Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-10-19

daily paper has again made its appearance, after
suspension of some weeks its gallant foreman, Mr..
James H. Finch, stood at his post and continued the
publication of the paper after all others in the devo
ted Cities had ceased out, but at last he
had to succumb Worn out he left for Petersburg
with the view of recruiting his energies but he
rived his brothers house in that city only to die.
The following is the leading article of the Argus
of Monday the 18th inst, being the first since the
SUMPTION
"Once upon the waters -
The storm is over, and again our good ship lays
her course Her sails swelled to fullness in the
crisp October ind. and anon her Tag is given to the
breeze. But that flag floats sadly al half mast; and
the call to quarters reveals that wide havoc has been
made in our crew. Our deck has been swept by the
pestilential blow. Au have been disabled, from
the quarterback to the torcaste; and one-half Of
our white complement will nevermore greet us with
the once familiar smile.
The best seaman in the ship, too, he who was
ever foremost in duty when the waves rolled highest,
the prompt heroic, noble Finch has been taken and
others who were emulous of his bravery and resoIu
tion sleep with him beneath the now quiet sea. We,
who perhaps least deserve it, are left 10 lament our
loss and 10 pursue our voyage as we best may over
the uncertain ocean of human affairs.
That the elevated character of our gallant coad u-
tor was appreciated outside of his limited circle OF
action will be seen from the tributes to his worth
from leading papers in the State, which we give in
another column.
We have never before resumed duty after an in.
terva of cessation, with as heavy heart as now
feel For nine and thirty days have editorial
labors been suspended. To US it has been inter
val of holiday but of participation the miseres OF
as dire visitation ever made by the plague
Spirit, in fulflment of the Almighty behest, to re-
gion Of doom and devastation
We have looked death full in the face in Its most
hideous form. We have seen the proud, the humble
the young, the aged, the lovely, the unseemly the
timid, the brave, the weak, the strong, the foe the
friend, alike fall by the swoop of the destroyer. W.
have seen a population melt away like snow before
the noont;de sun. We have seen science at fault
and triumphant pestilence claiming reentlessIy its
chosen spoil. We have seen--but why bring. 70
light the sire deserving the infectious bedside of tire
son of whom ne once boosted why speak of tie
daughter leaving the implorng mother who gave her
being, to yield up her forlorn spirit amid the revolt
ing filth of the plague why awaken the memory If
the unutterable horrors of calamity that cannot be
realized in description There is brighter side 10
this dark picture, which we can, and pW often re-
cur there is ray of mercy tempering the night Of
agony, which makes US feel that man (and angelo
woman) has that in his natule which, when called
forth, assmlates to the mighty Heaven from which
! he derived existence
We have seen our lately 1ourshing mart reduced
10 the scanty number of 1000 surviving souls In the
short space of less than ninety days. out of an
OOON1 GHS
child (almost without excepton) has been stricken
with the fell fever and about 1000 have been buried,
being not less than ,ut Of three of the whites and
one out of three of the whole abiding community of
Norfolk, white and black One half of our own ply
scians who continued here. in the grave, and not
less than Mirtyslr physicians, resident and visant
have fallen in Norfolk and Portsmouth. For list Of
names and numbers and many other sad particulars
we refer readers 10 other portions of sheet.
| Long will the day of visitation be remembered in
the afflicted cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth. They
are sisters in sorrow. they have always beer
in interest, and prosperity The present generation
will ever retain sad "reminiscences of the plague among
U.S. and the page of history that will contain the
cord of suferings must be melancholy for the
mihgated rage of pestilence which it will recount.
| Is there special chassement in this dispense
ton :! If there be, cannot fathom it. We do
regard it direct rebuke of abolitionsm, know
nothingsm, or fanaticism of any sort. 1t is OF
those mysteries that cannot solve, and which we
do not think it is intended for man to solve If we
must WELD the weapon of inscrutabity, we should
not point the lnculcaon towards any but ourselves
And it should prove to full lesson of humility
and benevolence for God knows. in this poor era
we have great need of both Those eighteen upon tn.
toacer Of Sloan fsH-thjnk you that they acert mor
aricked than these %
CAKES, PIES AND TH1NGs.-We found on our table