, 1859-03-04
The 1ragedY and its Lesson.

Whatever may be safd of the Individual
actors In the lats tragedy at Washington
whether sickles be applaudcd or condemned,
xbether the murdered man be laid in the pot
ter,s field, or willows be planted to weep for
him while the world farRets him, whether the
wife and parsmour be driven to the fociety
Q: draba or otberTiee-the Lesson which it
brings home to society at the national capital
comes not moment TOO early. 1t is no &C.
cret that life in Washingtonh is at best a
oeeSlous gauntlet for all pure men and wo'
men who are condemned to sojsurn among
its influences, while for all others iii very
eiough of the Horet vices which pollute hp'
man nature. The Sickles affair Is only Eingu-
lar in it's bloody conclusien> 4 few weeks
duee thu British Minister was called home "
his royal mistress, and all snobdom was in nn
aproar to dud the secret Of the unexpected
event. One wIaeac1e. deep in ministerial de-
nigos, learned that tha noble Lo1d vas to lie
sspromoted" from Washington 10 the Hague-a
few more promotions doubt less bringing him
to Capetown. Another equally sagae1ous dis
covered that the noble Lord had differed in
some minute question Of policy With Ar. Btu
chansu. and that our President is eo highly
esteemed at St. James that the recall OF the
Minister bccame Indispensable. several other
ingenious pleas were put in to smother
statement fully credited by the knowingones
that the atmosphere Of the capital was moi
suited to that gtntleman's moral constitution,
and that Queen Victoria, notified Of the facts
by tue lkdy OF another distinguished Rcrvant,
had determined to remove from among us all
The de6lement which could be laid at her
AE-A --f--,-..antiu tho nnnatituanta nf
particular members OF Congressa are lntorms
that the charming influences Of woman are
employed with great effect on The Legislation
OF the country: 1faeeounts are trus, slcklcs
himech YVES not strictly entitled to throw
@tonca among the blocks Of glass houses
which surrounded him. So notoriouey
coTupdng are tha grand banquets
md zouta and reuuions which follow
each other in that treasury-gorged
Vanity Fair, that many mcm2crs OF Con-
gress whose families pass the season ut the
capital never allow their daughters to accept
an invitation. II they csc tpe without come
prurlent suggestion forced upon them by The
language or actions Of the blackguarls and
libertines who throag all The fashionable
quartere, tho chances are ten 10 one that
their names will be peddled trop saloon to
club room as the certain prey Of this or that
poisonous reptile who has had their hands OF
waists in u da1ce,
To this class belonged Philip Barton Key,
Who las e1piated his crime against social
order with his life. Whether or not Ar.
Sickles was the man TO give full force to the
lesson which has Just been taught, it was high
time for IN example Of this Kind to be mtde.
It was time to have blood added to tue un-
cleanDess st Federal society, and the only
wonder is that It has been - long deferred.
We find every variety Of comment bestowed
uPon The homicide and tie crime which pre-
eeded it. Without discussing the punishment
due for go high an outrage upon tie dearest
relations Of lite-a punishment which can be
inflicted only by the person aggr1eved, and
solely according to his notio1s OF equity-wc
repeat that it Was full time for defamation
Of the snakes that inlcst The Federal city,
to be begun.