The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-06
The Little End.

Ticket we doubt the truth OF the Sl'le'
ment; but still it is suggestive.
Since our knowledge of politics tbere nave
been always on the surface of the sea OF P'-
liticsl ambition or impracticabilitys Re"
men who from their prorenesS to get into
almost solitary situations seemed to be hunt
ing for /" the little end of the horn," to quote
a common and expressive Phrase The anti
Masons and the RITES Conservatives were
noted examples. About 1924 there was
great excitement in the New England
States and New York about Ma
sonry. A strong party, it was thought
was arrayed against the ancient Order. One
MoaGAN published book purporting to be
a development of the whole plat, ind secrets
of Masonry. MORGAN soon afterwards dlsap-
pcared and never was heard Of again: The
antis1Iasons charged that he was fouiiy
"taken OFF, by the Masons. a great sensa-
ton followed, and the MORGAN book was
sought for throughout the land. MORGAN
had been Mason. and his death was charged
upon his brethren Us the sredking of their
revenge upon him for violating his
oath and revealing the secrets OF the
Order. The Masons rather pursued
the policy of passivity, allowing their OPP
ponents to make the most of their capital.
But disintcrested parties could see how Nor
CANS disappearance promoted the sale of this
book, and how lat might have been sharp
device to make money. Then, too, the read
ers of the book soon were Disguised with it {;
for they found nothing remarkable in it, and
reasoned thus: If MORGAN has told the
"sccrcts" he is foresworn, and can we be-
lieye man who has foresworn hiniselff
Indeed, how arc we to test the truth of this
book? So they were all as much in the dark
as ever about Masonry, and became in time
very tired of tho whole agitation.
But MORGAN never reappearcd, and mum.
Der of politicians, Of whom TEURLow WEED,
of AlbaGy (uow living, was one, got up an
anti-Slasonic party. The sensation, origna-
ting in the Eastern States and New York,
extended to other States with rapidly dimi-
nishng strength as it travelled away from
its source, until here in the South we didn't
cure q button about the Affair. silly asitations
and visionary isms beginning in the far
East have thus often vanished into thin air by
the time they reached Virginia. But there
were some prominent men hoodwinked and
iuyeiylcd into the absurd party. Mr.. WRIT,
I;,-i,,,r II, Hnltip,nro II, 1929 fpncanEaI
to become the candidate for the Presidency
upon the anti-Niasonic ticket. But anti
Masonry was too feeble, too short-liyed to
hold out, and not 4 vote was given to the
ticket. WILLIAM II. SEWARD coquetted with
it just enough to have been with 1t if it had
succeeded. But he was not to be found ut
its death. Mr.. WRIT made the greatest mis-
take of his life in accepting the nomination,
and his friends were much gricred at his er-
ror. lie was poble-hearted man, not af-
flicted with narrow and intoerant ideas,
but broad and liberal in his spirit and prin-
ciples. He was overcome by sense Of the
of the very respectable men who solicited
him to become their candidate for the high
est Office in the nation.
The example is good one to show how
the scruples Of the best men may be over
come, and how they may be led into the COM
mission Of folly. CHARLES O'CoSoR was
more guarded. He wished the "Straight.
Out" cause success; but he was not willing
to become its candidate and he positively re-
fused to permit his name to be used as a
nominee Of the Straight-Outs." In this act
he certainly offered to aspirants an example
unprecedented. "Will you serveif electedf"
| was the question. With party so thin and
ghostlike he would have been safe with any
answer against serving. But he again re-
peated his firm arlSWer--nOt directly to this
question, but sufficiently so for his purpose
that he could not allow his name to be used
If, said lie, I were to say would serve il
| elected, would be placed in the attitude OF
soliciting" the votes OF my fellow-citizens
for the office, and that l will not do. He
| should be honored for his consistency on the
occasion, aud certainly his decided and Incl.
siye replies to the repeated appeals he re-
ceived were sharp satire upon the coyness
and atfectation of those modest public men
who, while declining to become candidates,
say that they will "serve if elected" as they
feel bound to obey the wishes of their fel-
| low-citiZens. We commend the lesson Of
O'CoNoR to those f,stidiouS people who
would purchase honors without frankly &C
knowledging their desire to attain them and
putting forth their hands to win them. 1t is
oftener the result of fear of defeat than the
hope of triumph.
But to return to our theme the small
parties born Of side issues and kept tenn
porarlly alive by visionary hopes and idle
arguments have from time to time in the
Republic been apparently assiduously hunt
ing for I" the little end of the horn" We
thought the anti-Masons had found ii. We
afterwards awarded the championship to
Others, among them the hvEs Conservatives;
but all must now give way to the Straight
Outs. They were mere precursors of the
coming champion. The Straight-Outs"
have indeed found "the little end of the
horn,' and society awards them the brilliant
honorS of the achievement!
The investigation into the matter Of the
Credit Mobilier,-i. c., the transactions Of the
Central Pacific railroad in the alleged distri-
IN w.