The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-04-13
Fast Day.

RB- In sending money, state TIL POST OFFICE
to which the paper is sent.-aG
Fast Day.
To-day, CThursday) is Governor Per-
hams appointed Fast Day The occasion
is a relic of what little of antiquity be-
longs to our beloved New England. In
we do not remember what ycar,-soon af-
the landing of the pilgrims, there had oc-
cured Indian massacres. In the late
spring there was a threatening drouth.
Vegetation shrunk and died under a hot
sun,-the streams and springs throughout
the colony dried up,-the cattle lolled out
their tongues and died. 1t was q gloomy
period Death stared in the faces of the
poor colonists. A Fast was ordered, and
under q livid morning sun, came out the
pious men and women to their rude places
of worship Eight hours they "'wrestled"
like the prophet with the angel, when, as
runs the account Of Winslow, ''thc weather
was overcast. the clouds gathered on all
sweet and moderate showers of rain, con-
tinuing fourteen days, and mixed with
such scasonablc weather, as it would be
hard to say whether our whitening corn or
dropping affections were most quickened
OF revived" The harvest was abundant,
and when it had been gathered in, a
Thanksgiving was ordered. The institu-
ton of these two holidays became per-
manent. There are those, perhaps, who
would ignore our Fast, who think three
hundred and siXty-tive days, less fifty-two
Sundays, are altogether too few to do the
business of the year in. We are not of
| that number. Changed in observance as
the day is, we don't want it abolished. In
deed, and especially this year. we would
see it observed in Maine in the primitive
way. We have abundant occasion. as a
people, to put on sack-cloth and powder
our heads with the ashes of repentance.
Through our rulers we have substituted
talsehood and pretence for truth we have
inaugurated band of selfish and mer-
cenary politicians under the garb of re-
formers; we have endcavored to fleece
the people under the pretence of doing
them good we have countenanced men
i'll preaching what they do not practice;
we have legislated upon u false basis
which distinguishes the rich from the poor;
we have courted hypocrtes and called
them friends of good morals and examples
of the virtue of a party claiming all the
responsibility and morality. This we, as
a state, have done, and we should heartily
repent of it all with fasting and self-mor-
LITIGATION, resolving never to do so any
more. Therefore has Gov Perham done
well to enioin with peculiar stress that we
should betake ourselves to the various
houses of public worship, there to ac-
knowledge our unworthiness and to ask
for forgiveness. And let us earnestly
hope and faithfully cndeayor to so mend
our ways that upon the recurrence of our
annual fast next year. we shall not have
the same shortcomings to repent of,-that
we shall not have Incorporate men in
place, promoting falsehood and hypocrisy
among the people by claiming to be the
guardians of the virtue of sobrcty, that
we shall not have legislators striving to
plumber the people from motives of party
policy and under the pretencc of benefit
ting them; that we shall not tax heavily
the poor mans bread, salt and clothing,
and let the rich mans bonds and stocks
go free that we may not have in power
men who will steal the public lands; that
we may not use our powerful navy to
threaten peaceable negro community,
while we fitch the inheritance of their
neighbors; that Democratic rule, with
justice, moderation and craftsmanship,
may be restored. And finally, from Grant
and his relations, from Ben. Butler and
brazen impotence, from Wade's states
manship and Boutwells finances, from
the FortySecond Congress and the Forty
Thieves, from the Massachusetts State
Police and Name Law rumshops- Good
Lord deliver us.
The provisions of the Ku-Klux bill
should be extended over Maine. A
white man in Kennebec county killed
negro, and goes unpublished. Last De-
cember, Increase +. Watson, employed
in Il carriage shop in Winthrop, had
some words with a negro recently from
Virginia. The negro was going to use
for iirewood some wood prepared for
spokes. Theleupon he went for the Ku-
klux white man with an iron bar, and re-
ceivcd blow on the head with wheel
barrow arm that killed him. After his
death, dirk and iron kluckles were
found in the pockets of this lamb. And
still that contumacious Kennebec jury,
being thereto instigated by plea fro,.l
Hon. f. F. Pillsbury, acquitted Watson,
who is permitted to go on his Ku Klux
ways. Are such things to be? Where's
Ben. Butler, and Bingham who so valor-
ously hung Mrs Surratt?
The Bangor Wing says the Democra
case will not be tried at the April term o
the Court for this country. We can only
say that we had the best authority for the
statement that it would be. If the Wing
refers to the final trial of the case, it il
doubtless right, for that will come before
a tribunal in which there will be NJ
| S0ueak for the rascals who dnstrored th.