cincin-
rati in 1S4J- He drafted the address with a skill
fuI political hand. speaking to the nOn-save-
holders OF the South. and asking them TO con-
slider what interest they had in a system OF
slavery which fOstered aristocracy and was
the enemy of every principle Of democratic so
ciety- Though addressed the South. this
meant to appeal to the farmers. mechanics and
7 laborers OF the North. who made to see
that the spread of slavery put obstacles to their
rise by free labor in the social scale 1t was
adroit and effective stroke to secure the favor
| of the laboring classes. who. with the natural
prejudice toward competitors inferior to them
selves. had been inclined to take no interest in
emancipating the negroes but had lent them
selves to the Northern men with Southern prin-
1
mOcracy they were being used to build up
| aristOcratc oligarchy to rule their country. The
! author gives c. credit for priority in sug-
gesting the Free Soil Convention which nom
mated Van Buren in 1S4S and defeated the time
serving Cass. He put forth the idea in the
previous winter, and wrote the call for the Ohio
Free Territory Convention OF June % which in
turn issued a call for the Buffalo Convention
six days before the Worcester meeting. for
which Charles Sumner claimed leadership in the
Free Soil movement.
| Mr.. Smith was in the thick of the fight to
| save the West from the Vaccinations of Val
landigham- When John Brough was elected
| Governor of Ohio the Copperhead leader
he became the Governors private secretary and
the next year was elected Secretary Of State.
carrying Ohio at a critical time for the Union
party How dangerous the disunion movement
in the Middle West was and to what straits
patriots were driven are perhaps not duly appre-
ciated in the East where tine New-York draft
riots thought of as the climax of trait0rOus
obstruction within the federal lines 1t is worth
while recalling the exertiOns of Oliver p. Nor
ton. who became the whole State Of Indiana,
so far as the United States Government was
concerned The Democrats carried the Iegisla-
ture in 1862 through the absence in the field Of
the great body of loyal voters. The legislature
refused to receive Governor Morton's patriotic
message. but extended thanks to Governor Sey-
mour of NewYOrk for his message condemn
ing the Emancipation Proclamation 1t went
so far in treason that the only way the Union
minority could prevent the control of the State
troops being taken from the Governor and put
in the hands of disloyal men was by absenIlns
themE ives from the sessions and breaking the
quorum. The Legislature dispersed without
making any appropriation for the State govern
ment for the relief of sick and wounded sol
ders. Then Governor Morton without treas
ury, his personal responsibility raised money
to support the State charities. to pay the
penses of the militia in service guarding the
border from invasion. to send sanitary supplies
| to the soldiers in the field and TO pay the in
: terest on the State debt. Without such men
E the war might really have been invited into the
Middle West
T In tracing the reconstruction movements the
author makes it clear that unlimited negro suf-
n frage was not the first plan of the Northern
E leaders They were brought to that gradually
e by the refusal of the South to meet them half
f way in support of more moderate measures for
the protection OF the freedmen. 1t is interesting
: to note that Rutherford b. Hayes who 3
S President finally abandoned the Congressional
= policy of reconstruction and repression is q fail
y ure. was in the early stages of reconstruction
e in favor of making the suffrage OF all the
q South-white and black-depend on education;
4 La in he Rortb all