Owyhee tidal wave. [volume] (Silver City, Owyhee County, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1869-1870, 1870-01-20
Was the World Better iu Early
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AZ 20 fnSBf OF Uui bfHoSfdstC
friends, and especially those in the
editorial profession are constantly
bemoaning the wicked and corrupt
tendencies of the age in which we
live 10 rnsy be interesting to inquire
whether II 10 not ell a mistake, and
whsiher The verdi is not ~ honest
and the people IN IL as well disposed
TO do right today as they were in
the time we bear 80 much about as
the earlier and better days of the
Republic! But ii may enhance the
interest of the investigation if We
20 back ssill further and see how
man has conducted himself In all
ages, and compare his conduct with
that OF the people of this day.
The Iirst act Of our progenitors in
the garden of Fden, before the
world was scarcely more than a week
old. wss to disobey the first COM
mand ever given them by their Di-
vine Creator. The first man born in
the world murdered The second, and
from that day to this murder, deceit,
disobedience, intrigue, folly and
corruption have been charged upon
men Of all conditions in life, and il
we ara to take history, sacred and
profanc, there have been but the
fewest number OF our race who
could lay just claim to righteousness.
There appears to be an idea prsva-
lent in the Democratic mind that
there has been q time when politi-
clans especially, were honest self
denying and lsbcred only for the
public welfare, regardless of sell
interest. If such a time has been
ii must have been long snterior to
the age that produced the Roman
Grecian Latin, or even the heather
philosophers, poets and sages. for
wa find them all bearisg testimony
10 the corrupt practices Of the peo-
pie in the respective ages in which
hey lived.
Ovid describes the politicians of
his day as seeing and approving Of
better things, but following the
worse which they Condemn.
Terence declared that whatever
may be theoretically said Of philan-
thropy and bsusvolsnes to others,
self-lovs will be found TO be the
prevailing principle"
Horace, who probably understood
human character as well as any
writer, ancient or modern, utters
this sentiment, daring every ex-
tent Of guilt, the human race rushes
TO perpetrate everything that is
wicked and forbidden !" yet with
all bis ssgscity be evidently psrtook
ofsoms of the ERRONEOUS opinions en-
tsrtsined now, for We find him saying,
"The age of our fathers, which was
worse than that OF our ancestors,
produced US, who are about to raise
y progeny more vicious than our
selves" So ii will be seen that the
Roman poet was not free from M
error that has prevailed from time
immcmoriAl, that of believing him.
self the victim OF fortune in having
been born 10 the wickedest hour oil
the worlds history. Yetunlikc oui
contemporaries be appears to have
disco versd his mistake aud its Cause,
a. he writes, " Pecvish, complrinini
aud the sulogist OF the times tbs
are past, are the characteristics o
querulous age that delights in th'
retrospect Of its early snjoyments.
The fact certainly is that the follisl
Of the near ~ we'll a. remote pas
are soon forgotten, while the goot
is retained as examples for the pres
ent and future, and thus it Is tia