The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-04-15
Modern Society.

Society, as now organized, and i'll its modern
Specification. is fraud. It is fraud upon
true manhood, genuine morality, and primitive
christianity. Kid gloves, glistening broadcloth,
r,lstling silks, and simpering affectation, con-
stitute the passports to the ''best society" A
Pecksnif1fan morality throws its glamour over
homely virtues which mould characters for
eternity, and is accepted as the highest type
Of modern responsibility. 1t proclaims its mer-
its and perfections on the street corners, as
did the Pharisees of old, and f1aunts its gilt
edge pretensons in the faces of the people to
deceive and mislead. In business, in society,
in the church, this is true. Flippant minlics OF
true manhood deludc themselves into the be-
lief, that surface exhibitions OF virtue, formal
observance of morality, and a vociferons proc
| lamation OF christianity, constitute tire sum
| total of the demands of the moral law. They
! forget that there is an eye to which all the
secret workings OF their inner beings are exposed
that no device or deception, can escape its
scrutiny; no tinselsd trappings and FURNISHED
phyacteries, avert its penetration. Its glare
is memorable, lighting up the putrid corruptions
that tester and slough beneath the solemn and
sanctified interior, and holding them up to in
spcction for the final judgment.
| For the sake of false pretension, little
brief show and praise from their fellow men, a
qualification of selfish and wicked pride, men
will pursue life of deception, content that
they but escape the detection OF their equally
pretensious ncighbors, losiag sigh. OF the in
trinsic crime they are committing and the final
adjustment that is awaiting.
In business, in society," in religion, men seek
to appear what they really are not. II they
can inspire confidence in all these relations,
although they may really be bankrupt in each
Of them, they will roll the deception under
their tongues as weet.norsel, and cengratu-
late themselves uren the fitting pleasure, that
must sooner or later come to exposure and turn
to bitter ashes OH their lips.
There could be no truer exemplification Of
these general remarks than is now being given
III the city Of Brooklyn and in the trial of Beech
err. Pampered and pctted, fawned upon and
caresscd, and worshipped almost as an idol,
and to all general appearances, model Of the
christian preacher, such are the developments
in the course of the legal proceedings as to force
the conclusion that the whole circle of his init
mates is controlled By a code Of morals revolt
ing to genuine virtue and insulting to chris
tianity. Look at them. Beecher, Tilton, Moul
fton, Woodruff. Wouldn't they be pretty ma
teral out of which to make angels According
to modern society requirement, they, however
are all, except Woodruff, in the first circles
Yet they are guilty Of fornieation, perjury ,ant
Al.
logue.
Give lbs that rural simplicity, that rustic rou
tine. that has not been sehooled in the arts 0
deception and is unadorned by the blandish
, ments of modern society, and we will foregt
all the pleasures that attach to the hollow
forms OF fashionable pretenders, who. in thei
hearts, yet cry out, "GreaS is Diana OF tn
> Ephesians."
: The Shenandoah Democrat is net eorrec
: la its criticism Of paragraph that appeared iI
. Che VIRGiNIAN few weeks since in referenc
tothc election of Judge for the 18th circuit, ant
u brings in inuendoes that we neither understand
Il nor care to understand. What occurred IN coucu
= may be as the Democrat asserts. The mische
was effected outside Of caucus, and in the refer
; encc We naads to this there was no ssmis
u representation We have no disposition t
: institute comparison between the countje
$ composing the 18th crcnit, and the claims a.
; counties they may have had to their choice
We have no doubt either county could have
presented candidate, entirely acceptable t.
all. After the gentleman had been designated
whose strength was to be tested before eau
Gus, it was unmanly and unjust to make 'smls
representations about either outside Of thu
eaueus. This was done as to Col. Johnston, a
we have been informed by gentlemen who were
on the ground. We do not think it woult
have been necessary to fte establishment o
BIZ. Byrd's claims that the private character o
his opponent should have been assai1ed in the
wanton manner, we have been informed, il
was.
The Democrat is entirely mistaken as to any
: interference of the vIRGINIAN with the cleo
ton. The only allusion we made to it, wa!
when the names of Col. Johnston and Mr.
Walton were mentioned, when we expressed
the opinion that the Legislature could not &c
i amiss in the selection of either. Mr. Byrd'i
name, at the time, had not been mentioned
As to the Stanton lawyers, some of them prac
: tice i'll the Rockingham courts-all of those
who, when requested, signed recommends
ton OF Col Johnston, did so upon persona
knowledge Of his fitness for the position as :.
lawyer and a gentleman, and it was not t.
= prejudice the claims Of Mr. Byrd, for his nam,
was not, at that time, mentioned in the matter
AS to the terrible threat of the Democrat abou
. ''any and every issuen which may be presented
in the future, we are in blissful ignorance as Il
what 1t alludes. If there is any 'sKill-Kenny
= Kat politicians '-wdlatevcr that means-rais
ing their claws ana promising a misceilaneou
fur-pulling, we do not know it, and are no
d booked for that kind Of engagement. We vii
, leave our neighbor with free lance.
d GEN. SPINNER.-We direct attention to
t communication on our first page under the cap
u ton of 'sTrbute to Gen. Spinner" A
Treasurer Of the United States for fifteen years
he has had to pass through his hands abou
= $500, 900, oo6 annually. and with all this enor
> nous expenditure Of public funds, there ha
never been anything to raise a suspicion as t.
his integrity. With marked Individuality o
character, he may have pressed his own opinio,
too oIstinately, and at times made it unpleas
ant in his official business relations to his Sill