The Van Buren press., 1872-02-20
The Lecture of Col. Howard.


man, upon the Signs OF the Times" Col.
H. is young man, lawyer and has been a
resident of our town and county for some
time. but being wanting in the modern re
quremcnt of that profession-check- pur-
sued the even tenor OF his way, attracting
comparatively little attention. That he il \
man Of ability and varied information, we
have long known, but we were not prepared
for the able lecture, delivered on Friday last.
His subject. of course, precludcs the intro
duction of any strikingly original ideas but
his arrangement of material, close analysis
/ and full appreciation OF our present unhappy
and perilous situation morally. socially and
politically. His vivid descriptions of the lat
ter day odlcc holder, and his bold exposure Of
the corruption now knawing at the vitals OF
the Nation. convinced all Of the urgent ne
cessty of immediate reform. Earnest. but
sad truths were told us. No partisan feeling
was manifested by the lecturer. lie showed
concusiyely that the yenal and corrupt Off
cials. too faithfully represented the unsound
state of our social and religious world. He
adverted to the mania for the vulgar drama Of
the present Notwithstanding the Black Crook,
White Fawn, Can-Can, and other disgusting
exhibitions. Showed how tho sacred robes
Of the modern clergy, were too often soiled
by their wearers descending into the cess
pool of politics.
We were highly pleased with the deductions
of Col Howard. but think he failed to trace
he present G, ils to their primary source. A
nations literature is not only an index to its
moral and social character, but is the parent
of it also. The press, the greatest blessing
ever vouchsafsd TO man, Is also too often a
great curse. While it may shed glorious
light upon the path OF civilization, leading us
safely onward; may immortalixe the great
and good, and damn the bad men Of the past
and present; may aid in spreading the life
giving light of the gospel yet, sad to say, 1t
can also insti the most virulent and destruc-
tive poison into the hearts Of the people. 1t
was sad day tor the American people, when
Bonner established his Ledger. filed with the
nonsense and yulgarty of staff OF blood
and-thunder story writers Then began thc
fostering of that spirit of morbid sentimcntal-
ty that but prepares the heart for the intro
ducton OF the greatest evils. Artificial mem
tai excitement produced by the daily pcrusal
OF storys ofimaginary horrors, entirely units
us for dealing with the actual horrors that
meet us in life. The fountains of human SYM
pathy and charity are dried up, and we fee
from real suffering to the contemplation OF
other and more congenial imaginary one. We
gradually, imperceptibly, but surely, with
} draw ourselves from the sorrows that daily
ment in the publications, flooding the coun-
try with blood story and vulgar pictures
We seek the theatre, where the shrewd watch
crs of human weaknesses, have preceded us
with his low llung and indecent mock drama
This morbid taste grows by what it feed,
upon and stronger food is demanded. As this
; ytiated taste grows. our morals decline in
equal proportion, and our social fabric, loos-
ing its firmest support, follows in this rapid
decline. Having learned to admire and fol-
! low after imaginary heroes in crime, oui
hearts become oallous, our perceptions dim
ard We cannot condemn their counterparts
/. in actual life. The bold murderer only fur
nishes the morning papers material for col
umn article Of horror, and his death on the
scafIold, II perchance he over reaches it, givei
occasion for a lengthy. detailed statement o.
sicksning sentimeatality. The man who
swlndes the people out of thousands is .
prince, power in the land, while the petty
, unpostical thief, who steals TO sustain life
perhaps, Is too mean for even paragraph
In our literature, then, We think, may be
found the true and original cause of all the Sc
cial, moral and political evils. OF course. the
Colonel is entirely correct, when he attributes
! the present corruption in Office to corruption
in private life and unsoundness in our social
system, but this corruption and unsoundness
are but the deformed offspring Of vitateG
and destroying literature. The pulpit is pow
srless, even if its occupants are unspotted, sc
long as the body Of the church devote theil
time to sensational novels instead of sount
healthy literature. The press aloneis able te
cure the evil it has produced. Will it do III
We are glad our people will have An oppor
!. Nnity of again listening to Col. Howard.