Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-12-27
ro, Oh. o.So,d p.m..,,,.

eigners and ~ osrsslves. that oor govern.
men, has bad IN lie Service o. late pears
bu. very few u any men OF tbs frs, order.
No, tina, oil our public men have been mere
politicians. for .ucb has by no means been
the case. We have had Statesmen neither
Few nor mean-squal In some respects, per
hsps. to any that have preceded them. No
one Of our public men was ever s'ronser 20
sd.hasd dsba,s lhsn Douglas. 90 more de.
tinsui'hed ior calm. sssAeious, phiiosophi'
cal s,a,esmspship than Seward or Tor 6ne.
natural parts, perfected By the mos, s.ner.
Gus culture. than sumner. Yet Who would
ssriousiy compare thee men TO the iutsliOc
tusi giants Of thu last generation. This
scarcity Of prime men has not only been the
subject OF remark. but since our ,fOub,-s
began. Of deep and painful anxiety. AZ
oar Affairs have grown more and more d..
astroos. IL has become more and more ap
parent that none OF our statesmen could
ns squal to the tremendous emergency.
IL would have b-eo very eomtir,ins and
inspiring u some d,lwerer bad arisen born
Of tho time. uniting In himself all great and
heroic qualities. to be the champion OF free
institutions In this hour Of their deadly
peril. How would HE voice have s,unded
above the feeble and distracted c!amofs Of
tbe.s troubled time. encouraging and AZ
.uripg Nil loyal hearts, and uniting them
for the mighty struggle a. the hear, Of ono
man. But No are still waiting. s,d shall
long wait Tor such leader. The mighty
prophets aud Judge. winch were given "a
our younger years are our, no longer. and
mos, rely to-day on the wisdom aud ,alor
~ common men.
And doubles 70 IL In wisdom that the
great D.po--r ~ went. has thus order-i.
II IL 81 and mer, that free institution. In
ihi. fiery ordeal should stand where they
claim 90 stand. In the ,ir,ae and ip'elli.
s.nc- OF ,h. common people. u Popolar
liberty survive, chi. 'hock no one can point
70 " and cay. 4" .a,ei it,'-oo one can
say 4" Il SURVIVED brae~i by er,sp~cus snd
siventitious help, will ~ down next
time" Bot oil m-n nua zee and feel tina,
u the fabric &c our tree institutions sur.
wives. IL u because under God the arm oi
an enlightened AMI vir'uous commonali,y.
great with tho strength OF toll. bore it IN
smid the overwhelming .smpcst.
II occur. in tbs connection. that what.
ever faults the Administration may have
thu, far Committed. IL IL not censurahls for
having been content to follow ins.,ad Of az
pirins To lead the great mas Of the p-ople.
SLOW IL has been. undenlably yet this IL
better than disastrous precipitation and lie.
graceful and humilia,ins rr,raetiop.. Lin.
coin 10. by the admission u his great opp.
pent, an sbls aud an homes, man - yet
no one will pretend that he " . brilliant
genius or great hero. H.. advisers are
men able To administer the aaair. ri The ma
ton IN ordinary nnc- with eminen, sue
CO.'S; Vet they are Nv no mesns able 90 do
liver IL by any wisdom. or ssill, or power OF
their own. from the TREMENDOUS convulsion
into which 10 has been plunged Feeling
themselves % bc m deed and in truth IN.
mere agent. Of the people. can they b.
blamed Tor waiting iur very PLAN indics'
,icr. Of tho porul,r will before proceeding
into perilou. and untri,d pa,hs'
HAPPY ar. we in ha'iuga Congress to
which every doubtful matter msy b refer.
rel without fear. lie frs, action shows IL
be. kept pace with the advance OF pablic
.n,iment since it adpurn-t last August.
II DO no, much mistake, its spirit 10 high
and determined.
Pew things eould anger better than tho
disposition 4, shows to Law . stern hand on
.oms VI ths hnary denominations Of this Die
uict. Either because what - eycrybody's
business ~ nobody',, or tor some Other
csu.c. abuse. have b~n Suffered 10 quietly
flourish tor years, under the very droppins'
of the Capitol. winch Oould hardly have en-
durrd over nigh, IN any New England CON.
munity. While Congress has been very
busy With The intsrusinsbl. slavery ~rangl-.
things have been If, 90 take their own
eour,c. 10 seems gate clear ,ba, the iod,.
cary magi-,racy AMI police Of th. D.uie,
aud City need . psssly thorough anu cleans.
ins revision. Tue country has been aston.
ished to learn that ID. Washington jail Ia.
cootibusd to DO. until within fee days at
least. the same den OF hOrrors that Whit
tier painted 1t in his fiery verses thirteen
year. ago. Never, said some European
gcntlemsn. who are travelling tor the pur.
pose ot in,,slisa,ius the subject of prisons
aud the treatment Of criminals. aud who
were broush, ~ the Jail tho other day by
the French legation =" nsver have We ssrn
hu, one such prison before. and thai Was IN
Au-tria."
With the military OCCUPATION Of the De.
uici might have BEEN expected To cease the
trade Of ,hO.s Who. b,s happy art. com.
bius bushes. and pleasure N the m-rciIo-s
and indiscr,mina,e hunting down Of erery
cOlored person. boud or free, coming into
the District. Ye, !, now appears that These
~rO'ehc'. with the partially suppressed ap-
petite Of half converted eannibAls. have be-n
sorely hungry for their human prey. and
nsslee'ins no opportunity 70 gOrs, AMI fat
ten In secret. No less than s'Ity Of their
victims, come OF them attached and belong.
ing to the United States service. have been