, 1873-05-02
heath OF JAMES HH0DKH.


| Tho moral of tho death OF JameH Brooks Is
| too useful to the American pooplo Of to-day to
| bo passed over In silence. There is n highor law
| than that which has been orystnlized In tho
motto, ".De 7nortu Is nil nisi 5onun,." Tho nnn-
| timont would havc Its proper place in the an-
coatraf worship practiHod among tho Chinese,
and may act as useful restraint In private life,
whore tic departed leave behind thom frienls to
mourn tho doath, and whore thoir faulta dio with
tho body. but 1t moods no argument to do
noustrato that tho rl]o would DO h1rtful II thero
WAS no exception whom applied to public lifo
and pnblic mon. Wlon q man ilas thrown away
groat opportunities, when ho has violated public
trusts when he has loft 40 world worso tlan lo
found 1t by reason of his example, 1t is unfit
that nought but praise should follow him to tho
grave, and that his living faults should DO
passed over in si1onco. It ia not for his suryiv-
ors to pass judgment upon Janos Brooks, 1t ia
true. Wo havo no desire to do this nor noed-
lcBsy to speak in unlsind words Of the man who
paid doar ronanco for the error Of his life be-
fore ho gayo 1t up.
There is hardly man in tlia country who has
been 30 uniformly successful In contemporaries
| ouB politics as tho lutte James Brooks. Flo
aoomB to have boon n favored son Of fortune
from tho very beginning Of his caroor. In early
life ho found kind friends and admirers who lent
him that lo1ping hand for tho lack Of which
many better man lus spont his lie
In toilsomo obscurity. Ho WAS born In tho early
part Of tho present century, wnB college gradu-
ato, and was admitted at MI early age to practice
| at tho Bar. lie ontorod upon journalism almost
Immediately, md nt time whom journalism Ind
begun to B!apo itself into profession. 1Ie lad
tho advantage Of residence at tic Capital in d
newspaper capacity, and of trip to Europe Us q
newspaper correspondent, IIo was elected to
tho Maino Legislature when only 25 yoara Of
age and thus became associated with politics at
q timo Of lifo which onabled him to mastcr Its
| n,yaterioB and become III adept in ita work
inGa. He enlarged his field soon after
by removing to New York City, wlloro, with
tho assistance TINT Ind always been
ready for htH advancement, 10 established tho
New York Express, which, for many years, has
boon one of the most profitable newspapers in
the country. Ho secured u leading position in
the politics Of tho Statc, served in the LegiBla-
turo and tho Constitutional Convention, and
then waB scnt to Congress. Eight times, in all,
was ho returned to Lis sent IN Congress. Mean
while, Woodworking brother remained ut tho
editorial post in Now York, claiming none OF tho
lonors Of the poBiton,s and steadily holding tho
journal in ita oyon course OF prosperity. james
Brooks acquired wealth along with distinction.
He was able to take Ills recreation in q tour
around the world, WAS hold In estcom by Ills OWL
party, whothor Whig, Know-Nothing, or Demo-
crat, and mover the subject Of contumoly from hH
opponents. Personally, he WAS o tall, benevolent
looking man. Of mild manner, polite address,
and in oyory way calculated to secure tho popu~
larty that actually awaited linn In life It will bo
admitted that to such Il nun, with surroundings
| such aB lavo been described, temptation was an
easy thing to put down. Ho was bosot BY mono
Of the necegsitioB aud o1tromitios that arc roa-
sonably allowed to oxtonuate mortal ofrenses
against porsonnl and official integrity,
In the face OF all the favors that had boon
showerod upon James Brooks, s,-temporal. po-
litical, and social, ,-ho permitted himself to
uao an official trust for hiB peraonal ben
eRt and to the detriment Of tho public
interest. Ho was appointed u Govor1l-
mont Director Of the Union Pacific Railroad,
probably because OF tho special interest which
ho had displayed in tho grand project Of span
ming tho Continent with an iron rail. His actiyo
support Of tho schome passed. for patriotism,
and addod to hiH popularity and SUCCESS. It
turned out to bo but solfish episode of soliBll
caroor. To idontilod hilnsolf will tho Orodt
Mobiiior system moro largoly than any othor Of
tho public mon subsequently found to hnyo boon
aasociated With le deliberately Joined hands
with deliberate combination to dofraud tho
Government ut tho very time Ao was occupying
position especially croatod for tho p.lrposo Of
guarding tho Governments interests Whom
tho exposure came at last, as 1t Ia protty
anro to come sooner or later, lo adopted
policy of preyarication aud deception, which
culmlnated In personal modification tllat was
positively pitiful to contemplate. 1t is unnocos-
uary to recaptulato tho circumstances OF Brooks
connection with Credit Mobilior Thoy arc too
recont not to DO entiroly familiar, md hlr.
Brooks caso in particular was too humiatine
over to bo forgotten by those wlao watclod It
It was narrowing spectacle Of ahamo, re1norso.
aud despair.
Tho tolegraphio announcement Of Mr. Brooks
death Hays that Lis domiae WAS the result of q
disease, tho geols Of which wore laid tu q foyo,
contracted III AHIa. It is possible TINT this would
bo regarded by medical mon al the
main cause of physical dissolution. But
: medical mon seldom talse note Of
! d crushed spirit. brokon heart, or grant dis
grace. Tho montal and moral dlsoasoH seldom
onter Into tlloir diagnoHos OF ill-hoalth. Thors
arc few people, however, who are familiar witt
, tho earoar aud proud RpIrit Of Janaa Drooaa