Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-08-26
Mistellansons
OLD FAMILY WHINE.

y striking article In the August Atlantic
aoes some excessive "boohooino', over
me M waning influence of the old regime of
massachusetts,. Among other lamenta-
tions we have this The bar, the church,
and number of families, which had long
enjoyed prescriptive political rights fii-
fected the energies of Massachusetts,
through the agency of an intelligent, con-
,cientiouS, and, il not God-fearing, at
ie"s' a.,aacol'-iearing people. To-day al
'hoSl All trace OF this society has passed
away. Massachusetts has become COM
pie'eiy modern community" There does
not seem to be any great decline in INTEL
il9enee since the day Massachusetts was
run AS close corporation, or family par
~ Measured by the standard of school
and university education; by the variety
and character of literary productions: by
the number and capacity of the public II
biarles, the State appears to have gained
since the people got over the habit Of con-
templating Deity through the dim, tiingy,
deaconic bulls eye" We can remem-
Der when il was the chief recommends.
ton IN an apple dicker that the .'bar'l was
not deaconed,' which to the pagan intel
lect meant a layer Of good fruit in the top
and bottom Of the barrel with powerful
tendency towards wormy windfalls be-
| tween. And considering that not many
years ago, in the ascendencv of the reign
ing families, Old Medford was the main
article OF commerce to the heather: and
the blue coated, brass-buttoned, bald-head-
ed representatives of our ancient society
regarded it as the chief end of man 10
catch runaway slave and return him to
his master, we are not alarmed about the
decay of conscience in our times. And
why has the sceptre passed away from
the "elect?" Why don't the "old stock, -
now rule the strong social forcesp SIM
ply because that stock has gone to seed
has 'petered out" to use a westernism-
and is running emptings." When the
blood becomes blue, physiology demon
strates that the body becomes feeble and
the brain sappy.
TO run. q republic you must have red
blood. lris a fact as melancholy as it is
true that the ''princely merchants" who
once gave celebrity to trade and finance,
the towering intellects who formerly
made our bar and pulpit famous in the
land, have left no descendant that to-day
attracts attention, or commands influence
The heirs of the property, the reputation,
the respectability of the last generation,
are simmcring away their lives in the old
haunts of Europe, or rusting out in an at
mosphere of eXclusiveness at home. The
traditional names that once made the
glory of the Commonwealth, are at pres
ent found principally on the ledgers OF un-
exceptional tailors. and the books of fash
ionable clubs. With two exceptions the
historical families of Massachusetts have
been stricken from the roll of active citi-
zenship. One. having had an official ex-
istence since the foundation of the repub-
lie, maintains Its irrepressible instincts by
furnishing some of its members for the lu-
crative patronage of the party in power,
while it has in reserve other members as
permanent candidates for any possible po-
litical change. The other relic of respec-
liability presents marked specimen OF in
tellectual vigor and ability. yet his selec-
tion for any important position is general
ly regarded as libel on the civil service.
1t is well for the wealth, the public spirit,
the improvements, the progressive enter
prise of the State, that it has ''become a
modern community" Were it not for the
new blood. and the rising classes who are
bearing the burdens and responsibilities of
the hour, Massachusetts would be bank
rupt in everything save an over-nice.
mouldy and consumptive responsibility
4fter Dinner.