The Kanzas news., 1858-06-26
cogitations of Cosmos
LAwRENcE, June 10th, is.

Itatlng OF late, OF man the animal. In my
softer years it was my wont to dwell with
singular zeal on man, the sentient, reason
ing, moral embodiment of many things de-
sirabie to the lad to attain. To be undeceiv-
ed in this is the experience of every life
And how often in maturer years, with hum
bic and deferential regard, do we recur to
the unsophisticated honesty and moral worth
of boyhood as the grossness, grovelling, and
self-seeking of man become more and more
apparent. Is honesty then myth, and
man Tirtueless antagonism to all things
good? Charity, with soft hand imp1oringIy
upraised, closes her meek eyes and ignores
such interrogatories. Fortunately We have
a response to them, contradictory indeed,
but yet suggestve;-man's ipse dixit and
the mirror which is before US in every DAYS
| experience. Life IN inchoate communities,
in new countries, is peculiarly calculated to
exhibit faithfully all that these questions
require. It has come to be an axiom with
morslists that all men are liars; therefore
what man says of himself is not to be credited.
On the other hand, the record of his deeds
the tow ensemble of what life is to him
cannot be gainsayed.
In Kanzas, where society, with its neces-
sary conventionalities, is yet uniformed,
where men yet unassimilated, are thrown
upon their own resources and compelled to
assert so much individuality as is possible
for them-in short, to stand for what they
are intrinsically worth, the deductions from
experiences daily notebook are rigid and
merciless satires on the qui bono of natures
economy in developing work so useless
and futile as the vain, self-lauding animal,
man. Show me an honest specimen of our
kind and will then join the world in re-
buking the Grecian philosopher for seeking
so early for wonder which it is the pecu-
liar glory of the present era to produce
Yet in this embryo State where dwell so
many renegades from political honors, so
many who have left their country for their
country's good, through fear of having
greatness thrust upon them, there would
seem TO be a promising field where the phil
osopher's search might be instituted. Let
us see. The other day, standing on Massa-
chusetts street, our ears were greeted with
outbursts from the multi-mouthed crowd,
and with the sound of Gathering feet. AM
incident was then and there transpiring
pregnant with interest. A disinterested
candidate for political preferment-a patriot,
philanthropic and self. sacrificing, and al
worthy citizen and exemplary societarian, as
denouement to paltry discussion, had
engaged in common brawl. There was
food for gossip, and entertainment for ALL
Boosting, defying, pushing, striking, pull
ing of hair and biting. Worthy meni Pre-
tentious citizens! How virtue and honesty
scintillated there! Can men who are i'm
PEELED by lofty motives and worthy aims so
soon forget their high prochvIties and sink
thus low? Impossible. Imbued with truth,
whoever acts must clothe his deeds with
truthful garments. A lofty aim compells a
lofty bearing. When men thus abnegate
themselves, their elevated motives are but
cloaks to conceal their low designs; their |
pretences but thin hypocrisies to consumate |
ulterior and sinister aims. Place is the end
desired, because it brings with it the means
of gratifying the baser attributes of self
Away with these; but whittier? Whichever
way we turn, the same passions, the same
motives predominant. Mean tendencies,
morally or philosophically weighed, are not
more venial that they are bridled by discre-
ton. An open and avowed wrong, when
achieved by aim declared, is less pernicious
than when wrought by indireetion.
Alas, we look in vain for whom we seek.
The outward aspect of society-of munich |
pal organizations is grand. 1t challenges
our admiration. We wonder that so many |
play their role so well. But when we step /
behind the scenes-when we saunter in the |
green room,-Pah! The mind is sickened |
at the emptiness of that which wraps the
gaping crowd. Each strutting actor has
studied well his part, and only initiates that
good wherein we so believe, and which we
so admire. Not life is this to him, but the
fashionable ezterne which the tailor gives
to hide his gross deformity. The element
which acts-which make the actor, are
among those of similar kinds-envy, ieal-
ousy and cupidity; and the chickering's of
these are life's reality. To think otherwise
is a pleasant deception.
But well-wrought stimulation cannot for
ever pass for honesty, though current for
time with the crowd. The politicians Jug
glery erewhile must inevitably be betrayed
whether success or defeat attend his efforts.
With US ambitious hordes have found an
unpropitious hour. The ends they would
compass are too remotely placed, and, though
distance lends enchantment to the view,
however mastery their web is wrought, the
breath of unforeseen events doth sweep it
all away before the game is hmmed, and their
plottings and fnesse become an open book
the dullest churl can read. To this there
ever is but one denouement: Recriminations
and rude personal assaults. The Senator
aspirant bitterly impugns his rivals in the
race; the would-be representative malignly
treads the heel of Senator's, and the Legisla-
tor, with one rude blast of epithets, would
sweep all these away. Il
The affair of the Kilkenny cats was moth
ing compared with the amiable chickering's
of these assuming representatives of all
things good. Mining and couter,mining.
Through management adroit and willy ad-
dress, each chagrined aspirant seeks to heap
the onus of all the fraud extant on the heads