The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-12-16
From the louisville Journal.
The Effect of the New Reformation.


When reformors propose to introduce
new manners and new customs it hecnmes
the world to examine them critically
The experience Of IA few years has not i'm
pressed the thinking classes with any par
I!cular love for the reform Sly lie OF couver-
satinn and discussion. \ man imbued
with the new radical principles seems to
take it fur granted that it is his first and
foremost duty to express his own opinions
aud to condemn forcibly tue expression of
opposite opinions. He is uot satisfied
with the ordinary expression of dissent,
but he regards it us perfectly proper, ill.,
deed duty, to say to a person with whom
he is cohvcrsing, aud who does not agree
with him, "You are traitor" or "Iou
are rebel" Ii he should say to man,
You are ljar,' he would expect to he
somewhat severely dealt with, IA the way
Of the world is, but If he says, You are
traitor" and gets knocked down for his
impertiuence, he is astonshcd at the re-
suit, and complains to The nearest United
States authorities This seems to be an
accepted rule Of The radical code Of society,
but there is nothing wrong in calling "A
mae Il traitor. Naturally this rule affects
all the relations Of radicals TO men who
differ with them. We are afraid that i. is
an accepted rule Of radical SO .inl life taat
it docs 10 harm if laisebuod and slantcr 10
any extent should be circulated about a
man in the opposition. At all events
recA!eS,ness about personal character and
reputation is displayed which makes it i'm
possible to depend on u radicals estimate
of or statement relating to another mans
character. The political question deter.
mines everything.ese. If man is right
on the negro question he is praised inordi
nately; il he is wrong on that, there is no
mercy, not even the mercy of Truth, for
him.
There was an amusing Illustration of
the radical spirit, which was laughed at
for month or two in conservatives circles.
When Mr.. Hawthorne published his last
book, he dedicated it to Franklin Pierce,
II gentleman of the hi CHEST character and
accomplishments the old and devoted per-
sopal friend of the author, aud one who
has filed the highest Office on the globe,
that of the elected President of the Amc,l-
can people. What Indignation it excited
an."ng the whole pack Of radical news
p pers ard and reviews, and in radical pri-
waite circles. They denounced it every.
where. The cutlery was funny in the ex-
tremr. they could not pardon such All
atrucious crime in Hawthorne, He must
have laughed quietly at the ridiculous TX
hibitipu IF their anger because he had
dedicated his book TO his eminent fellow
country man and friend. All the fuss was
because Mr.. Pierce is not radical. The
infer, nee is, that, according to the radical
rules for t! c future regulation of society
aud literature, no author must dedicate
Il book to a conservative.
Illustrations Of radical impcrtincncc and
cgotl>m might be multiplied to The extent
of columns. Tie abusive, bilingsgatc
style # editorial, public. speaking, and
general literature, inu uduced 10 i consider
bic extent into TIE pulpit, is so well
known that it docs not need Illustration
The question is whether it is an improve.
,Gent ua what we have had in former DAYS.
This question is one f Importance. 1t is
not to be denied that the new st, lie intro.
duced into cur c,un'iy is producing
marked effect on young and cd. IL is
bltteriug the whole social life Of the
people. The vast amnuut of intelligence,
education, and refinement which cEuac-
,criz,s The conservative classes of society,
naturally rcsists and bars ont the innoya-
tiuns which are proposed. Social relations
between people of the two parties become
more aud mere difficult from month to
month. Intelligent people on both sides
vii! rtcede from each other, The one class
accepting the new style, the other reius.
ing it, and thus the greatest social chain
ever created in America will be opened.
Once opened, it will be hard to fill it.