St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-08-08
A Matter of Fact and a Matter of Taste.

A Matter of Fact and Matter of Taste.
The last Star evidently thinks it bad
taste in the CdledOnidn to publish the
letter it did two weeks ago from the
Davenport Democrat, which letter was
mainly a Renaissance of Danville and
tended no disrespect to the towns men
toned, or any people III them. We
printed the letter because we considered
it one of interest to every one i'll this
section, and doubiy SO to every son and
daughter of those famous old towns.
whether at home or abroad. 1t has
never been our fortune to read so gra-
phic and apparently so truthful biog-
raphy of the men who lived and gave n
generation that has passed.
We presume this part of the letter is
not what any one would object to, but
rather the contrast with the present
time, and the way it was put. With
out the contrast, the letter could hard
" have been faithful. OF the style of
the author, we have nothing to say,
only that it is getting to lie a common
and rather popular one, east as well as
west. But however Objectionable this
may he, no one can afford to throw
away the good there is in the letter be
cause of it.
But we refer to this matter here and
now mainly for this purpose: The let
ter of Mr.. Richardson told a sad truth.
not only about Danville and Peacham,
but of all New England, of which these
towns are Il noble type. The truth is
this: The glory of the land of the
fathers is departing. Westward the
star of empire takes its way. BY the
last census there were three millions de-
scendants of the Pilgrims i'll New Eng
land, and sir millions of their descend
ants in the Mississippi valley. AS sad
as the fact is in one view. it is very
grand in another. Six millions of New
England's sons and daughters in the
west to mould its character and fashion
its destinies Has not Danville and
Peacham something to he proud Off
DECLINE, WITH THANKS.-The pro-
prietOrs of the New York Graphic expe-
rience considerable difficulty in finding
prominent men to accompany Prof.
Wise III his balloon excursion across the
ocean. They lave invited 4 large
number, but they all with one consent
pray to be excused. Gen. Butler in his
temptation to take part in the expedi-
ton. You forget another inducement
which just now might be equally strong
with me. l should go beyond the reach
of the mail, the telegraph and the news
papers, at least while was at that ele-
walton of which you speak" Mr.. James
Parton is also engaged, but finds the
implied compliment to his courage in
the invitation very gratifying. That
you should think me willing" he writes,
ito he smashed in the exercise of our
vocation fills me with a wild ambition
to court that form of destruction, at
once glorious and painless" Rev.
Robert Collyer writes: II cannot ac-
cept the invitation, because | shall
preach here all summer; and then. to
tell the honest truth, burst not accept
it if all the crown jewels in the tower
of London were offered me for the Job
Mr.. Bailey, the Danbury Ners man, is
equally decided, and of course funny
On the whole. | think shall have To
decline the invitation. | feel lust rs
enthusiastic in the enterprise as any
one can, but can control and manage
my enthusiasm to better advantage il
| am standing on something hard. Be
sides 1t makes me sea-sick to cross the
ocean. and, when | am sea sick, | he
come so excited and reckless that
sGuander away anything that is handy
i'll my possession. and would he lust as
likely to throw away something valua-
BILE as not. In that case, should like
to he where | can recover it. This is
natural to us all, | think | do not
wish to he understood as having any
fear in the matter. | am not afraid OF
balloon. | would just as lief ride in
a balloon as i'll a street car, if it wasn't
for getting cinders in my eyes. | am
afraid of cinders.