Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-04-21

ca Lli diIs, ana 10 :" piNih ''N"@ NiN''
in the divine economy. Nave.Ih' iess, Il
seems to be Il lesson u.ast diii.cAit Of all
others TO be learned and coE.prchonded,
especially by those who would be leaders
in human affairs. The events Of the last
three years have impressed Oh leaders,
political social, religious and military,
many rough lessons; but an examination
of their conduct shows that as yet ia y
have derived little or no profit from these
lessons. We are aware that one Of the
hardest things Il man has to do IS to un-
learn the lessons, OF his youth and adopt
himself to the shape of the events trans
bring around him. Still more dbteult
is it fox him, by the light Of events at
present go widely different from the les
9, rs Of his youth. to look into the not
distant future and see the still greater
but inevitable changes which lie almost
under his nose, and shape his course to
meet and direct these changcs--tliou.gh
he would continue to bc a leader il public
things aud Il ais ...
The present rebellion has causei the
most mighty change. in all the n.airs' Of
this nation, socially as well as politically
We are in the midst Of revolution such
as the history of our race can show no
parallel for. socially or politically. We
utter and advocate to-day such sentiments
und changes as four years since We bad
It dreamed of, and would not have Car d
to utter Though we may be decuicd and
denounced as rnlict4l, our only fear is that
We are not keeping pace with public SEN
,ilcn, and progress. We have vanity
enough to believe that the lessons Of The
past are not entirely lost on US, and that
they have not failed to lead US to think,
and that our thoughts have enabled us to
keep in respectable distance of TIL pro-
gression going Oh around rs.
Six months since the people of this
State gave their Old political leaders,
at the bal!ot-box. u lesson i'll political
ccoAmy they did not understand, and do
not yet seem to comprehend, though thy,
within the present month, rcpea,c that
lesson to them in language 5" plain that
the "wayfaring man, th u n fo,l, no,d
not err therein - Notwithstanding thu
repetition, they either cannot or will not
understand that the people have s'iomnIy
and Gfn.y mace up th'ir minds that
MARYLAND cannot aud shall not longer
stand still in the course Of her destiny,
but must progress ut pace not less great
than have the events Of the last three
years If our former leaders cann0; OF
will not zee tho tendency Of the times,
the masses of the people do see, an have
determined that thy will keep pace with
the great revolution in which we are in
vol, ed, and the leaders may, Il ;Acy
choose, remain to he 't6sSlifd.' or
buried in The ruias of "oLi Jol. doRs,"
Revolutions do not 60 backward an
mighty ones cannot stand still aud this Is
lesson which the Old political leaders Of
Maryland had better lay to heart and
profit by.
The time has gone by when men occu-
plying place and power can Justify 4 stand
still policy by the quotation of preceients.
These times haze no precedent and admit
of none, and the only safe maxim is tina,
of Davy Crockett. +" be sure you are right
then 20 ahead =" To know wh,ther you
are right you must not look to what your
predecesSfs have done. further than To
avoid follMsing in his footsteps. for that
will lead to your ruin. But look to sc
whether you have kept progress with the
expectations of the people if you have
not, bestir yourself to catch up then 60
abe d."
Where are the formrr political leader:
OF Mar jlaud? Meleed! every one o.
them VIII, undertook to hold back the
or at political rcvol ton going on in the
State, save few only who are in tn
ranks of the rebellion, and who are
mainly under allegation to the hold back
"fogies." protesting to be constitutional
union men, for the position they occupy
Thy have been unable to bring them
selves up to a comprehension of the I'M
mense progression which this country il
making. and like the old Saxon still
.'dreum that the days of his Qheir) sever
Kingdoms" wW return. What has passet
is past never more to return unless the,
should inherit the mantle of Joshua an>
be abb, to make the sun Stan,l still.
The first American revolution prn!ucet
results which amazed a wondering world
those events. will prove but as u molehil
to mountain in comparison with tn
e-ei t. now weaving in the web of Time
If our National and Military leaders ar
up to the times and can bring themselvc
TO act up to the progress of the people tn
events Of the next few years will
lay a gaping world thundcrstruc'
at the fe: of the young giant c
1916. An ,h"yh,vc MT full measur
of the spirit of progress they will la
the young Giant bre'ahless and arspise
corpse at the feet Of thu crorn~l .faqirsr
the old W r.. The people have pro
grnss,d with 6 vantic rides an arc sti
PROGRESSING; the older among us who ar
alive to this progress can hardly pcrsuad
themselves Of its reality. aud it require
the might st eff rts to break away r m IL
letters Of former daysana ancient usages
to enable them tn keep alone with the pro
IRE sing myria's, and it will BE- wellf'r us
f ,ur p'sterity an the re to'man'iini
if our national leaders free themselve
fr,p, tia shoekles Of mast preccdepts