Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-01-31
II Fragmenfary History OF Fa-
saticisni.
INCLUDING MODERN REpUBLIcANIsM.

Since modern politics are almost
exclusively built upon French ideas,
combining religion, atheism, free
thinking, orthodox and heteortodox
notions in strange manner, it is not
Improbable TO turn back occasionally
and examine the difficulties which
other nations, especially France and
England, underwent when they en-
braced fanaticism.
France, before her terrible rcvolu-
ton, had her philosophers-men who
set about tearing down established
institutions in order TO erect better
ones upon the ruins of the old.
The French revolution started on
atheism and ended in blood. The
English revolution under Cromwell
began in religion and ended in fanati-
cism.
The fanaticism common to Crom-
wells time has been very prevalent to
our own.
Yoltaire defines fanaticism to be the
effect OF a false conscience, which
makes religion subservent to the en-
prices of the imagination and the ex-
cesses of the passions. All fanatics
are rigorists and are governed by one
ruling passion, or idea, which excludes
every other idea, just as the United
States are exclusively engaged and
exercised by the negro, neglecting all
thoughts and feelings, and public
want, not Immediately connected with
the African.
Voltaire contended that those who
originate fanaticism are imposters.
Their disciples are simple dupes, wan
dering round the truth without ever
obtaining it. He insists that the world
for fifteen centuries was enslaved by
fanaticism. Fanatics advocate the
slaughter of all who oppose thei r
frenzies.
Religion has in all ages been drawn
in to aid the progress of fanaticism,
except during the French revolution,
when a courtezan represented the
Deity. Again, fanatic will kill men
for the love of God, or the prentended
love of God. Voltaire assures us that
fanaticism is a malady of the mind.
Books communicate it much less than
meetings and discourses. We seldom
get heated while reading in solitude
for our minds are then tranquil and
sedate. But when an ardent man, of
strong Imagination, [Thad. Stevens,
for instance addresses himself to
weak imaginations, his eyes dart fire,
and that fire rapidly spreads; his
tones, his gestures, absolutely con-
vulse the nerves of his audience. The
above is a very life-like description of
those demagogues, Donton, Robes
pierre and Murat, who, years after the
above was written, got control of the
French nation, as leading demagoguos
in the Rump Congress have captured
the United States through negro IA
naticism.
But all fanatical leaders are not hot
bloods like old John Brown and others
of his kidney, though their dupes
usually are. Voltaire asks: What can
be said in answer to a man who says
he will rather obey God than man,
and who consequently feels certain of
meriting heaven by cutting your
throaty When one fanaticism
has gangrencd the brain, the disease
may be regarded as nearly incurable.
Again he declares that "fanatics al
most always are under the direction
of knaves who place the dagger in
their hands" Precisely as knaves in
Congress propose TO furnish daggors
to their adherents TO march once more
against the PROSTATE South.
Cromwell, in England, though he
led fanatics, was himself no fanatic.
According to Ludlow, Cromwell said
to General Fairfax "How can you
possibly expect a rabble of London
porters and apprentices to resist a
urged on by the principle, or
rather the phantom of honory Let
us actuate them by more powerful
phantom-fanaticism |" "Give
me commission, and will raise
regiment of brother murderers, whom
| will pledge myself soon TO make in
fanatics"
To return to the fanaticism so pre-
valent in our own country, as exhib-
tied by the Radical Republican party:
1t is a cardinal principle of that
party, so long as a disciple denounces
the South and advocates the negro, he
is in high standing with his partisan
confreres-and this regardless Of in
tegrity and moral condition. How
many thousands are now in the en-
joyment of Republican offices, with all
their emoluments and honors, who did
but little during the war except TO
plumber the country North and South.
Yet these public pilfcrcrs are more ap-
plauded and regarded by Radical Re
publicans than those faithful soldiers,
Grant and Sherman, who conquered
a peace.
How careful, too, is Congress all the
while to avoid any investigation into
the thousand million dollars filched
from the Government during the war.
But how fearful is that body that if
the South was in Congress all these
frauds might be looked up and ex-
posed Y-Neio York Express.
An old minister enforced the necos-