Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-01-14

most vehement in its denunciations OF
tho leaders of the rebellion. II do
manded their arrest and punishment
for treason. JEFF. Davis, according to
u very poor but popular song, was to
be hung "on O sour apple tree" and
treason was to be made odioqs. He
was arrested and Horace Greeley went
his bail, and Immediately public opin-
ion opened her batteries on that poor,
old man, until finally he fell victim
to misplaced confidence in bis defeat
for the Presidency, and then died. But
public opinion was excited then--it
was running riot. Prevailing opinion
knew better; those in authority know
they could never make this wholesale
slaughter, and mark the change when
calm reason returned Davis was re-
leased without day !; general amnesty
was declared, and Congress set about
restoring those to citizenship whom IL
had previously disfrancbised. Lately,
the people of Georgia elected TO the
Congress of the United States, Alex
ander Ii. Stephens, one Of the greatest
minds this country ever knew, and
formerly Vice President Of tho South
ern Confederacy. Only few days
ago, while this great southerner was
making a speech on the moral inAu-
ence OF that most delicate subject,
''back pay" these same men, who a few
years before demanded his life, gath
cred around him, like children at their
fathers knee to hear the instructions
Of wisdom, and with an interest that
has not been manifested on the
part of members since the days of
Henry Clay, they listened to every
word and drank in every expression.
While this was going on, there sat by
bis side another man, also an ex. x.off!cial
Of the Southern Confederacy, who was
at that moment being restored to citi-
zenshp by the passage Of bill 10 the
Senate of the United States, in the
other wing of the Capitol Now, l
have not referred to these incidents in
any partizan spirit, but only to show
the complete summersauts public
opinion performs. And yet, they are
exhibitions of the grandest elements OF
human nature. Breaking down the
barriers which passion, and hate and
strife had reared healing the wounds
which war had made, and recognizing
again the universal brotherhood and
equality of men in the exercise OF
their natural rights.
/ come now to consider the influence
of public opinion on classes of men and
on individual character. There is O
! natural inclination on the part of every
ore, whether in public or in private
, life, to appear in the best possible light
and to cater to the whims and iancies
, no matter how ridiculous and absurd
. of this stern and inexorable tyrant
} This we observe in dress, in fashion
: in mapners and in speech. ! will moi
, stop here to give you individual exam
plies OF this class Of persons. This de
sire, however, is not confined to any
0 particular sex or condition of people
9 The cultivated and illitcrate, the rick
: and the poor-all share in the SAM
4 folly. Ladies,,as well as gentlemen
r must plead guilty to the same indict
$ ment and little children, too, are ap
! scholars in the school that teaches
+ them to "put the best foot foremost.
I In the history of the world there bav'
$ only been few brave and independ
!. ent spirits, who have possessed th'
4 moral heroism to stand out for thu
}. right when they came in conflict will
Q the impe,uous tide of public opinion
Q Hence, we very often find what W,
T. call negative people. They have D'
i. settled opinions Of any kind. They
o listen 10 statement of facts made by
I, one man and they agree with him OK
actly. They hear another and a dif
, ferent statement of The same facts
. made by another man, and "that j
r just what they thought" They ex
: press an opinion,in doubtful way, ,or
8 both sides Of the same subject, so as Il
, be prepared for any emergency, ant
I when the result is..knowr,' hey cxclaim
! with the assurance of self satisfac
: ton in their own superior wisdom, Z"
0 knew It'll told you so' They peve
n dispute a point with any one the.
!, agree with everybody, and could no
a tell you, for the life of them, wha
{ they did or what they did not thinl
: on anything. This class OF peopl
: never do any great amount of harm il
I the world, and no good. They neve
!, originate any great or small invention
nor do they question the utility of tha
Q which other people invent. They nev
/ er advance any great, living idea, no
!, stop to inquire into the soundness @
the reasoning Of those who do. The
: have nothing to do with moulding pub
lie opinion, for they never entertain
l. the same opinion long enough to max
r it public, but spend all their time Il
: trying to adjust themselves to otbe
d peoples views; because IL Is les
j. trouble to agrse with Others, thoug
vi wrong, than to convince them OF thei
error 1t is easier, gently glidin.
q down the tide, than growing har
" against the stream" These person
Q are never pioneers in any department
!. of life. They never project any grea
a public improvements ,astonish the worl
> with the briliancy of their genius, o
n help to elevate the standard Of mora
a or Intellectual excellence. They d
v nothing but agree with other people
/ and follow after them. They are ne,
Is er seen standing away out in advanc
/. of public sentiment, and bringing tha
n sentiment up TO their standard but lik
t the waves Of the sea, they advance jus
"a as far as others advanced before then
1. and then recedc again into the occa
4. of obscuriiy. They are not Of thos
,f Of whom II is said, "they are in nc
v vance of their age" They are cringe,
d to public opinin. They kiss the han
,f OF tho wealthy, court tho great, an
m are dispised by both alike.
y Then, there is another class dircctl
70 tho opposite of the one have d,
70 scribcd. Although Influenced by II
n a.. A.. a a.. 1tbo~ stxx.