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 az 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-
er should have the sudscity to call on her,
the wife Of an officer OF the United States
Army"
Is is serious question whether the poor
lsdy's silly vanity demands a rebuke, or
should be laughed of good usturedly. 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 Reades
characters, esquire RAby) is made to turn
the portrait of his sister to the wall and in
scribe across its back, "gone into trade"
/ because her husband had embarked into
manufacturing enterprises. But any i'm
portstion of this reprehensible spirit TO our
shores, should be frowued Gpon
as foreign to the genius Of our
institutions. Our army officers
are, as a class, very estiusSle men, bet
they are no better than other people. A
man well established in business in town
like Rock Island, gets better pay than a
Major General, and is a 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 il national emergencies to overcome
dangers and disorders, whereas, in this
country, our regular army is powerless and
worthless for such purposes, aud the fight
ing is all done by volunteers. In fact, we
could do far better without West Point aud
q regular army than with them. Our revo.
( lutionsry officers were far more brilliant
than any we have ever bad since, aud our
, revolutionary soldiers commanded the ad
/. HlEAElou VI tue NuI4G LOT thtE FhlOT ShO
, fortitude, and they we're oil volunteers
Hence, if our regular army is 10 no respect
the shield Of ITS country's honor, We see ne
reason Why its officers should be regarded
as occupying positions of such exalted i'm
portance. They should be respected fol
their own characters and attachments, lk,
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 bacl
their families for thousand years. The,
hare been born to wealth aad station
and can afford to indulge in airs over th,
commouers around them. 10 the Unite,
States the case is very different. Dat Q
every dozen officers OF our regular army. a
7 least ten have been the children of parent
suits. The grestrtt warriors of the lat
+ contest, on either side, were the children o
very poor parents, which illustrates ho'
little blood or pedigree is really worth whei
tested in the cruc'ble Of great event,
Ne,ter are our srmy officers the represent
d a:ives Of the slightest power, as il monaI
chicel counties. II al she army officers O
the United States should resolve that Their
should be no more snop-keepers, the cour
Try could afford to laugh in its sleeve =
= such sssconsde. Bat Ii all the shop keel per
= in The United States should resolve thu
, there should be 10 more army officers, th
wearing Of gold lace would go cut Of dat
. instan,er, and multitude Of quiet gentle
2 men would be turned out of their cosy nests
and set 10 making their liyings ike otbe
z people Il is exceedingly wrong to cu'tvat
: any spirit of caste. Ancestry aud em ploy
I meat count for nothing" God vii
TELL" il al bosh We are al Q
one family, the creatures Of cir
4, cums.suce, and indebted for our rsrk o
lowly position to the accidents of fortune
And this thing Of putting on airs one owe
another Is the mere eXempliicEilon Of th
! shollowness of our brains and the bread,
Of our conceit.