The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1864-05-28

silt is said thattwenty thousand pianos
will be manufactured this year! Fourteen
years ago the total nuwber made in this
country was two thousand. In ordinary
times we should think this increase of
manufacture and consumption an evidence
of increasing prosperIty-perhaps of bet
ter culture. Now, it is but mere evidence
Of the perilous extravaganza of our people.
This demand for so enormous number of
pianos, like the foolish and absurd indul-
gence in foreign luxuries, bought at the ex-
pense of the very life-b blood Of the nation,
only shows how rotten portion Of our so
ciety is, An immense number of our
working patriots are in the field, contest
ing, in bloody battles, for theperpetuity Of
the nation. Labor is scarce. Our necessi-
ties for 1t are great. The wide fields of the
country cry aloud for true hearted men to
till them, and reap the rich rewards a
bounteous Nature offers. We require their
fruits to pay our debts abroad. 1t may be
We shall want them for the sparest susten-
ance at home. Yet men and women, be-
cause they have little money, must di-
vert labor from its only legitimate employ
ment to the manufacture Of twenty thou
sand pianos! Cannot people see that eve-
ry days labor thus misdirected now, is not
merely wasted and thrown away, but is an
additional tax upon us all. Win such
absurdities be stopped, or shall)we go on
madly until the country perishes Of extrav-
ou~nCoy 2 -f
@- Admiral Porter's deet is reported
out Of Red River, and this is deemed en-
couraging news from that quarter. 1t
would have been better had it never enter
ed the river, and the army had never at
tempted to march up its banks. 1t has
been . misadventure to both army and ma
vy,-we don't know which was most in
fault and which most disgraced by the
result But bad management, q foolish
and absurd confidence, and . consequent
recklessness, In the commanders, chief or
subordinate, has been conspicuous from its
start. The only wonder is that any part Of
the expedition has made . safe retreat
The sacrifice of gallant soldiers, foolishly
and needlessly made, has already been
great enough. We trust we have no more
to hear from that quarter. But we shall
feel better when we learn that the forces
lately at Alexandria have reached . point
where they will be safe and whore If neces-
sary they may be properly strengthened.
Gen. Candy we trust will succeed in re-
storing confidence to the command and
eventually retrieving its recent disasters.
There was something very rotten about
that advance. Had there not been. Shreve-
port would have been reached and the re-
bells badly whipped. Itrequires investiga-
ton. Let the men who caused the disaster
be blasted with iniamy, and the sooner the
better.
- They have got . sword 1t the st.
Louis Fair which Is to be presented to the
General who gets the most votes q one dol.
lar piece, after the fashion set at Now
York. We don't know but It is % good .
way - any 70 collect money which will be
devoted to . good uss. And yet we hope
that no one will allow these votings again
to run into \ matter Of psrsonality. The
friends of Generals who arc worth any
thing should let them alone severely the
moment there IL any such purpose mani
tested. They can give their money for
other things much more wisely. Sword
presentations are about played out. In
truth, we begin to think that . law should
be passed prohibiting the acceptance alto
gether by any officer 20 long - he is in the
service, except when ordered by the Gov
ernment. So long ~ they are allowed to
accept them, large majority Of the pre-
sentations will continue to be made to the
mere "Carpet Knights" fit for nothing bat
to adorh Gladys chamber" while the
real soldiers of the war, the men Of genuine
ability and gallantry, are apparently unre.
warded simply because they scorn triokery
and make their deeds speak for them. We
begin to doubt the merit Of the generality
Of those whose friends go through the farce
of a sword presentation over him. We sci.
dom hear Of these WORTHLESS in any scene
Of danger. When it comes in authoritative
shape, by order Of fsuperiors, or By. the rep
Of the people. ON proper
grounds, It b . mafk Of honor. Otherwise.
not. We would have the farce ended, -4u.
~ The japanese method Of duslling II
unique, but We think it decidedly fais and
impartial. TwQ q the Embassy to Euro
pssa Courts bad = misunderstanding on
Ehs way and concluded to settla it at Mar
,eilIes by the duel. They were to place
'wo ballots In = hat, on one Of which was
written "death." Each was then to draw.
md the one who got the inscribed ballot
was to retire to . convenient place and |
commit suicide. That seems 10 be their
method. In this instance, however. the
Iutherities convinced them that such
conduct could not b permitted in the
French dominionS. We commend this
mode b The ''chivalry." It II sths best OF
any -we can imagine for that hot -blooded
class. Nor do we care. how many Of them
practice It. Al often, - they Do carry it
out In rood filth thu <na,vsfPv vvsll ~ s,..&