The Portland daily press., 1869-03-26
Titles Again.
BY HENRY WARD BEEcHER.

BY HENRY WARD BEACa1n'
A gentleman writes from the far West, re-
uuestlng ga philosophical analysis OF that in
nate disposition to run after titles" He says
that men who loudly inyeigh against aristoc-
racy "will spend fifty or a hundred dollars in
hunting up an escutcheon, or tracing their
lineage to the Norman Conquest He adds.
"If after seventy years the American people
are so run-mad after aristocratic titles. what
will they be one hundred years hence Pn
And then, to cap the climax, this sharp writer
Plus us with the question, "Mr. Beecher re-
fused literary title; would he have refused
an Earldom, with its appendages?"
we have had divers day-dream thoughts on
that very subject. A complimentary title is
one thing; an Earldom, revenues, social and
political power, and all that is another. As
long as we are not Dukes or Earls, nor likely
to be, we hope we have proper contempt
Dr all such vanities. But 'phi osophical
analysis" leads one to suspect that he chiefly
contenns earldoms in other people. Ii ace
were the aristocrats, it is doubtful whether
we should entertain such virtuous opinions.
There is humility generated OF pride which
despises small honors because it Graves large
ones, There are no such democrats as proud
folks in poverty. In general, riches cure
contempt Tor wealth, and high Office removes
all prejudice against aristocracy.
Doubtless there are some men whose NOR
almeasurements OF life and all its affairs are
large, calm and wise, and who place very
moderate value on wealth and upon eminent
position. Largeness of mind and disinterest-
edness are not OF very frequent occurrence,
and yet they are to be found. We therefore
believe that when some men decry titles, and
depreciate the value of eminent places, they
would make good the honesty Of their opin-
ions In the day of trial. Whether we our
selves belong to this select number, cannot be
known till we have been tried. Providence
seems to regard the experiment as one Of
doubtful utility.
We believe that moderate income is better
than great wealth. But then Jay Cooke has
not offered US his fortune, nsr have we heard
that Mr.. Astor wished us to take his fortune.
Either event might put our golden morality
to flight. and reveal to us such advantages in
great wealth as we never suspected before
1t is temptation that puts virtue to proof
The .untried are always valiant and virtu-
Gus
Touching the lust for titles and the insig-
MIA of heraldry, we have always looked upon
II as an amusing foible, rather than as seri-
Gus fault. If some empty pig chooses to
make his worthlessness more apparent by
bringing himself into contrast with some en-
inent ancestor, or the memory of a once noble
family, why not let himp Everybody LAUGHS,
and thus he promotes the general happiness.
Ii one finds coat of arms belonging to his
name, cuts it on his seal, or pastes it into his
books, Is not his pleasure as innocent as if he
had spent bis money in wine, or on smoke
There may be vanity in seeking alliance with
former greatness; it may also be pleasure
OF the imagination, and of romantic pride.
Let every man follow his bent, and "let not
him that eateth despise him that eateth not
nor he that eateth not, despise him that
eateth."
The root of the love of titles is in what
phrenologists call Gppr06Gticeness. Men love
form. They love those insignia which imply
praise e-worthinass-
!, In other lands, civil titles are the result of
ns sns e orantSasioa Of society; they are politi-
Cal iacts. society Is str~4itied. and each stra-
tum should have its scientific nasae. But socie-
ty Is not politically stratified in Amel;aa. Il
is homogeneous. Titles belong to offices, but
not to individuals. As long as he is in office
the chief magistrate in the State is Governor
and Of the nation, President But when he
goes out of Office his title does not 90 with
him, except by courtesy. An ex-president is
nothing, or rather nuisance.
The mushroom titles that spring up in
nelghborhoods are very harmless. There are
50 many Captains, Colonels, Judges, Esquires
governors, that no one pays any attention to
them. They are, like knockers on front
door, noisy instruments to bring the owner
out when any body wants to use him.
We regard these petty titles as mere rash
which breaks out when there is vanity in the
blood. 1t is q harmless rheum. That which
does not break out is far more dangerous.
Let men have their own tastes. Mems hu-
mors may be safely left free, as long as the
world too is lett tree to laugh at tbem.-[N.
Y. Ledger,