The union Democrat., 1866-11-17
NUMBER 23.
Siavish Modern Maxims.

10 accomplished facts - These ebraSasl ora
very popular just now, they are in the months
Oh tue multitude, they are itera,ed nv k,avas
VINO comprehend their full sisniheancs and
reiterated 10y iools whG do not the chance.
a'e FuoS on them at every turn. and the ear
AT iase becomes so habi,aated TO them that
sneF pass ny lke the wind unours,ioneS
So"e eogsie over them at first serut;nirs
tnenl closely, but averSe to the " "insnnnorta,
p.' la.iSue oi thought, or blind, or IL NAV
'o'"eie"' 10 the effect of axiomatic un.
u"'"S On 'ne pooic mind, or deeming il folly
"s'dSt imp 'Feahee to phrase. and the
"e,Sns ot io!iy te attack 1t as foe, mt FIRST
VIZ" hsS.'aaey use, aud at last with empha.
SiS' ""op' 'hem, and circulate the moral
counterfeit with as little conjunction ne ,hsv
would forged bank 6il. In this way ,hsy
pass from one TO another. each deyolyIng ON
his neighbor the task of exposinr Tho 1.lsa
morality and perverted logic hidden under
the hlgh sounding tustian aud RINGING verh;.
age OF these specimens of modern manpfac.
tured maXims. Accomplished ;aetsI A..
eompitShed humbug l. robbery sacrea
because 1t is " accomplished ~ Is swindlo
honorable because accomplished ?" Does
CRIME soften down in the course of perne,ra.
uoh ana become venerable when i,.ily "ac.
cnmphshedY Accomplished facts. indeed
why, what is this easy acceptance of any.
tn'ng whether right or wrong. Lut u dei6,a.
tioa ct success? What is this giving wav %
" ACCOMPLISHED facts" because they are nc.
complshed. but an bandonment of princinle.
shameless abdIcation of all Independence.
ana a more shameless av0wal of il. This
new creed transforms man into mere slave
oil events, and takes from him the right even
10 protest against accomplished wrong. From
Il poiitlcal axiom 1t is gradually assuming the
proportions of neral dogma, and as il con.
tains within itself principle that is not only
iol>e but foolish that is wrong in morals and
s!avlsh in politics, it is time for every one.
however humble, who takes an interes, in
public virtue and the well being of society
to protest against it. for there never was a
more vicious dactrine promulgated. Never
more demoralizing one No idolatry SO de.
bas:nS as thus worship of success.
What people could adopt this watchword
ana retain their old ideas of right and wronr
unimpared? What correct ideas could thew
have on any subject who consider an "ac.
compllShed" wrong SO sacred as n vested
right, and who deem crime disgraceful only
when frustrated? We could not conceive a
more subtle agent for the moral degradation
ana rum OF people than is contained in
these hard worked phrases. They stave off
inquiry, they gag cenSure. Is a country op.
pressed? The utject had better not be dis.
cusSed, because 1t Is an " accomplished fact"
are a people ground down, defrauded en-.
slaved Yes, tut 1t cunt be helped, for il is
an accomplished fact" Has a public
wrong been perpetrated which makes the
oiood nngle with shame, and burning words
leap In indignant protest to the tongue
TACT = Better blot out the entire Decaloeue
than disturb one accomplished facs
Doubt the wisdom of Providence. earn nj the
designs of the Almighty, seek to oyerrule
omnlpotence, but presume not to interfere
with " accomplished facts, Why then do
we lnvegh against the hoary despo,isms of
Europe, those stubborn facts ''accomplished''
In the past, while we accept''-that's the
phrase, we beheve-those " accomnl;sbadV
In cur own day and hour? Are not - facts:
OF ancient growth as respectable as those of
modern mushroom origin? Are not wrongs
accomplished centuries ago by the men of
old as sacred as those perpetrated by cotem.
porary sinners? Or is there a period of time
when accomplished" facts become less sa
cred! Is there moral statute of limitations
for such cases made and provided
vi the same nature, and fast rising into
the Importance of a political dogma, is the
cry " the South has been defeated, and there.
fore she has no rights" The South must
submit to everything, say these men. every
lndlgnity, every insult, every wrong expect
nothing, ask nothing, claim nothing-because
she has been defeated. Fit doctrine for ty.
rants and slaves And this is preached In
America aye, and to Americans and to cap
the climax of infamy, By Americans! Let
old Europe hide its diminished head Her
tyrants may compete with ours any day. But
where has she slave 50 slavish as the South.
ern man, who would subscribe to such doc.
trine. Not in LELAND, not in Poland. not in
Hungary. Every drop of blood shed in these
lands for freedom, every life there lost for
country, whether . on the gallows high or in
the battles van, every unmarked patriots
grave protests against it Every precon.
certed rebellion" every wild, unpremedi
tated uprising, every vain and hopeless strug.
gle is protest unto death against such doc.
trine. And Is 1t going TO find believers here?
But why struggle, say these submissionists;
struggling will avail us nothing. As well
give up all as have all taken from us. As
ceitE Then what mistake, or rather what
a crime, was that glorious four wears strug.
gle.
But it never seems to occur 10 these man
that a people who give up all, give up more
than the most vndictive or the NEST powerful
enemy could take from them. Proprrtv.
rlsh's, privileges can be taken away, and
the men from they are taken remain man
sul, but when property and rights and priv
lleSes are girea up, liberty, independence and
MANHOOD 80 with them, and the givers become
slaves. Is there no difference, then, and does
not that difference supply motive enough for
struggling? Then let US struggle still against
all fees, In the face of odds and the teeth Of
the curt falsehoods, the, Q clear cut lies,
lhese siaVish modern maxims, which are q
disgrace to the age, which are flung in q
man ; tace as if they were reasons, and
shouted from the house tops as if they were
the Alpha and Omega of moral and political
Wisdom Metropolitan Record
IsSr One quart of neatsfoot oil, four ounces
OF beef tallow, and three tablespoonsfnl OF
lampblack-with four ounces of beeswax for
summer use-is recommended as superior