Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-07-14
Written ron THE VERMONT PnGptI.
CO.uFOR TI.vG .fssUR.sVCRs

CO.TFORTIyvG.f .fSSUR.f.vCRS.
There is growing class of men among
us who might be called motorists. They
believe that the world is growing better in
stead of worse every day. Among them
may be numbered as the most prominent
men Of the school, ex-secretary Seward,
Parton, the historian, Henry Ward Beech
err, Governor Hoffman aud BOhemans
generally. How could the world fail to
grow better with such men as they are in
it? II is this reflection, probably, rather
than any thing else that has given rise to
melj0ifsm.
But tie worst feature Of this new doctrine
is, that it tends to take away from men all
motives and stimulants to labor for the
public good for If the world is sure to
grow better every day, what use is there of
individual effort to make it better2 Let us
eat and drink and get riches, for tomorrow
we die, is proper motto for all who give
themselves up to this species of modern
iatalism, this iatalsm of republican Ameri-
ca as oppostod to the fatalism of the abso-
Lutte Turk. It's tendency is to render onee
intensely irresponsible; for where the
world is bound to grow better, society and
government may he aicly left to taNe care
of themselves.
a specimen of the practical workings OF
this new doctrine has been recently given
us by Gov. Hoffman of New York in his
address over the corner stone of the new
capitol at Albany. The Governor stated, as
Il hnt 10 world IL npt-
ter, that the funds for building the old
ca 'itol were procured partly by lottery and
partly by legislative indrecton, from an
appropriation made from improving the
navigation of Hudson River sand for other
purposes" whereas, the present capitol is
to be built by direct straight forward APP
preparation, without the intervention Ell
ther Of lotteries or citcumventon.
Now let it be remembered that while
Governor Hoffman was thus vindicating
the modern world over the ancient, there
were a body of Free and Accepted Masons.
so called, standing near him, claiming as
their chief merit to belong toa very ancient
institution, and seeking to advertise their
hollow, worthl IS importance to the world,
by going through system of imposture
and mummery that could not fail to lower
the standard of manhood and morality with
all who participate and believe in them.
For, these Masons, above all other c.asses
in the United States, teach ndrection and
false ideas; and according to their own ac-
counts, they are growing in numbers and
importance every day.
With respect t. lotteries the only charge
that rests against them is that they are
species of gambling which lead to an unset
tied life and to crime. But what are the
operations in Wall street but gambling
and what an infinitely greater amount of
loss, suffering, crime, and wretchednesS do
they not occasion than all the lotteries in
the world ever did? The idea of an orator
standing amidst modern Masons and the
stock operations of Wall street and vindi-
eating the goodness Of modern times
against the indirection and lotteries of for
mcr days is something quite amusing; and
especially when that orator is the main
prop and stay of the Erie Ring.
Admitting that there was gambling and
indrecton shown in the days of the build
ing of the old capitol, yet it remains to be
proved that these faults were the faults of
=
''o ~ '',''' '''o
ioHo" '''''' % '''? ~ mum .''''
''l"t t'o '"u'' lay WIN '"e ivpt eseu''''iNo'
VI t"c IoOl'io '"U'i'H'i' 90 "''u '''''' my
so''cu 10 eNlo"s wa! !" 0iuei ~ ''i'"'i-
Nc"V 'lt p'"iil' a'", l''e "'s'es anu o'oiio'''-
cal labts Of their constitueuts-virtues
Whlch may DC said no longer l" eAis''
rms Is PreciSeiy "ha' hioueri ue'hocr"'ic
poillclahS nave uohe III Ihe matter OIL slaN-
cry; they have enforced II upon the people
ny Masonic c'rcullNehtioh' lhulrectioi' ana
trauu' uhtll II mas resulted III rulhous'
disastrous war Ana hoW' the Masonic
slaVo-delhocrallc leaders OF lhe Ieoeliloh'
who have imposed slavery ana war upon
the country, are protected against The laws
by Just this class of motorists, OF which
Gov Hoffman Is a distinguished member.
under the plea that the world is growing
better! 1t is growing too good, even, to
punish criminals; and especially those
whose long lives have been spent in en-
deavor to deceive, dcfraud and lead to
war.
If, indeed, the world is growing better so
fast, then must the kingdom of Heaven be
nigh at hand, a fact which we might per-
. u ,,nro NOT h,,
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