The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-08
A q EEK r ABL e.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

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TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
lately found among parcel o papers tho fol-
IowiHg which struck me as rather curious. ! no
Nced several things 80 very like some things which
had occurred within my own memory that could
hardly at first decide it correct 70 refer the whole to
the age of Esop. But when came to consider
that since that age Of Gre,ian marvels, no authen.
tic history has, 80 far as happen 10 know, ascrbei
to animals the free and unrestricted use Of ian
gusge, nor even the undertaking, on large SCALE
Of suOh public woIks, such specuaii1as, frauds,
methods of finsnciering, I lex aud roguery as are
now common among men, aud especially among
the marage Of corporate fucos sui pubic reVe
nues l was forced 10 give up the point, and ID
conclude that the story vas, upon the WHOLE quiss
natural and that IL tbs things said TO have been
done should appear TO some to be more extraordna.
~ than the use of language the part Of those
who did them that was lily accounted for by Che
admitted superiority Of instinct, original aud uu
erriAg endosment over tae acquired, Imperfect
and often decetful arts Of speech and writing. 10
short. became convinced that ii was not half
80 strange that brutes Of ira. remote age should
speak and write. a. that brutes Of that or of any
later period should execute such works and set sucA
examples OF speculation, proligacy and plunder, in
tho management and expenditure of the funds con-
hded to them, as reported ia this simple story
I therefore, without hesitation, commit the papers
to your disposal, confident that they will ns unrea
sonAby tx the credulty Of your readers, fail to
afford thsm at least some timely and useful sugges-
tons.
The scene o, ibis story vas that part OF Greece
which vas called hacsdoais and T6racis. rhe
beasts O. tina age, and OF the fatae tribes
as depended more upon their fsst than upon their
wings % instruments Of ioc,nOton, desired to have
. road or thoroughfare, as straight and as nearly
level as possible, to accommodate tnem ALL and ex.
pedte their travel and traf3 across the peninsula
from the shore of the Enxne to til It Of the Adrato,
distance Of some four hund ed and atty English
miles, through sequestered region Astounding with
animals and with the objects of their commercial
enterprise. good route for such q road was
known to exist, extending, from q point on the
Euxine not far north Of the site of the ancient By
sAntium, in northwestsrly direction. 1t had been
long and often talked Of, and its merits discussed;
and st length, what absolutely necessary to the
execution of great an undertaking, tho co-opera-
tioa and joint action Of all concerned was brought
about
OF course the exc usion Of the work, a. in the
case Of modern joint stock corporations Of the
gemxs homo for simiar undertakings had to be
osnSded to q select few and, as was absolutely ne.
ceary in that CASE and Ia in similar cases necesss-
~ sven among men In modern times, to inspire
confidence 30 ure funds ani surmoun. the earliest
and most formidable difficulties, they chose for
managers, out Of the whole number Of associates,
hosc who had In the highest degree the confidence
Of tho rest and of the whole com nunty. Whether,
On accepting their appoin' ments, their instincts
forewarned them that the Jealousy, envy, selfish.
Aess, detraction, calumny, and aH the base, raven
Gus and savage passions Of certain classes both Of
featherea bipeds and vulgar beasts of prey to whom
10 part in the management vas assigned, would be
excited apd actively fostered and promoted, does
net up Gear: but 1t was not long before they had
ample experience OF this nature, in relation to the
whole affair and all its details. Tnis the reader viii
easily believe when he considers how very common
the like experience is among men.
The managers, however, faithful to the trust re-
posed in them, peisevered for considerable TIM.
The difficulty Of raising season able and sufficient
supplies Of provisions and labor very great. The
disafection OF the resdess specu alive, selfish and
ravenous classes constantly 10 creased; and when,
by great economy, vigilance and repression OF a
peculstiop, cheatery and plumber, the work was
about half done, the disafectei b.came powerful
enough, with the aid of foreign influences Of tbs
same nature, to effect complete revolution, and in
troduce that course Of havoc, waste and plumber
which gives the story that racness and piquancy for
which alone it Is worth preserving. The outside in.
fuences above referred to proceeded from two
sources--ffst from class OF cunning, restless and
inscriptions animals, known a. the politicians OF
that day. whose chief objects sere Office and plum
der. TO accomplish their ends they professed to be
patriots; and the more enectualy to deceive their
hoaeAt and industrious neghbors they ranged them
selves into two nearly equal parties, each pretend
ing TO be friendly to the road, and each by turns do
ing their utmost to embarrass and defeat it. The
other source Of this bad influence was rival under
taking nsrth Of range of highlands called the Bal
kan, and extending from point on the lower Da.
nube westerly to point near the head Of the Adri
ATTIC; got up by several different combinations of ami
mails, including the crafty aud ravenous as well a.
tbs Trustworthy, and including also the politicians
Of that region, expressly to oounteract the more
soutAerly route Leaving the reader to consider the
nature Of all the animals referred to, and their ha
bits and propensities and what would be likely to
happen when the most greedy go. the upper hand
in the Management Of the supplies required by these
Undertakings, here drop my ABR igement Of the
Introductory preminaries OF the story, and refer
you 70 the ofginsl papers, or rather to my free
Translation and notes. for the substance of the story
ITSELF still emitting, however, many significant par.
Houlsrs and details. The notes. though incorporated
with the text, are easily distnguishabe they are
idended only to jog the attention Of the reader and
CONSIST for the most part, merely OF illusions to
something analogous among men in modern times,
which may have fallen under his own observation,
lnd 30 naturally confirm his faith in all the particu
Jars Of the original narrative There is 80 strong an
analogy between the interests, propensities and
habits of some Of the inferior animals and CORES
pondirg class Of the human race, that almost any
true statement respecting the one win be found to
apply equally well to the other. Whatever, there