, 1874-07-20

u!HS0A.tiOkoF HA0 DHI1u AEG1u6ukE IL
Amcrica,, and Of North America, according to
Washington Irving. John Calvin, pcrllaps.
, never -! spoke moro wisely than whom no
"inds and tic Hight Of birds have thor Law, and
connection With all else thero Ia III tho univorse
Tho 1and. though Of tho moro etable nnd solid
structure, is no moro subject to natural law than
Il tic volatile aud ohangefut element of the nit.
The origin Of tho fire. 40 certain for tho frat day
OF uncertainty. Whethor stupidity or oupldlty
lay at ita nourco nobody positively knowa.
In tue tire-nlaroh Of the l4tl,, from its origin
on Fourth nvonuo to the borders Of Jackson
ough destruction on Fourth and Third avenues,
State street. Wabash avonue, and = small por-
ton Of Michigan avenue. 1t ID said that benefit Al
vol ~ damage msiBt be takon iuto tho account.
judge Wright through the Times Of Friday
creator safety Of tho city hereafter: tInleed,
regret that tho fro did not sweop out all State
street, down to Iwonty-Hccond street. That
asroet," continues tho judge, "was fast bcoon,-
Nov York city," Firo AZ Rofortner, a RoEen-
orator, holds no mean repulo ii 1t is examined In
relation to tho history Of citieB; nor oan VIC al
legee any fanls in tho analogy which anconsly
made TUG Agency Of Firo TIE symbol Of lsegoner-
was this common, but in India, tho odcst sent
Of human culture, think, mud centuries before
Christianity appeared III Palestine, Brnhmnnisn
mado silva the God of Destruction and tho God
Of Regeneration ALAG, and declared ire to DO hia
coming, Messiah. according to John tbs Baptist
Spirit and With Fira," and TINT in His Fire tho
chaff should DO burned up, whilst tho whont
II en e til z l 1oSudng of Ys Suenaa ds1ss aSS
presents often, on broatoned Htroots, blocks Of
buildings far superior to tloao tho fire had
destroyed. I do not remember = single OK
ception to this rule, oithor In Europe or in
or. on the material ,, Or on tLe spiritual
be assured; that on the material
plano is not wholly material, einco
tho effects 80 deeply penetrate tho souls powers
aud depths, touching Oh sclt-roliancc, aud aooial
reliRMco; making humiliation whore prida lad
previously reignod; cn,sng distruHt IN tho sta
billty of oxternal ,ossoHsions, and opening az By
artesian wolls tho daep fountain-currents OF
sympathy In tho heart Of human natnre. No,
thoro ia no material inspect Of things which, ii
not rolatcd to tho moral aspect Of ttlings, tho
tnarriago-hond between them being nH vital and
intcrconneoting Us that which holds the soul and
tho body IN conscious unity. Chicago has had
actor by tho ordeal.
Tho area Of tho burnt district, rccontly cre-
ated. ID said to be twico the Bze of that oroated
by tho Boston fire. Tho loss, in tho way Of capi-
tai, reported to be about $4,000,000. Of course
must be felt, though tue ground that many
buildings stood on Is worth moro to-day than il
mas before they wore consumed.
But 1t ~ no trllo to become suddenly homo
less, to tho hundreds who exclusively dopond
on their daily toll to secure thotr daily broad,
thoir nightly ehcltor for rest and their apparel.
Hundreds Of homeless ones wore tho product Of
Tuesdays conaagratton. and 0, how thankful
must wo all be, for their sa1les that this caan-
lty camo in tie summer lnstcnd Of winter, TINT
ovor 100000 Of the $4,000, 600 which tho sym
pathy Of tho world created aftcr tho great fro Of
1871, still remainB to mitigate the disross OF tho
hour among tho recent Bufrererst walked ovor
tho oharred ground tho morning after tho lurid
glare of the night had died ont, a,d wAs amazed
at the general serenity Of tho dispossaased and
homoleeB.
It ia Q part Of tho |noral plan Of tho uni
verso that occasions for sympathy should
often occur on the planet. Otherwise, tho
power Of aympathy wou1d die out. Evil is
permitted to exist that human nature may bo
doyoloped IN greator, power by overcoming 1t.
The world fools that theto Is aublimity In great
calamity, and 1t responds accordingly. So
thought Whittier, when ponning theso stanzas
Oh tho great fro: g.
sudden impulse thrilled each wire,
That siRnaled round that sea Of dre;
Swift words Of cheer, warm hoart.throbs camo;
III tears Of pity died tho hanic.
From East, from West. from South, aud North,
The messngen Of hope shot forth,
And, underneath tho H1yeFing wnye,
The world, fu11-hnudcd, reached to save.
ALL not in vain tho flames that tossed
Above thy dreadful holocaust;
The Christ a8ain has preached through thco
The Gospel Of humanity.
There ia always IN angel In tho human heart,
but to bring him out III his natural radiance re-
quirea tho 1T occasion, He appeared divincly ut
tho call Of tho fiery hurricane that unhouaed the
mulsitudes In 1871.
But how shall Chicago prevent tho reour-
romeo Of her fiery tragedies, 1t beIug aready IN.
derstood that even the prayers OF faith will not
extinguiah flame. I suppose that in addition
to the moro rigid practice OF caution on the part
Of our people, the most hurried and venture
some, and, | bad almost said, the most oare!ess,
people in the World,-youth is more careless
than age, 50 among nations, we must rely on
tho plain old faot that water ia tue enemy OF
force. and q more perfect genoralship than
hitherto Maclnnory may be ample and fault
less, water may b. oonyoniout and abundant
enough to drown nation or quench tho flames
Of . thousand Moscows, aud tho ilremen
may bo sufficiently numerous and as brare AZ
tho men Of Leonidna ut the paas Of TAormopylao,
and yet fail entirely OF succeas, II tho Firo
Narshal il not Il General. What WAS the army
Of Napoleon without Napoleon at tho head oft?
What aVas the beBt muscle and agility IN any
quickly comprehend the facts Of tho situation,
and will to urge forward, with tho right meanB.
Oh tho right points, at tho right moment7 /
again say that Fire Marshal Aoo.la all tho quail
ities Of q true Gonerl. For Ills nork is battlo
taxing strategy, courage, colcrity, and boldnesH
Of execution to the utmost. Whooyor will vote
for such an officer for nero political ruagons, or
because hs IL a "olovoE fenw." deserves to be
thrown into tho very noxt contagration that hap
pens! Do engineers Oh our steamers and rail-
rays. and iu cur manufactures. got their ap-
pointmonts because they can drink or sing well2
or becauBe they Yoto for or against tho adminiH-
tration9 Fidelity as men, with soienoe, ability,
and experience III the department OF engineer
Ing, Ia supposed to dotormino his iltness for such
. trust. 10 in the tiro departments; in addition
to al theoTetio l% knowlodge, Aeloct tue yet un-
orf Of men. for auoh there arc III every great city
md State. After conceling rectitude ofpnrpose
POSITIONS Tho greatest power Of tic Inward
man, In these and In othor directions, will be
found to consoEs with the largest magnanimlty
vance Of tho ta1nes, where buildings may 30
suddenly removed and vacant Hpaco created,
ACROSS which tho flames may bo 'kopt from pass
ing, this IL, as oyery ono kuowH, ono Of tho chlef