The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-01
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF THE LEADINa JOURNALS
uPoN CURRENT FoPIOs-OoMPILRD EVERY
DAY FOR THE EvBNIEe TELEeRAPH-
Looking into FutnritY.

RrOfa lb6 NJ r. IT-ot'ie.
The propensity of men (and sometimes of
womep1 60 lock into futurity and to hazar
prophetioal guesses for the mere chance of
beipe able to cay, al told you 80, - is har mless
enough when IL is cOniiued TO the weather,
Int we have noticed that 1t is sometimes capa.
ble of doing great deal OF mischief whea it
exhibits itself in politics, Oar own Rebellion
was specially fruitful OF vaticnation at home.
Ahroad. and especially in England, we have
The authority Of Mr. Golden for the fact that
nobody had faith in us except the intelligent
middIe and lower classes, The Pal Mall
Gazette lately made the remarkable state
nnent that 'every prediction 1t had yet seen
an tbe oourse of American affairs had turned
ont 60 be wrong.' II We refer to these pre-
dictions again, it is in no spirit of self-suti-
oiepoy, but to own that during the war
wa sometimes attached too much import
tance to foreign criticism, and especially to
English criticism. But, on the other hand, it
sbould be remembered that We were disap-
pointed in the very beginning OF our trouble.
We we're unwise enough to expect English
sympathy. We supposed that those
anti.slavery professions with which we w5re
so familiar really meant something. We did
not comprehend how cotton famine could
alter the moral aspect of grave social ques-
tion. We were 10th to believe that even
aristocracy itself could bear a mortal grudge
against our democratic forms. We were
working with such conscientious earnestness
that il panied us to be distrusted. We had
such perfect confidence i'll the restoration Of
the Union, that doubts of the result which we
had so much at heart seemed to us not only
unkind, but absurd. Yet it must be claimed
upon our part that loug before the close of the
war the public mind hai thrown off this ner-
vous and irritable feeling. Gradual success
restored self-confdence, until at last we
reached precisely the point which we should
have occupied from the beginning. We did
as nation what every individual must do
we worked out our own salvation, and deter
mined, if we could not satisfy others, at least
to satisfy ourselves. We learned that the
future is always bright for those who strive
well and for worthy ends
The abolition of slavery is such an immense
and predominant advantage mat we are in
danger of overlooking other and excellent re-
suits OF the triumph of the Union. Next in
value to honesty itself is lively faith that il
is the best policy; yet, so far as public affairs
are concerned this is truth which no nation
seems ever fully to have comprehended. "My
country, right or wrong"-it has been al ways
supposed that a man who could say this, with
out blushing or suffering, had reached the
summit of patriotism. Long before the Re
bellion broke out, We were continually tol(
that the first thing to be secured was the per
petuity OF the Union, without any though
of the morality of the means-a fallacy whicl
confused even the masculine IN
telleot of Mr.. Webster, and made mer
dotards of scores of able politicians. FC
more than dozen years the Capitol resounde
with predictions of the dissolution of th
Union. 1t was taken for granted hat we wer
powerless to preserve it should it be seriousl
assailed. 1t was the fashion to assume ths
after dissolution must come the delug
During several succeeding administrations I'll
II Il NAI 10
by its fears and forebodiDgs. From the pres
the pulpit, and the forum, there was col
tinual recurrence of warnings, the only resu
of which was fresh concession, as fresh d
mands were made upon US. 1t is remark
BILE fact that the civil war came at last will
out any specific legislative prov0cation. Certai
laws might have been considered by the Sout
as injuries withoutimpromiety, from the slav,
holders point OF view; but the election of M
Lincoln was not an injury, and could not haT
been 80 regarded by reasonable men. After al
the pathetic predictions of the professions
Union-saviers had little enough to do with th
event. We quote for the encouragement
the public the acknowledgment OF our Englis
contemporary, because the race of the pr'
phets is still busy, and the voice of the creake
Is still heard in the land. We are to be RUNE
by return to specie payments. We are to
ruined by negro suffrage. We are to be ruiue
by moneyed aristocracy. We are to
ruined by taxes. We are to bs ruined by
new Rebellion at the South. We are to
ruined by an entirely fresh Rebellion at Il
West. We are to be ruined by Jones' lit
bill now before the House-ruined If it passes
and ruined il 1t does not pass. Our recei
history is good for nothing il IL fails to teac
that we may calmly trust the futures hidde
season, while we continue to recognize and
do the duty of the passing hour.
-
Much Ado Ahouf NofbinO