, 1872-11-08
OF THE EARTH, EARTHY.

One OF the most palpaDle LESSONS OF the re-.
cent election, by which Mr. Greeley was allowed
to resume his editorial duties and thereby fill g
more exalted and dignifed position than that Of
| President Of the United States, is contained II
the renewed emphasis it has given to the ole
truth, that it is vain to expect perfection il
this vale Of tears. It ia possible, ne believe, tt
extract from the current election returns which
are dishgurlng SO many newspapers, ph1loso'
phical essence, Us full Of comfort, and consola'
remarkable apothegms which the elder Weller sc
| frequently and effectionately lavished upon his
| aon Samuel. From time immemorial notwith-
standing the warning OF Solomon, '' Vanity OF
| vanities all is vanity" man has periodically
been afflicted with desire to reach per-
fection, or has gone wandering about
| with the expectation Of finding it,
as induBtriously as the a1chenists sought for
gold, or Ponce de Leon wandered after the
fountain OF perennial youth. It ia to be pre-
sumed that there is q poetica1 yearning in the
breast OF every man to reach m ideal height of
perfection. Most men, after having stumbled
over the stones at their feet d few times, while
looking at the sun, quit the high-hying business
and strike general average. Others fire every
arrow out Of their quivers into the clouds, only
to lose them, and go whining through the world
ever after, while few, like Idon, construct
their wings and take 8 bold flight towards the
oF 10
into the Egean Sea OF disappointment, and ara
never heard of afterwards. These insane yearn-
ings, for which Byron, Bulwer, and Goethe
are so largely responsible, are usual
~ characteristic Of that period
in youth when there is too much Of veal and not
enough Of beef in the human composition. It
is an epidemic which setB in usually just after
the young person has graduated from the mea-
sles and chicken-pox, and runs until the young
person getsmarried. A butchers bill for two,
or two and g half, is its sovereign remedy, and
cures theyoung person as effectually as Werther
was cured when he discovered Charlotte cut
ting bread and butter.
The application Of this general truth to poll
*@No - 8ASH4 IL t4Q GAHHAAtAEta VI tA5 lH3k ELK
months, which commenced Oh the 3dof May last,
ut Cincinnati, and cultninated pretty
generally at the various voting places
in the United States on the 5th Of
November. The Liberal party was young.
Like all youths, the Liberal party started out
IN life With buoyant spirits, high hopes, and q
1audable purpose to reach q lofty ideal Of per-
fection- It surveyed the political field, and it
found only dull mediocrity, or corrupt superb
ority. It found an Administration employing
the Presidency as i perquisite OF the Chief
Magistrate. It found Civil Service almost
hopelessly incompetent, and used as an instru-
ment OF partisan tyranny. It found the people
taxed for the protection Of monopolists. It
found every department Of the Government full
Of political and financial rings, which we're
robbing the people while pretending to relieve
them. It found one great section of the country
suffering from carpet-bag plnnder and brute
ignorance. It found jobbery, corruption, selfish
ness, inso1ence and wanton disregard Of law,
holding high carnival in many places where
vestal purity ought to prevail. Finding all these
things, and supposing that the people would
accept something better it it we're offered them,
the Liberal party, with all the eagernees of youth,
at once determined to reach perfection at
bound, and in six months time to establish
Republican Arcadia. It told the people Of this
Arcadia, bat all it's fruits have been Dead Sea
apples. It made the fatal mistake Of youth. It
.eought perfection, that delusive will-o-the-
wisp Of tho world, often seen, never caught.
It's aznbitaon WAS none the less laudable, it's aim
none the less lofty, its fate none the less mag
uidcent. Il it did not construct its matchless
castle in Spain, it has produced an imposing and
picturesque ruin. II it did not elect it's candi-
datea, it succeeded in bringing out majority
against them larger than any other party has
succeeded in doing.
It will now accept the result with good grace.
It does not intend to commit suicide; neither
will it go bowling its sorrows or throwing asheB
on its head. It recognizes the fact that in this
vale Of tears there is no such thing as perfection
and that, if there we're, the people don't want it.
1t has no further special interest in the elec-
ton returns having deduced from them the only
result which is Of Importance to itself. The
people having expressed preference for me-
diocrity for another four years, it has no desire
to interfere with that preference, but IS IN act
Of courtesy would move to make the election
D nanimous. Meanwhile, consoling itself phil
u ophically, 1aboring on hopefully, and waiting
,at ;ently, it is firmly convinced that the sum-
MIN 6onuna ia a myth, and that political sue
.essd s Of the earth, earthly. Recognizing this
art Il ts long future will be as glorious as it's
2rietrt ast has been deplorab1e.
PHILADELPHIA.
In t,1iso issue TIE give q very interesting letter
from phila delphia, containing facts from that
city Of comfortable homes, whose
,resontm,,nt> t>and study will be Of especial value
+e ch;caoo inethis period Of our growth. 4 new