The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-06
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one. l am for honest men every time and
In every walk in life and know no way
10 get them but by encouraging honesty
and Furnishing dishonesty with Justice and
keen discrimination, and would punish
| conspirat0r quicker than l would thief.
This Wholesale denuncation and condem-
nation of public men will fill our high
places with towards and time servers and
imbeciles-men who escape condemnation
by avoiding all responsibility. But re.
member, don't say this is to shield or ex-
cuse John Thomas, or to stand between him
and an indignant people. NJ man shall
ever charge me with having WINGED at or
tolerated official wrong | do hope and
| pray that shall never be tempted to take
office"
'No Office higher than the Presidency of
the Fanny yard Club, ] suppose" quietly
remarked Mr.. Howe.
| At this moment Squire Wright entered,
and, after having saluted those present With
his usual courtesy and urbanity and en-
larged upon the bright and beautiful wealth
er which had marked the day, and discuss
ed the manner in which st. Martins" and
"Dundee" had been sung by the choir and
| the audience combined, he turned his at
tention to the case of John Thomas as the
all absorbing topic of the village.
"lf he were alone in this Trouble, should
have great compassion for him." said the
| Squire; "but everybody il exposed to this
same attack, and he mas had a long career
of power and must now take the torment"
'But his poor wife !" whispered Mrs.
Howe.
"Before the severe demands of public
conscience" continued the Squire. al am
always unwilling to listen to the calls of
| ia h.
criminal and holds him innocent until he
is proved guilty. With its servants, how
| ever, IL should be unsparing. The neces.
sity for official service is bad enough the
existence of public servants, large and
small, is dscoutaging enough; let them,
| then, go to the rear. | hold that every one
who is engaged in the service of the state
should be bowed down with humility, and
should feel that the day of his distinction
has arrived when he retres to private life.
If, in order to preserve the national nteg-
rity, we must subdue public servants, SO be
| it +; it is the sacrifice we offer for the good
of our country. This may be hard; but
while as a friend l deplore it, as citizen
/ acquiesce in it. ! would hold everv pub
lie organization accountable for the sins of
its members; and I would declare an I'M
ending war of publication. Now, take
this case of John Thomas. If, during his
administration, Stevens has defrauded the
| town IN supplies to the almshouse, he,
| Thomas, las scandaliZed this community
and, hard as it may seem, the career of
| John Thomas must be held up as warn
| ing to all officials. AS friend, l admire
| him; as a citza en-, respect him; as re-
| liable business man, trust him as a men,
Der of society, value him highly; as a
trustee, l should have confidence in him;
a, referee, should rely on his judgment;
but as a selectman Of lothian, cannot APP
| prove his course or commend the example
he has set his townsmen."
"But do you think he has really been dis
no, nur eAautfy, Saiu rue squire. nut
that is of minor Importance. For, pray
tell me how we can fight the great army of
| public plunderers if we allow a suspicion
to escape2 No party could afford to do
that"
"We were not considering party, if you
will allow me to interrupt you," said Mr..
Hopkins. ''And 1 am sure that party must
be weak which is obliged to sacrifice in
nocent ruen in order to relieve itself of the
odium of the guilty"
"Oh no, Squire. this is not a party
question" said Mr.. Howe. II agree with
you in allowing the public demand for hon
esty to be carried on to point of unrea-
|
would never check it. pity John Thomas;
but | cannot NEEDLE with his public career.
But it is not party question with me. II
| is a question of public and general import
| ance."
at is a question of equal and exact JUS
| tice," said Mr.. Howe, who had no idea of
popular Indignation, and for whom the
''cirium drd0r praoa juJentium' had no ter
rors.
The evening had now passed away; and
the company separated, not by any means
satisfied with the way in which they had
met the question of John Thomas's dein-
quency. They felt that somehow the jus
tice, and manlness, and courage, and hu-
mainly had been with Mrs. Howe.
And now the town became thoroughly
engaged in the business of discussing tins
unfortunate malfeasance and John
Thomas, who had led an inconspicuous life
of honest drudgery and steady, common
place duty, found himself an object of dis
agreeable interest, and surrounded ny
painful isolation. The path into this UNI
pleasant complication had been so conceal
ed, and the Journey had been so gradual,
that he hardly knew how he had arrived at
the strange complication of difficulties
which beset him on every hand. He had
never examined himself on the point of in
tegrity, had made no good resolutions in
this direction, had never raised doubt in
his own mind with regard TO the reputation
which he had for a long life enJoyed among
his neighbors--to ascertain whether ii was
well founded ornot He had always passed
for an honest man, and he took it for grant
ed that he was so. But now the people
said he was not, and he was naturally in
clined TO accept patiently and suhmssively
their verdict as lie had heretofore accepted
their approved and their good opinion. He
had been SO long ranked among good men
by spontaneous public accord, that il took
him long time to realize the situation in
to which he was forced ny being condemned
as a bad one The whole affair was in his
mind, either farce or IA dream and he
could hardly tell which, until passing
events, trifling in themselves hut significant,
brought the reality home To him in start
ling and amazing manner.
Huldah became silent, and anxious, and
distracted. She had never been what is
called a person of high spirits. But she
mad been such cheerful, and busy. and
contented wife TO John Thomas, such aten.
der, and watchtul, and even-tempered
mother, that her house had been as cloud
less as soft and sunny October afternoon
for more than twenty-five years. In all
that time she had never been either elated
or bowed down. She was now, however,
evidently oppressed by deep and heavy
sorrow which she could not conceal, and
she was unwilling to impart to her husband,
lest by so doing she should Indicate her be-
lief in his guilt. Once, as they gathered
around the table in the morning, John saw
a tear stealing down her cheek, but he had
been SO long accustomed to living with her
in a mutual joy that he could neither uu-
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