Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-11-14
The Duties fNr Patriots.

agony OF the last six months has cul
minated in the triumphant election
OF one set of candidates and the tri-
umphant defeat OF tho other. and the
world still revolves on its axis
There is a cheerful degree of consola-
,ion in the fact that the country still
survives and is safe, and that there is
not another general election for four
years. The prairie fires which have
been blazing so turiously can now be
extinguished. The watchman OH the
Walls OF Liberty can put out their
bcacons and come down and look
after their horses. There Is no long
err any necessity for keeping the
eagle screaming. lie can now be left
at liberty TO steal chickens from the
barn yard. and carry them away TO
his mountain eyrio to feed the youth
ful birds OF freedom. Those patriotic
SONS of liberty who have tramped
through the mud, and yelled them
selves hourss since last July can now
apply their legs and lungs to better
purposes. Demosthenes and Cicero
have no further occasion to tell the
threadbare story of the War of the
Rebellion or cut up patriotic antics
on the rural stump. The six-anl.
thirty red, white and blue young
ladies can now return to their milk
ing and butter. making with the
proud consciousness that they have
helped TO save their country. Smith,
who is elected it is 70 be hoped, will
not steal anything more than he can
help. and Brown. who IS defeated,
can console himself with the fact that.
if hu were elected, he would proba
bly be demoralized and 90 to the bad.
Let :hos. who are out reflect that al
least they are not exposed TO the
temptations of those who are IN; that
they can lc good men and faithful
Citizens and take care OF their families
and horses in the good old Christian
way. They cannot be too thankful
that they arc not TO be bnrdencd
with the cares OF State just now,
when the Epihippic demands mans
whole mind, not to mention the
cholera, which Is due next May-day,
contemporary with May flowers and
song BIRDS. Otficc.hoIding is poor
business at the best, and dreadiully
wearing on the conscience.
AS the election is over and the
world still moves on its axis, 1t is cvi.
dent that the duties of the world are
still incumbent on us. They have
been neglected too long. Patriot
Ism is undoubtedly nice thing, and
the safety of the country ought al
ways to be looked after, and ovcry-
body ought to hurrah for somebody
Blu, it is possible to have too much
OF good thing, and, IT We keep at
this particular thing all winter, we
shall get the colored man and broth
err SO evcrlastingly safe, aud the War
OF tho Rebellion SO completely sup
pressed, that when we need them III
1876 we can't get SO much as. the
OF a black ghost or rusty
old Arkansas tooth.pick with which
to appea! to the sons OF freedom
once more TO rise IN their might aid
save their beloved country from the
ruin which always impends when we
have to elect President or Con
stable.
There arc certain claims OF spirit
ual nature from which no man is
free, which have suffered during this
patriotic intcrregnum. The attend
ance at church has been OF dcsul-
tory nature. Pew-rents have run i'll
arrears, and thereby tho minister at
one end of the. church, and the musi
cal artists at the other, have suffered
mcwhat in their salaries. There
has not been that fixed attention
which is duo TO the minister, nor
that radical improvement Of the va
rious means OF grace, which might
have obtained 1t the safety OF tho
country had not baen made pa a.
mount to the safety of the soul.-
There IS much, therefore, to be done
in this direction. Those who are
elected will need more than the usual
fervor OF prayer to keep them from
temptation, aud those who are not
elected need moro than ever to cul-
tivate tho Christian graces, and to
express their devout thankfulness
that by tho inscrutable decrees Of
Providence they arc not exposed to
a temptation which might have in
duced them to forget all their early
teachings.
There arc claims Of social nature
which will need attention, now that
tho ward meetings no longer demand
the absence at tho heal ot the family
from the root tree which sh, Tiers
spouse akl olive ifranch,s. The
great army Of the defeated will find
sweet consolation aud healing balm
in set,ling ap ths bills Of ths butch
er and baker and candiestick maker,
which have largely accumulated; III
restraining the children who have
run wild; in bestowing and receiving
those littlo home comforts which do
80 much to soften the asperities ot
tho rude world; and in repairing the
various renta and breaches which the