Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-29
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
;,
The Root Ofthe Evil.
From the Petersburg Index.

FROM the petersburg 1nucA
The great popular uprising against the
Tweeds Of the National Capital great rich
Tweed in the middle Of the infamous Ring.
and the little poor TweedS at all of the infinite
points Of the official circle, cannot be made ef-
tective until the people are educated into the
belief that there are some things more worthy
of regard, more entitled to respect and more
deserving good man ambition, than the ac-
cumulation of money. So long Us people fall
down and worship the golden calf so long as
they look upon riches as the summun bonum
and one thing needful so long Us their posses
sion atoncs for all other defcieuces, and hides,
like the mantle of charity, multitude OF sins,
inst that long will corruption pervade all de-
partmentS of government and debauch all claS-
scS OF society Ii luoncy can buy all place and
bower, all distinctions and honorS, all tlattcry
favor and consideration of men and women. tie
lcn.ptation to obtain il will be strong enough
to over:ear AL the obstacles and OF principle
>crlple Il. in the popular estimate, money
ne a more precious possession than good
name, clean hands, and Il guileIess though SIM
,,e and uuostcntatiouS life, why men Will sac
rifice name and fame to purchase the one Su,
prcme good, which stands them IN better stead
rs attracting III greater degree the esteem
and favor of their fellows.
waiting in our own minds and impresSlng on the
minds of Others Il proper aud trucr estimate
of the value of money If we. even by lawful
and honest methods. hasten alter riches with
TOO great greed and desire we shall certainty
inspire some weak brother to move on the
same goal By some flank route " dark and un-
Gerground passage and thus will We III some
measure be responsible for his oHcncc,a as having
enhanced the apparent value OF the prize FOR
which we all are Stlvlng.
Hood tells the satiric story of certain turtles,
who we're 50 much impressed by the discourse
of a Committce- of Aldermen, cuiogistc of
their favor and SAVIOR. that they dcvourrd one
another incOntlnentiy, soon aS the backs OF
their inspectors were turned.
If we persist in recognizing money as pow
cr in itself, and thing to be respected what
ever the means BY which it was acquired, aud
1he purposes for which it is expended, there
will be corruption aud bribery and theft among
those whose official opportunities enable them
to accumulate wealth with lmpunlty BY these
vile means: and the honest men who treat
such thieves with consideration, on account OF
their money, are equally guilty with the thieves
themselves.
Let us begin the grand work of reform by
accepting and teaching the truth that money
/, desirable as a means and not rs an end that
/, compaSses high and honorable purposes
when rightly directed that for its own sake IT
dnes not euttle its pnSseSsor to distinction ana
honor.
ASAD For the last twenty years there
has lived in cave in Saline county, kentucky:
entirely alone. singular character named
Franklin Elliott, of whose past HE nothing VAS
known: only it was surmiSed from his com
,nanding. proud face, aud cultivated expression,
which his wretchednesS was unable entirely tn
conceal that he was the wreck ota once envled
manhood. Once or twice IN Il year he would come
into town, and with as few words as possible
barter game or pelts for powder. shot, and salt
nothing more. When he saw people ap-
preaching he would always aviod them.
A short time ago two gentlemen were hunt'
ing in the forest near the cave where he lived.
aud storm coming up they knocked tor ad-
mission Hearing no answer, they opened the
Sron-hound door and saw upon heap OF SKINS
and blankets the hermit lying dead. The cave
syas commn1iouS, having been enlarged by
himself from small hole to an apartment
twenty-five feet square and ten or twelve feet
hiyh. but quite void OF furniture. Pieces OF
stone and inches in the rocky walls served as
chairs, tables. and shelves. \ rlt1e and fowl
ing piece were tound.a long broad bowie KNIFE,
fishing tackle, cooking utensils. and number
Of books. Amoug the latter were copies OF
C.,
and Spencer Besides these bare necessities
of his existence something of vastly more IN
tereSt was tound-a tin box filled with paper
which revealed his past history and the secret
of his strange life 1t was the same old story
of dsappointcd lovc-a story stale and barren
Of interest 10 every one but the sufferer. tie
had been well born well educated. and atttuent.
lr early life he WAS member OF the hentucky
Legislature. There the blight fell upon him.
lie became s>ipatcd and desperate. and his
next misfortune was 10 fight duel with man
named Bailv. to whom the result was fatal.
The laws of Kentucky were lax against duel
ing, and he had no trouble in going abroad.
Staving in Europe for two or three years At
the end OF that time remorSe and despair
brought him back to the solitude OF woods and
caves, which he never atcrward had the conr-
are to desert.
An IMprpEHr TRlcK--A Pitt>burg paper
gives the following: "A rather funny story IS
told of Rudigcr. one Of the parties sent to jail
70 await trial for telonouSly entering Force to-
bacco store. 1t is said that a few days ago he
went to a rag warehouse on Penn street and
nassing around to the rear where was Il vast
collection Of rags in crates and loose piles, he
rolled one of the crates on to the scales ihen
stepping to the back door, he called to the book
Keeper who was the only person IN the store
and requested him to weigh and pay hlm tor
that crate of rags The unsuspcctlng clerk
carefully weighed the rags and paid the fellow
the tuil price for that which already belonged
to the firm. Two or three days aterward, ac-
rofliny to the story, Rudger went back to the
place and repeated the performance IN part,
One of the proprietors of the place was called
ont this time to do the weighing, and lmmedl-
ately recognized the crate as one he had rcSeiy-
ed. paid for and marked the day before kud;
iger protested that this was not the case, and
said that if the proprietor would wait there a
moment he would bring man to prove ms
ownership of the rags. The proprietor WI waited
and Rudi ger went after that man and d'd not
come back.