The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-02
"MORRILL" FORCE.
From the N. Y. Herald

From the N. Y. Herald.
Are we awake? We have been in the habit
of considering ourselves not only awake, but
wide awake. Nevertheless, we are compelled
to suppose that we are walking about in a
state of chronic somnambulism-tha all life
is illusion. Is it the fact that live member
of the House of Representatives, veritable
being in the flesh, a pantaloon-we wearing
balance at his s-banker-possessing tariff CON
cocting, procreating eating, drinking, di-
gesting, sleeping human being-a man made
in the image of a common sense Creator and
of the same pattern as ourselves-has really
brought in bill making it penal to sell or
give intoxicating liquors for drink to all the
civil and military officers of Government? Is
that 80? Or have all the newspapers of the
United States been made the victims of a
stupendous hoax played upon them by their
correspondents at Washington? OF the two
suppositions we really do not know which is
the more difficult to entertain. But upon a
sober consideration of the probabilities of the
case, we are compelled to believe
that the correspondents have not con-
federated to make game of their en-
ployers and the forty million citizens of the
United States No; it must be that it is the
Representative who has gone to the mad, not
the correspondents who have ALL like the pack
of wild swine that went over the precipice,
gone to the bad; for the correspondents owe
duty to their editors, failing in which they
can be deprived of their salaries; whereas
members of Congress, we are fast getting to
think, owe us no duty, or at least think they
owe none to any one i'll the heavens above or
the earth below.
It is, then, Mr. Morrill, who has unhappily
become a victim of mental alteration. We
are sincerely sorry. That gentleman has, evil
IDENTIFY, parted with his senses, and his friends
must lose no time in taking the steps which
the law provides for distressed families on
such melancholy occasions. Much learning
made Paul mad, according to Festus. Much
pondering on moral duties has evidently dis
turbed the mental balance of the eminent per-
son from Maine. This prophet of total absti-
nence has imbibed morality in such reckless
and profigate quantity that he has become
the victim of newborn of delirium-not the
delirium tremens of alcohol, but the deIirium
tTGnquiLIltn of fanaticism. 1t is q curious
case for pathologists-ver curious-and we
shall await with eagerness the comments of
our brain doctors upon this original form of
brain disease, which it is prond thing for
our great country to introduce to the atten-
tion of medical mankind.
In what other way are we to treat this
amazing incident? 1t is not possible-no, ii
is not possible-for any sane man to suppose
that such proposal can be passed into law
by a body of legislators. 1t is not pos
sible for any sane man to imagine that it
could be executed if it did. 1t is absolutely
unnecessary to comment upon such a pro
posal as the offspring of serious Legislative
purpose emanating from mind in a coadi-
tion of normal health. But we cannot consent
to forego our own privilege of reason, in spite
of such eminent and respectable temptation
to make fools of ourselves. We are sane, and
by the blessing of God mean to remain
so as long as We can. How long that will be
while this epidemic of contagious Legislative
irTationality is in the air we don't know. But
we will do our best. "'Tis q mad world, my
masters" But we are still sensible enough
TO ask what is the meaning and what is to bt