The Placer herald., 1872-09-07
PAST AND PRESENT.

country. With all his knowledge and wis
dom and craftsmanship, they scarcely sur
passed lie geniss as poet. Whea trouble
disturbed the qa;et Of his country, and
the pesple were to be appealed 10, he usually
reserled to poem on the subject Of their DIFF
| ficultes, as the most effectual and agreeable
means Of stirring them up TO the duties Of
the occasion. One instance is recorded, when
those at The head Of State affairs were be-
coming greatly demoralized, when the at
mosphere of the capitol was tainted with cor
ruption, when usurpers we're trying to ty-
rannize over tue people, when the Govern
ment was about TO be given up to military
conquerers, when hope was beginning to
fade, and the ship of state, which bad borne
them safely for many years was about to
sink, Scion appealed to the people to-
Seize seize the hem the reeling vessel guide
With aiding patriots stem the raging tide
How apt is this appeal at the present?
How fitting are these remarks to orr case?
How striking the comparison between their
condition, at the time the wise Solon uttered
these words, and our own, Our officials,
like theirs, are demoralized- corruption
turks with us in every department Of State
our political atmosphere is impure usurp.
er is at the bead of our Government.--ty
rants oppress the peop military authority
has become supreme; and, we might add,
nepotsm has dwe]t in inf.ntilc OBJ
scuriy-becoming dropsieal, has assumed
all at once, the proportions of an elephant.
In times Of war, people become bereft of
those nobler and purer traits Of manhood and
self respect, and become worshippers of men.
The successful general, fresh from the field
Of battle, bearing the p,lm OF victory in hi.
hand, and crowned with the lnrrcls Of sue
cess is in the eyes of a people still flush with
The pride of being conlnercrs, snpe,ior to all
others. O, how oft have nations at such
times blindIy l'id down their principles and
N'iti IiNtN lHtii iitCNo'i w S'ibN ''N' "Il'N-
citation and obg lton to the man who has
led them in war. developed in the joy OF
human alteration, they have submitted every
thing to the control of the hero of their bat
les, and have only emerged from this hazy
shadowns to find themselves in bondage.
| The calling Of il warrior and n stllcrman are
widely different, and when the duties of the
latter devovc on the former he is most sure
TO prove tyrant, unprinciplcd and biSoied
The American people have been led into
tlis haze at n time when passion overruled
their Judgment, they gave the reins Of gov
crnmcnt into The bands Of a man who has
proved the folly of the act beyond all con-
trovcrey, ana row all who have arisen from
the gulf Of prejudice, and are able to see with
impartial eyes, lament over their folly and
cry aloud for reform. Reform we must
have or We die To accept or reject this
boon of great pcice is left to the people, and
we feel proud to note the fact, that conclu-
sivc evidence bursts spontancously y from the
people, in every part of this broad republic,
that they will accep'. And not alone is re-
form asked-but peace not peace pinned
to US by the bayonct and kept in existence
by military force but peace that shall make
liberty live peace that shall bear with ii
quiet comfort and security into every house
hold in our land. 10 bring about The much
needed reform and 10 secure this peace, we
must have noble, high minded patriotic
statesmen at the head of our Government
men who will wisely administer our laws
and guard with Jealous care our sacred Con.
stitution. Such men are among us, such
men are before US, and all honest citizens
have united in saying, "They shall have oul
support p
How any man, and especially an Amer
can, with spark of pride for bis country and
a lingering shadow of patriotism, can give
countcnancc to the continuation ofa ,nitar,
despotism, which has failed to offer relief to a
suffering and down-trodden people who look
to it for protection which has disresardet
the interests Of the people in general whici
has built up an aristoricy and bnrl ened the
poor with taxation; which has sought TO ag.
gravate the je,lousies existing between sec
tons which has accepted brbes, and thu.
stimulated corruption, and which has dis
graced the nation by its unprncipled ant
cowardy policy with foreign powers, is more
than than we en- understand.
This is our condition at present, but tn,
people have adopted the sentiment of Solon-
have seized The helm, will guide the reelin2
vessel over the dark and troubled waves
and with Horace Greeley rs captain anc