Woodville Republican., 1853-12-20
Editors Chair-A Retrospect.

Editors Chair-A Retrospect.
Atlength, and at great length ii is, we once
more occupy our accustomed chair-editorial
We are glad to resume it, for our Punishment
has beensleng, and in many respects vexatious,
but we had neither voice nor choice the pes
thence came, and all the usual avenues and
thotoughfares Of business were suddenly ST.
lent and gloomy. The merchant fled his
COUNTER ihe lawyer his desk, the mechanic
dropped his tools, the printer his composing
stick. Our streets, stores and offices were de-
serted, and most of our citizens we're away in
the differentparts Of the country, where kind
ness and hospitality offered them retreat.
Thus weeks and months passed away, and
though the great Destroyer's harvest has been
less,plentiful here than elsewhere, yet, all this
time, the ban Of The plague-smitten was upon
us, and as little intercourse held with our town
as with the leprous districts of Asatic cities.
And now, as we ouce more on our return oc-
cnpy our @chair," what melancholy eviden-
ces Of deaths doings, of sorrow, suffering and
wasting disease, surround us; all of which
have visited this fair land since last we occu-
pied this seat. All around us lie in confusion,
piled masses Of exchanges, which have accu-
mulated in our absence scarcely one Of which
we can.examine without meeting still the woe
burdened tale of their columns, at which the
heart sickens, so many names of friends and
of prominent citizens, but lately vigorous in
lusty life, the cordial grasp Of whose hands we
seem still to feel, but above whose graves
the
"Night dew has wept"
and on which the grass is already springing,
that we seem to have lived long years, rather
than these few weeks or months, during which
the reaper death has gathered his bounteous
harvest home.
Here we see paper which, in its accounts
of the pestilence march, chronicles among the
victims one we intimately knew and sincerely
loved, friend with whom, many time and
oft, we have taken sweet counsel" whom
we loved as brother, but whose voice no lon
ger echoing in our hearing friendships hearty
tones, now sweells the symp onies Of the up
per and eternal world. There an exchange
tells Of one, well known to fame, fortunes fa-
vorite, filing large place in the public mind
who, at the stern bidding, paused in mid ca
reer, and ike the eagle, arrow-pierced in his
lofty fight, fell and was forever lost to mortal
vision and there brief announcement tells
of the conclusion of charities, mercy's deeds
ever spractieed by one who performed kind
acts, raised the fallen, bound up the wounded
and comforted the stricken for very love Of hu.
man kind; but now he who labored fol
no reward receives recompense at the hand.
Of him who seeth not as man seeth." And
here, again, is the sad story told Of how one
young, gentle and beautiful, looking forth up
on the world with smiles and bright anticipa
tions, whom many had learned to love ans
souehtto to- WOO and winp-whose favored po
sition seemed to secure her from the breath 0
pestilence and win only life's Joys and choices
blessings for her own--how she, too, at th'
pIague's mysterious touch, withered and pass
edaway. We learn tooof opening manhood
lust starting IN the race for name and place
for honor's guerdoH-on whose hopes the ia
ture looked smilingly, and in whose pros
pects friends rejoiced and were justly proud
whose eyes already deserted in the distance th'
fam proportions of fame's glorious temple, anC
Who was eagerly stretching towards it, EN-
barked as he was on the stream which howeC
right to its base; we learn, how this, all thes
were suddenly wrecked and hopelessly en-
guIphed. And then what perhaps, is mourn
fullest Of all Is the fall at their posts, gallant
Iyworkipg in their masters cause, encountsl
inc disease, squalid misery, and death, Z
those intrepid ministers Of Christ, who honesl
" felt it their duty 20 remain where DANCE
found them, and trust to omniscience the Of
derina Of their lives mournhllly crowded
Iii. portion of the dark record. Thus it n
manning and anguish, blasted hopes, stricke
bsar& asd bowed hcads-dezolate hearth