Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-03-12
From Scribner's Monthly
Easy Lessons From Hard Lires.

Prom ScTibneT's Monthly
Easy Lessons From Hard Lires.
No man over dcd more natural death
than James Fisk, Jr. excepting, per-
haps. Judas lscariot When the devil
entered into the swine, and they ran vio.
iently down steep place into the sea, it
was only the going down that was VIC
lent. When n man pushes his personali
" SO far to the front oil aggressive aud
impertlncnt schemes 0t iniquity rs Fisk
did. it is tho most nataral thing in the
world Tor him TO run against something
that will hurt him. for dangers stand
thick rs malice and revenge can plant
them in the path OF godlessness and bru-
tality. The captain of piratical ship
who undertakes, in addition TO The duties
OF his office, to Sorvo ne the fgure-hoad
OF his own vessel. will receive, naturally,
the first blow when she drives upon the
rocks. Yet we join in the general ser
row that Mr.. Fisk is dead, for il is pos
I
sible that The lesson Of his life may fail
10 be impressed upon Young America rs
II ought to be, in consequence OF the
sympathy awakened by the manner OF
his taking OF. Ii is not to hc denied
that a pretty universal exccration of this
mans memory has been saved to him
through the bloody. mercy of murder.
Yes, people talk OF his fund of humor,
his gcniality, his generosity, etc, etc. II
this kind OF talk is source OF satisfaction
TO any ybody, of course he will indulge in
| il; but Fisk certainly is none the better
for having been killed. lie WAS bad
man-bold and shameless and vulgar in
his badness with whom no gentleman
could come IN contact on terms OF fam
iliar Intercourse without a sense OF deg.
radiation. As Tor his gcniality, that was
~ natural rs his death. A COW that has
spent the night in neighbor's cornfield
and stands wniSking her tall and rumina.
ting In the morning sun, is ono OF the
blandest and most genial creatures iv-
ing. More than this, she does not care
particularly who drinks the mill, she has
Won; aud 40 We suppose that the cow, 1,
too, is generous rs well as genial
ALI we forgot about Mr.. Tweed. 1t
was Mr.. Tweed who WAS a great man u
year ago. was il not ? Mr.. Tweed had
power in his hands and patronage at his
disposal, and had thousands TO come Mt
his beck aud go at his bidding. His name
was tower OF strength on 4 great many
Boards OF Directors. The legislature
elected by the State, managed the State,
ami he managed the Legislature. He had
conledelates in iniquily but he was The
Boss" and his will was imperative and
imperial lntrenched behind laws that
we're the product ol corruption, ballots
that could be increased or diminished ut
will, and wealth that came to him in
dark and mysterious ways, he dictated
the administration of the government OF
the first city OF the new world. and shap-
ed the policy OF the pfoudest State OF the
Union. His path was strewn with lux
urics tor himself and largeBses for his
friends. lie lived right royal life, and
the power-worshipping multitude and the
vulgar seekers for places hung around
him with abiect and obsequious fawning.
Whore and what is Mr.. Tweed now ?
Where and what are his contrereS All.
from the Boss down to the meanest meni
al of the Ring, are wrlthing and shrivel-
ing under the heat of Il great popular in-
dlgnation Their deeds Of darkness are
uncovered, their shameless betrayals OF
trust are exposed, their power is passed
and l. passing from their hands, and a
great city, which once felt helpless in
their grasp ,shas risen in its might and de-
tcrmincd that there shall be no end but
that of their utter overthrow. Every man
who was a participator in The power and
plunder OF The Ring, shakes in his shoes
when he walks, or stands, or skulks, and
shows what it is to have fearful looking g
for of judgment. Good men everywhere
breathe lreer for this revolution, and the
republic and the world have won new
: hope.
The overthrow of these men-sudden,
awful, completc-brings home TO young
men n much needed lesson One year
ago there were thousands of young men
} regarding with an eager, curious gaze
the careers which having terminated and
are terminating so tragically. 1t was a
question in many minds. alas whether
honesty was the best policy-whether
virtue paid itl-whethcr, after all that the
preachers and the teachers might say,
the rascaliy which received such magniti'
cent rewards at the hands of the people
was not the best investment for young
man cherishing desire Tor wealth and