The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-10-20

l. luIll tiI' .NCN WIN IN'NoIu'
"Accomplished factsw "we mus
submit to accomplished facts These
phrases are very popularjust now, they
are in the mouths OF the multitude, they
are itcratcd by knavcs who comprc
hcnd their full significance, and rctera
ted by fools who do not the changes
are rung on them ut every turn, and
the ear at last becomes 50 habituatcd
TO them that they pass by like the wind
unquestioncd. Some "bogglc" over
them at first, scrutinizc them closely,
but aversc to the "insupportable Ia
tigue Of thought" or blind, or it may
be indifferent to the effect of automatic
untruths on the public mind, or deem
ing it folly to attach Importance to Il
phrase, and the height Of folly to at
tack il as foe, at first with heSitancy
use, and at last with emphasis, adopt
them, and circulate the moral counter
felt with as little compunction IS they
would forged bank bill. In this way
they pass from one to another, each
devolving on his ncighbor the task of
exposing the false morality and per.
ycYtcd logic hidden under the high
sounding fustian and ringing verbiags
Of these specimens of modern manu-
factured mayims. Accomplished facts
Accomplished humbug! Is Il robbcr,
sacred because it is accomplished !"
Is Il swindlc honorable because sac
complished y Does crime soften down
in the course of pcrpetration and be
come venerable when fully "accom
plished = Accomplished facts indeed
Why, what is this easy acceptance OF
anything whether right or wrong, but
a deifcat,O on ofsuccess What is thi.
giving way to accomplished facts,
because they are accomplished, but an
abandonment of principle, q shameless
abdication of all independence, and a
more shameless avOwal Of it. This
new creed transforms man into mere
slave of events, and takes from him the
right even to protest against accom-
plishcd wrong. From political AK.
iom it is gradually assuming the pro
portions of a moral dogma, and as il
contains within itself q principle that
is not only false but foolish, that is
wrong in morals and slavish in politics,
it is time for every one, however hum
bic, who takes an interest in public yir
tue and the wel-being of society to
protest against it, for there never was
more vicious doctrine promulgated
Never more dcmoralizing one. Nc
idolatry so debasing as this worship o
Success.
What people could adopt this watch
word and retain their old ideas of righ
and wrong unilnpaircd2 What cor
rect ideas could they have on any sub
ject who consider an accomplished
wrong as sacred as a vested right, an(
who deem crime disgraceful only whel
frustrated? We could not conceiv,
more subtle agent for the moral degra
dation and ruin of apeople than is con
tanned in these hard worked phrases
They stave off inquiry, they gag cen
sure. ls a country oppressed3 Th
subject had better not be discussed, be
cause it is an " accomplished fact" Ar
n people ground down, dcfraudcd, cr
shaved? Yes, but it can't be helped
for it is an accomplished fact" Ha
a public wrong been perpetrated whic
makes the blood tinglc with shame, an
barniug words leap in indignant pre-
test to the tongue2 What of that,
it not an accomplished fact Bette
blot out the entire Decalogue than di:
tlrb one accomplished fact Doul
the wisdom of Providence, carp at tn
designs of tie Almighty, seek to over
rule Omnip ,tencc, but presume not !, L
, interfere with accomplished facts. -
, WHY then do we inveigh against th'
t hoary despotisms of Europe. theS'
stubborn facts accomplishe y in th'
nast. while we accept that's th'