South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-10-20
For the Independent.
The GREAT CHICAGO FIRE

As we can the public prints from
various parts of our country, and see
how the popular mind is agita.ed up
on the subject, from one end of the
continent to the other, all over our
broad country, and how the thrill of
sympathy for suffering humanity, per-
vading the universal heart of man.
kind, has swept with electric fash
across the Atlantic. pervading every
government of Europe, and arrousing
a benevolent and generous response,
we more and more begin to fully re-
alize The magnitude of the calamity
which has befallen our country in the
sudden destruction of a great city.
And yet, how cheering 10 the heart
of the philanthropist and the reform
er, is the prompt and munifcent con-
tributions of aid to suffering fellow
creatures, rolling up, by cars and by
telegraph, from, apparently, all parts
of the civilized globe. And how con-
yincihg these facts, of the falltcY OF
that slanderous doctrine, of the ''utter de-
pravity OF the human heart" Only dsveL
op and call it forth. and the elemeuts Of
mans redemption from vice and war are
the God within his own soul.
But how very differently facts Of similar
import affect the public mind, when pre-
sented 10 different forms. and from differ
ent~ standpoints Of view. Tbs sudden de-
s,ruction off city by fire, which sweeps
away from $3.50, 000, 900 to 5000, 00O,0 o
worth Of property, destroys the lives of
four or five hundred persons, and renders
homeless and destitute 200, 900 human be-
ings. strikes with terror and with sympathy
the heart Of the nation aid the world. Yet,
the traffic in ardent spirits, in the United
States alone, destroys annually, 1000
lives, 81, 500. 900 900 for liquors at retail, de-
stroys 500, 900 900 worth of grain, $780,
600, 900 worth of labor, and renders home
less and destitute 200, 900 children, and con-
signs them to our poor-houses. And even
this appalling statement. falls far short of
the full expression of this terrible annual
calamity. Yet this is sufficient to convince
any reasoning mind, that If five or six such
cities as Chicago, in her palmiest days,
were annually swept from existence in the
United States, the actual destruction oflife
and property, and the production of dssti-
tuition and suffering, would still be far less
from that cause, han is now actually pro-
duced by this neiarious traffic. And so gil
gantic and wide spread is the evil, that on
ly by such comparisons as this recent ca
lamity affords, can the common mind be
enabled to grasp, or comprehend, the mag
nitude of this terrific and appalling curse.
And is it possible that this great nation.
with all rs resources of culture, genius and
statesmanship, canno devise some means
Of eladicting the evil, and protecting her
citizens? If so, let us state our calamity,
and make known our helPlessness, to the
governments and people of Europe; and
surely the English with their energy and
perseverance,. the Germans with their sci
culture and refinement, with characteristic
generosity at the wall Of woe, will hasten to
assist ps-universal humsnity-to throw of
this terrible incubus.
There are many considerations Of inter-
est, and blossoms OF the hour" clustering
round this great confsgration, which. to
present here, both time and space forbid;
but which I propose 10 endeavor to pre-
sent to our fellow-citizens at the Town
Hall, on Sunday, Oct. goth, at . o'clock
P. NJ. DIR. WIN. EAMBLEFoN.