Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-09

ONLY SHoP-KEEPER. great many
Rock Islanders made calls on New Years
Day. They called where they had every
reason to believe they would be received
with pleasure and hospitality. Among 9th
ers, young merchant called at the home
of al army officer stationed at, or near, or
in the neighborhood Of Rock Island. After
his departure, the officers wife expressed
great Astonishment that "a mere shop-keep-
or should have the audacity to call on her,
the wife Of an officer OF the United States
Army"
Il is serious question whether the poor
lSdy's silly vanity demands rebuke, or
should be laughed of good ua,uredy. In
al monsrchicAl countries, "shop-keepers"
are regarded by the higher classes" Just
a. in this cAse-with an elegant and artistic
cratic aversion. One of Charles Reade's
characters, esquire Raby) is made to turn
the portrait Of his sister TO the wall, and in
scribe across its back, 'gone into trade"
manufacturing enterprises. But any i'm
portHtion Of this reprehensible spirit to our
shores, should be frowned upon
as foreign to the genius of our
institutions. Our army officers
are, as a class, very estiua5le men, bet
they are no better than other people. A
man well established in business in a town
like Rock Island, gets better pay than a
Major General, and is much more indie
pendent parsonage. He is master of him
self and his actions, which the other is not
The regular armies of Europe are relied
upon 10 national emergencies to overcome
dangers and disorders, whereas, in this
country, our regular army is powerless and
worthless for such purposes, and the fight
ing is all done by volunteers. In fact, we
could do far better without West Point and
q regular army than with them. Our revo-
lutionAry officers were far mere brilliant
than any we have ever had since, and our
revolutionary soldiers commanded the ad-
miration Of the world for their ysor aud
for,tude, and they were ell volunteers.
Hence, if our regular army is in no respect
the shield of its countrys honor, We see no
reason Why its officers should be regarded
as occupying positions of such exalted i'm
portsnce. They should bs respected for
their own characters and attachments, like
other people and for nothing else.
Furthermore, the army officers Of Euro
5esn countries are all taken from the aristo
cratic classes. Many of them trace back
their families for thousand years. They
have been born to wealth And station,
aud can afford to indulge in airs over the
commoners around them. 10 the United
States the case is very different. Dat o.
every dozen officers Of our regular army, al
least ten have been the children of parents
engaged in agricultural or commercial pur
suits. The grestett warriors of the late
contest, on either side, we're the children o.
very poor parents, which illustrates how
little blood or pedigree is really worth when
tested in the crucble Of great erents
Nei'ter are our srmy officers the Re p esent
g.ives Of the slightest power, as 10 mouAr
chcsl counties. IL al ,he army officers Of
the United States should resolve that there
should be no more sbop-keePers, the cour
try could afford TO laugh IN its sleeve 81
such gssconsde. Bat il all the shop -kee per'
in the United States should resolve tha
there should be 20 more army officers, ths
wearing OF gold lace would go out Of Dat,
instanter, and multitude Uf quiet gentle
men would be turned out of their cosy nests
and set 10 making their ivings ike othe
people Il is exceedingly wrong TO cuItigat,
any spirit Of caste. Ancestry aud eth ploy
meat count for nothing" B God vii
tell" is al bosh We are all o
one family, the ores;grss OF cir
cumslsnce, snd indebted for our rank OF
lowly position to the accidents of fortune
And this thing Of putting on airs one ovet
smother is tho mere eKemplihcEtion Of the
/ sholowuess Of our brains and the bread,l
/ OF our conceit.