The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-02
Greniag State Sa,trnat.
NEW YEARS DAY.

each anniversary day as it recurs. 1t is
hard task when the subject is $50 stale.-
Thus we are supposed to speak of Il
Fourth of July, of the Twenty-secoud I
February, of Christmas, and of New Veal
words and give forth ideas which neithe
we ourselves ever heard or said or though
before, nor anybody else. Of course
something new ought always to be sal
about New Year--and something old, too
for even while we welcome the new come
with joy and gladness, we should speed th
parting with becoming and graceful de
meanor. True, it has not been frsugh
with much that is pleasant to remember il
this city, but for that little we should b.
thankful. Our pleasures are ever in thi'
world fewer and shorter-lived than oul
pains therefore, we must expect more ol
the shadow than of the light as we pass
through the world. None of us are en-
tirely happy, and there are none wholly
miserable, ,-and if Richmond and Virginia
have been sorely stricken and bowed down,
we find, by looking abroad, throughout the
world, that no nation, city or town, has
escaped some share in the calamities of
the Old Year, We are tooA apt to exag-
gerate the things of the present, and to
overlook those of the past which have be-
come traditional or historical and then,
too, things which occur at our own doors
strike us with greater force than those which
take place at a distance. Thus, our great
calamity at the Capitol appeared to us
here the most terrible of all occurrences that
had happened in the country, and we ma
turally thought the whole world ought to
be appalled, at it. But we can hear of the
blowing up Of a steamboat on the Missis-
sippi, by which hundred or two lives are
lost; the precipitation of a railway car
down an embankment, and the killing or
mangling of scores of men and women !;
the total loss of -t4~----a-.r wruu
hundreds on board; the burning of distant
hotels, in which women and children are
victims; or explosions in mines, deep down
in the earth, where humanity is sacrificed |
all these things occur at distance we read |
about them in the morning papers without
a shudder, and pith listless Indifference. In
fact, they are dismissed in brief para
graph. Then we need not wonder that
the world beyond docs not pause to con-
sider the lamentations of Richmond over
her calamities-since Richmond pauses not
% lament over the losses of her neighbors.
Each community must bear the burden
If its own woes, as each heart bears its
,wn sorrows. We are but small family
our dead who have died in the
I'D year, and not only in this old year,
which has scarcely yet been buried out of
'ur sight, but in all the old years each of
is has seen fade away into the gloom of
he past-that past whose bright memo
les we should cherish, that they may
aise our hearts when bowed down, and
Vhose gloomy passages should be con-
family recalled, that their recollection may
hasten our thoughts, subdue our pride,
nd bring us back to the knowledge that
here is God of Justice and Mercy, who
unisheth in kindness, and doeth all
hings for the best.
But enough of the old year. Grim and
Gary monster, avaunt Thy jaws, like
nose of the savage wolf, are bloody with
ne gore of thy victims. To thy lair, wild
east, and hide thy form there in darkness !
'om the bright and glorious sun of the
ewly born child--the glad New Year !
ing it in, ye bells,-and as it advances,
It prayer go up from every heart, that !
8 advent may herald not only prosperity !
nd peace among all. the peoples of the
lrth, but love, friendship, fraternity and q
bod will throughout the borders of our 7
wn bright land.
1t is propitious moment in America 6
r the re-establishment of the fraternal G
elings of olden times, and let us all seize o
pom it at once, and bury both our private t
lmities and our public animosities. Why =
'ould we war over empty nothings, why :
'stroy our own happiness and peace Of d
ind by fostering and perpetuatng the 8
liest prejudices and widest passions 7
hate merely to elevate some political p
ickster or harpy to place, that he may '
I've power to "put money in his purse ?" "
Thy, indeed Well, then, let us stop it, h
ID do something for ourselves, our city
id our State in the coming year, that we
ay see how much happier we shall all d
when New Year day comes again to
ess US who live to see it,-for some must Il
BASS away in the order of nature,--some Il
ust ego There" D
Let there be peace between u.s. --and q =
will prosper under the blessings of q r,
'opitious heaven. The Past is past ft
ID let us not look mournfully back into rt
f; but while wisely improving the Pre- =, y
Mt, let us go forth with manly hearts e
I'd without fear to combat the shadowy
tufe,--and let Excelsior" be emblaz- O
led upon all our banners. Il
And now, kind friends of the JOURNAL " "
anking you for all the good things you +