Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-03-13
Fisks of Other Grades.


The bad pre.cminencc of ambitious
and reckless men, ambitious of notori-
ETY., seems almost to shake weak faith
in human justice. Their success in
evil deeds tempts tho doubling almost
to the complaint of the Hebrew lyrist,
that the clean and conscientious "wash
their hands in vain.p The extent o
the influence of these bad examples
can scarcely bo over rated. But sue.
cess can not be assured even to the
audacious in wickedness; and when q
mad and wicked career is closed in
violent death, or in living ignominy,
the better judgment of tho world as,
serts itself. A gross offender, who,
through life defiles censure and buys
flattery, who poisons the course Of
justice and purchases immunity for
audacious crime, must sooner or later
reach "his own place in tho judg-
ment Of his survivors. In the case Of
James Fisk the verdict of the world
has been as sudden and universal as
it is stern and just. Prominence
in successful iniquity demanded this
sweeping and equally marked condem.
nation. But if we should infer that
his crimes are confined to his class we
should ignore the fact that the evil
example ofhim and such as him poisons
all classes Of society. Fisks, on q less
snowy scale, and operating on small
Ter circle, flourish and die, or fade
away into the penitentiary, with only
local fame or the limited eclat of the
police and court reports and their
readers.
Now for tho splendid hotel substi.
tute the low bar-room for the fasci.
mating women of illacquired wealth,
the low and faded outcast; for the
kid.gloved murderer, the rough ire-
briate for the dnshing and wealthy
victim, the cast Flower of low degree.
This is q picture in all tho essentials,
and in all the motives Of crime identi.
cal with the Fisk romance, but with.
out its glamour and hollow splendor.
In all grades of life, from the men and
women of gilded sin, who handle mil
lions, down to the besotted wretches
without spare dollar or change Of
linen, it is the same story. 1t is only
the colors that vary; the fascnations
of wealth-stolen wealth-illuminat-
ing the one class, the dreary rags and
unvarnished foulness oflow- down vice
marking the other.
And among all classes Of society the
true origin of these foul deeds is the
Same. Many causes need not be speci.
fed. The crimes of civilization are
traceable usually to one condition,
whatever secondary influences may
ihave led to that condition. In neglect
to the claims of home, in disregard Of
its duties and associations, will be
found the fostering causes of crime
The pursuit of Illicit qualification, the
breaking away from the loving re-
straint Of mother, sister or wife, is the
beginning of a downward course, the
send of which is published every day
in the records of juvenile wrong. doing,
and in the full development OF his
honor, dishonesty, debauchery and
murder. Great sinners only display
themselves before wider audience
More people know of their downfall,
but the fate Of the transgressor is all
the same in the justice Of Him who
judges all.
The widely known case of crime
-andits consequences, which has prompt
cd these remarks, should emphasize
the lessons of less notorious cases OF a
like nature. In almost every mans
sphere Of observation, are instances of
departure from the purity which pro.
tects the family circle. The young
man who seeks companionship of a
nature which requires concealmcnt, is
in danger. The young woman who
suffers the acquaintance of persons,
whether Of her own sex or the other,
of whom she even distrusts that her
guardians would disapprove, is throw.
ing away the best of her defences.-
Vice, open and declared in its own
place, can masquerade amid virtues in
attractive guisc. The great weakness
OF civilization is tho perfection of
hypocrisy; evil concealed under such
well Of attractivcncss, as TO give ii the
power which an open foe cannot WELD
Whatever political theorists may
say, the destiny OF the human race is
in the hands Of the women and their
citadel and throne is home. No place
deserves the name Of home where wo-
man is not seated in her pure and wo.
manly character. And wherever wo.
man dwells in her honest and chaste
relations, she is in advance of her
male companions--husba brothers,
children, in whatsoever is honest and
of good report. Let them but follow
her counscls--it may be timid, but
judicious let them heed her warn
ings, impulsivc perhaps perhapsi iIlog-
ical-but always having an intuition
Of the right as their foundation, and
they can not greatly wander Wo.
mans character and influence Is the
complement Of mans nature. And
whenever man and woman agree in
the efforts to make home pure and
happy, the inmates Of that household
have protection better than all the
Solons among law.givers could devise.
The 0family" is divine institution,
old as the race of man, and be or she
who profanes II is guilty of sacriegc
---Phiia. Ledger.
-e-%--p----
A Boston minister says he once
preached on "Thc Recognition of
Erinnda In ihn Eutnrn y and ,uan tnlL