The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-27
The Cholera sensation-The Duties OF
Citizens.

The Cholera Sensation-The Duties OF
Citizens.
The news from Europe by the Africa tells us
Of the ravages Of the cholera at Madrid on the
18th inst, fifteen days ago. 1t is reported
that there was great increase of the cpl
demic there, and that in five hundred and
ty-fve deaths on that day. AS the disease has
made such progress on its westward march,
and as the latitude of Madrid is about that of
Philadelphia, this news will be seized with
avidity by the sensation makers, and may be
made to cause a great deal Of unnecessary
alarm. It should be remembered that the
latitude Of forty degrees ON the Spanish penin-
sula is very different from the same latitude
on our coast This difference is due to the
influence Of the Gulf stream-an influence so
great that the climate Of Spain is practically
tropical one as compared with ours. The APP
pearance, therefore, Of cholera at Madrid in
the middle of October, and the fact that it
lis own type to all the autumnal diseases,
do not by any means overthrow the argu-
ment that the disease is cut short by FROST
the argument upon which the view of our own
safety for the present year is based.
The sensation papers have been spreading
cholera here. There has occurred in Brook
Ign case of intestinal disease that looked
10 somebody like cholera, and some physi-
clan is said to have declared it that
disease. There may possibly have been
sporadic case of cholera; but what of that?
There are cases Of cholera every year. Not
year has gone by since the cholera first visited
us in which there have not been cases of in
festival disease which were diagnosed and
treated as cholera, and called cholera, and
which undoubtedly were just as choleraic in
their character as this Brooklyn case. But
this is very different thing from the visitation
of epidemic Asiatic cholera, as the Brooklyn
people will find to their infinite satisfaction. II
is consistent with the character of the sensation
jouraals-ready to make money out of the
most dangerous alarm--.hat they should make
Tic most OF this story. But it is in high de-
gee probable that we may have cholera next
year. On the first visitation Of cholera here
OF one season while the disease was raging else
where and then il was cut short by the frost;
but when the conditions favorable to the dis
ease came in the next summer it ragged with
full fury. If it should visit US mex: summer
how are we prepared for it! The answer to
that 10 disgrace 10 our city.
Every people must sooner or later pay the
penalty for their political sins, and perhaps
heavier penalty when they arc sins of omission
than when they are of The other sort. Iii posi-
BILE that our time my have come to settle for
very heavy score of this nature For great
many years it has been the distinguishing sin
of our citizens that they did not care-that
they were utterly indifferent to the political
fate of this city. They have not generally de-
ciared themselves to be 3d. On the contrary,
so FIR az declarations go, they would seem TO
have taken the deepest interest and to bayc
felt the most intense horror at observing he
gradual degradation Of municipal politics.
They have denounced municipal corruption
without stint. They have spoken agains. il
in occasional public harapgucs. They have
grumblcd terribly at the taxes it brought TO
their doors, and the grum5les and harangues
have ecioe;' and ra-echocd over every break
fat table in the metropolis; aud % the echoes
died away the worthy merchant went about
bis business, and all thought Of the political
condition of the city passed out Of his busy
brain.
Except in words our people have been H.-
terly apathetic on this point. They have con-
SANITY failcd TO take any practical action
any steps that had evca the promise oil posi-
tive results. They have neglected their poii-
chi duties until they may be said 70 have
waived and rclinquished their political rights,
and those rights have gone by default TO others.
II there were any saet in one constitution or
in our laws that DISTINGUISHED the better class
OF orr citizens and disqualified them as voters
for municipal Ulcers, we should have rev0-
lut,oa and The hloodiest of civil wars over 1t.
Aud yet this very class Of our citizens have, as
WHOLE deliberately and practically disfran-
chised themselves by pcrsistenily staying
away from the polis, the conventions, the
primary elections and similar places that our
present system requires they should go tx
They have just Us pcrsistcntly refused position,
NJ we saw in the late attempt TO induce a num-
her TO become inspectors Of election, in which
very many refused 10 give up their private
affairs for even o single day to dcvote that day
to the public service. MH
The consequence Of This species OF absentee
ism ia that the city years ago fell into the hands
of interruptions men, who made politics and
place hunting their sole pursuit. and who gave
up their lives to making their several PLACES
pay to the utmost. or course these men had
no care for the interest Of the city in any re-
spect They felt no moral obligation for the
proper discharge Of their duties. Appointed
to take care Of Tie public welfAre;. thsy
took care of themselves, and LEFT the pub2ic