The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-02-10


an occasional budget of political news
which together with the contents of BIZ
Day Book and Ledger, furnish him with
quite enough in the literary line.
La the sciences, too, be is equal y prac
teal. He does not see any particular use
in mans wasting his existence in try.
ing to ascertain the distance from here to
the planet Jupiter, nor can he conceive
what difference it can make in the price
Of Bread and Butter, whether the Earth
goes around the Sun, or the Sun around
the Earth; or whether one combination of
acids forms q harmless and convenient
article for domestic use, and another COM
bination of the same Ingredients forms =
deadly poison. 1t is quite sufficient for
him to know BY experience, that certain
kinds of mauures are best adapted to cer-
tain kinds Of soil, to understand the right
phase Of the aeon in which to "kill his
pork, the sublime precepts Of the Null
tiplicstion Table, aud the glorious prin-
ciples of DiscouD: aud Interest.
This is bat faint shadow Of the prac-
ticsl man as We find him the representa-
tive of the times in which he lives. The
picture is not overiraUn, our pen fails to
do even justice to bis peculiar qualities.
lie has many virtues aud many admira-
BILE traits, but there are many dark shades
also in bis character and competition, the
chief Of which is this frenzy, this ex-
elusive passion for utiIity, aud utility a.
lcac, By which be desden. bic senses to
the most beautiful asd lovely parts of cre-
alton, aud shuts out from biRsslf much
genuine enjoyment
Another Peculiarity of the sse may Be
specified. 1t is the age Of hGE Ebuxs, Of
: Ounterfrits aud Of saiudlas. Aa age
y hen a great deal Of sound supplies :se
Iack Of great deal of sense ;-an age
shea most men take a superficial yieu Of
every thing around them, and when a
fair exterior serves most fectualiy to con-
ceal the rottenuess and corruption within
Il is the age Of woolcy horses, Of ho-
qua patriotism, of faithless politicians,
'purious Darvels, and bun drum nos
runs;-of divers novel e1pedien,s for
alahl"g money, aud various new. tangled |
rays of&pending it. 1t is time ahen
men buy glory by the dollars worth, and |
,et their change bsck;-wben corruption
nl fraud hold high places in the govern
nent of Bstions, aud when men are ade
nd ruined sith Wonderful and unparsl-
He'd rapidity.
Another Distinguishing characteristic
f the present age, aud ooe which faith.
al chroniclcr of the tines must By no
means omit to mcntion, is a gcaus com
nonly denouirated Young America"
lie IL peculiar only to the times in which
Ee live; his like is nowhere to be found
D the history Of the past,-be is native
# our o~n time and cline. He is to be
ecoguized everywhere; in all public pla.
es,-he is 4 prominent feature in every
may with propriety be
tyled the nose Of the Nineteenth Centu-
y; be is a fixed fact, geometriCal Ger.
siDty. lie is popularity SO universal
? known and SO easily recognized, that
II comment or description is unnecessary.
We have now enumerated some of the
,ost striking peculiariiics of our times,
nd having thus disposed of the first di.
ision of our subject, we will next proceed
0 compare these peculiarities with those
f preceding ages.
I'd. And in looking over the history
the past, many wide differences in the
ustoms and manners of the people, and
] the political aspects of the world, will
aturslIy thrust themselves upon our OBJ
srgatioD.
GlaDcing back to the early stages of
Utilization, We see men devotiDg them
elves exclusively to the arts and achiev-
rents of war. A continuous din of arms
sounded throughout the length and
readtb of the then known world. Con-
uest followed conquest, and revolution,
evolution, n,-invaders were themselves in
aded, and couquerors were in their turn
until the soil which brothers
loud have cultivated in harmony to- /.
,ther, was made reekiDg with their
God. The kite seized the dove, the
awk seized the kite, and the eagle de-
'ured the hawk. lie ruled, who was the
irougest, and wrongs were righted and
gbts wronged, by dint of hard blows
I'D discovered heads. The arts of peace