Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-02-11
Correspondence of the Beacon.)
BALTIMORE, Feb. s, 1875.

Messrs Editors :-Dullness pervade.
all branches of commerce and trade j,
this great city, the pride and boast o.
all true Marylanders, and the query j.
often times asked, "when will times i'm.
prove, and business resume its won.
ted and lively channel:" OF course
every other man You meet has theory
of his own, and can account, to his owl
satisfaction at least, for the suspension
of commercial life in the great empori.
ums of country. By far tie greater
part Of those who profess to be able tc
diagnose the case and supply rem.
edy, account for the situation in the
fact that too much Grantism has oc.
casioned inertia and the lethargy car
only be removed by the substitution OF
old fashioned. reinvigorating, go-ahead
Democracy. War has been going on
in some Of the Southern States since
81, and naturally enough, men of large
| capital, who, as rule, are astufs and
far seeing, feel an indisposition to
launch out into any great enterprise,
and prefer to lock up their means in
some safe Government or Rail Road
stocks, that will pay II handsome divi-
dend, without the risk scarcely of a
possible loss. There is n general want
of confidence in Grant and his party,
and very many men would not be sur
priscd if they were to undertake some
bold measure, looking to perpetuation
of his ard their power, in spite of the
popular verdict which was SO decidedly
given against them at the Fall elections.
Should anything Of this kind be attemp-
ted. it IS very manifest that they who
had invested largely in commercial en-
terprise, would be in a condition to lose
heavily, and hence the want of life
and activity in all kinds of trade. If
this be correct view Of the true con.
dition of affairs, there would seem to be
little hone for beneficial change. until
after the adjournment of Congress, and
MANY of the infamous opponents of ex-
treme and harsh measures, shall have
retired to the shades of private life,
preparatory to a voyage to the unknown
bourne where, it is to be feared, many
of them may encounter a fierce and
brilliant light, accompanied by an I'M
comfortable intensity of heat that MANY
theologians inform US, will last for all
eternity. This view of the duration of
punishment has the sanction even Of
the ancients, as We may CLEAN from the
writings of Homer, Virgil, Horace and
others. For instance, poor Sisyphus
after death, was sent to hell and con-
demned to roll huge stone to the top
of hill, which would descend again as
often as il came near the summit, and
BY this means his punishment was with
out end. For what crime was he SO
tormented, may one, IMMERSED in NV
thology. very reasonably ask, and what
bearing Las hiscase uponany member of
our Congress in this the enhghtenednine-
teenth century: The analogy is just
here. According to some authors, this
great punishment was placed upon ST.
syphus for an unfortunate taste he had
of robbing his neighbcrs, and after he
had plundered them, took peculiar de-
light in heaping vast quantities Of stones
upon them, and looking on with the
leenest zest and relish, whilst they
writhed in their agonies and died amidst
the ieers and taunts of their vile tor
mentor Now as certain parties in
and out of Congress, have plundered
the poor Southern people, and placed
on them an insuFerable weight of
negroes and pestiferous Yankee scoun-
drels, who delight in their nefarious oc-
cupation. and heap on more weight
whenever a groan or complaint escapes
from the poor victims, why shall they
not, Judging from tie standpoint Of
the ancieuts, undergo, in time, q pun
ishment equal in intensity and duration
TO that of the robber Sisyphuss If
there be any difference. it is in favor Of
the poor heather, for he had not the
advantage of the influence of Christian
ity and the enlightenment of the pres
ent age of refinement and civilization.
vengeance is mine" said the Lord,
and doubtless he viii see that Justice
shall be done to the living and the
dead: it is but question Of tune.
In the last issue Of your paper, men,
ton 10 made of your intention TO give
US the report Of the Naval Commute,
s,nt from Washington to make sur.