March 6, '62.
I think I am a little more cheerful in the [Washington]
matter than you, because I have rather more faith in the President's common
sense and practical wisdom. His policy has been to hold the border States. He
has held them; now he makes his next step and invites emancipation. I think he
has the instinct of the statesman, — the knowledge of how much is practicable
without recoil. From the first he has steadily advanced, and there has been no
protest against anything he has said or done. It is easy to say he has done
nothing until you compare March 6, '61 and '62.
As other signs of the current, I observe these things in the
papers of to-day: 1st, Mr. Adams' speech distinctly saying that Slavery is the
root of all evil; 2d, Cyrus Field, a stiff old Democrat, repeating it. 3d,
Prosper Wetmore introducing into our Chamber of Commerce, he an old Commercial
Democrat, a resolution of thanks to John Bright, the eloquent defender, etc.,
of freedom, — a word that your true-blue pro-slavery modern Democrat
shies as a bat shies the sun.
All the omens are happy, it seems to me. For what is it but
a question of our national common sense? and if that, as the year has proved,
was strong enough to smother so furious a party spirit as ours in this country,
why should we suppose it will fail us suddenly?
SOURCE: Edward Cary, George William Curtis, p.
153-4
No comments:
Post a Comment