The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-11-30

l
all the fsvorS VIC have receiyedi Al
least, 1t added TO our happiness; at least
Il lessened tho sum Of our misery, and
who will deny that, In thus preserving the
balance between happiness and misery Il
may have saved US from disease, from
crime, from self murder? EU UT
We know not how slight may DO the
increase Of misery needed 10 plunge Us into
insanity or life OF crime, and cannot,
therefore, hold In too high esteem the
least glft Of God which adds 10 Joy or
comfort. .rr.
Each one Of us, then, may find some.
thing that he can regard as q personal
favor or special token Of Divine goodness,
and the proper contemplation Of It will
certainly excite within US the good, the
pleasant, the eoHlsly virtue Of grateful
praise, and thereby prepare us for q
thankful appreciation OF those blessings OF
Providence common To US as citizens Of
this nation. 1ltIlG If,E I'"I
Passing from the personal 10 the gener.
al or national fAvoS Of the past year,
need, perhaps, say nothing more that the
year has been one Of usual prosperity and
not OF unusual tcalamity. On the one
hand, the earth has yielded us lts usual
increase. Industry and skill have been 70.
warded amply, and commercial opera
tons havo returned fair profits and on
the other hand, while we have not been
entirely free from accidents calamitles and
inconvenience, yet We have been enabled
10 bear up under them even with cheer.
iulness, and have escaped entirely from
such deadly pestilence and disasters as
would I'LL the land with sorrow, or Grip
pie our energies. A little reflection will
convince 90 that our general condition
might DO far worse than even the most
complaining imagine it to be; and il we
act upon the principle quantity expressed
BY Isaac Walton every misery that l
miss Is q new mercy" we may find in this
reflection good ground Tor praise.
But shall not dwell longer upon what
may be termed the usual merciGs OF the
year. These are well known 10 US all,
and doubtless equally well appreciated by
all. Has anything unusual happened
in the history Of the past year? Has God
given US any special favor, any particular
token OF His goodness Is there any re.
spect In which this year may be regarded
as an advance on previous years, anything
that gives promise OF better state OF
things in the future2 believe these
questions arc to be answered in the aflr-
native. refer to the settlement by arbi.
tration Of the disputes between England
and America. refer 10 this event now,
because it is probable it has not received
that attention which its importance de-
serves, from the fact, that 1t occurred
while we were in the midst of an exciting
political contest 1t excited far more
comment in Europe than here, and was
regarded there as being the most signifi.
cant event that had taken place In many
years.
What is our interest in this event?
l. Its direct results have in both cases
been in our favor. But the distribution
OF fifteen millions Of dollars among
few Of our citizens, and the possession Of
one or two small islands in the northwest
can hardly be regarded as great national
benefits. -.
3. Important questions OF international
law have been settled. In case OF future
wars, we may find the principles, thus de.
tlnitely established, OF serviee to US in de.
terming to what extent we may manifest
our sympathies, without violating the
laws Of neutrality. But the event has
higher points Of interest to ms than this.
3. Cordial relations have been restored
between both the governments and the
people OF England and America. For
ten years We had controversy with Eng
land, which the most earnest and sincre
diplomatic efforts, on the part oil both
governments, failed to settle. We cannot
say war was pending,-the day has
passed when either nation would engage
in war for the possession Of a few mil
lions of dollars or q few acres Of land
We have learned from sad experience to
place too high value on human lives, to
risk them for anything else than principle
or selEpreseryation. Still our friendly
feelings Tor each other were daily becom-
ing less strong, and we were inclined i'm
patiently to set aside the Alabama Claims
until our day Of reckoning should come
Butsince our differences have been settled
10 a manner acceptable to both parties
we have every reason to believe that cor
dial relations have been fully restored.
uenCetOrth the two people are mutually
pledged, by ties OF kindred and oil friend
ship renewed, 10 stand side by side In pro.
noting the advancement Of industry,
civilization and christianity throughout
the world. ~ -
4. This event fairly interpreted may be
regarded as q g1el0 and h0pefHl sign Of the
approach Of that time lohen pedeS shall b
tinirerSGI and perpetual
People have often rejoiced in the rcsto-
ration Of peace, but have never been able
10 assure themselves of It's permanency.
In 1902, England proclaimed day of
Thanksgiving for what was then COnsid.
cred q peace in all Europe, that would be
Of long duration. But the very next year
Napoleon had escaped from Elba, and
was threatening England with invasion.
In 1850 Worlds Peace Convention was
held and strong were the hopes Of the I'D.
vocates Of peace in all countries, that ma.
tons would now Study war no more"
So strong were these convictions, that
England began 10 reduce her armies and
recall her ships OF war, and to prepare
generally for o long peace. And yet we
have had fN great wars since 1850. But
despite these discouragements, there have
been events in modern times upon which
men could tasten, and say these things
inspire the hope that the day Of universal
and uncnding peace is approaching" In
this class Of events would assign apron.
inent place to the Arbitration SO success
fully accomplished at Geneva.
II would DO rash 10 predict that there
will be no moro wars. 1t would be pre-.
sumptious 10 attempt to fix the day or the
year when this time Of peace shall begin.
But without going 10 either Of these ex.
tremGs, there arc some things Of which we
may feel sure. First, any one, who ac-
cepts the Bible as the Word Of God, may