New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-27
TEMPORA MUTANTUR.


The world turns mild democracy they say.
Rounds the sharp knobs of character away;
And no great harm, unless nj grave expense
OF what needs edge OF proof, the moral sense
For man or race is on the downward path
Whose fiber grows too soft for honest wrath,
And there's subtle influence that springs
From words to modify our sense or things.
A plain distinction is obscured VI late:
Men, il they will, may pardon but me state
FUgetsAts function if not fixed AS Fate.
30 thought our sires a hundred years ago.
II men We're Khas s MY ps%pe hapa
It's brow severe at no long vista's end;
In those days for plain things plain words would
Men had not learned to admire the graceful
Wherewith the Esthctic Natures genial mood
Makes public duty slope to private good;
No nllddled conscience raised the saving doubt;
A soldier proved unworthy WAS drummed out,
An officer cashiered civil servant.
mo matter though his piety were fervent),
Dsgracef fully dismissed, and through the land
Each bore for life stigma from the brand,
Whose far-hcard hiss made others more aVerso
To take the facile step from bad to worse.
The Ten Com nandments had meaning then
Felt In their bones by least considerable men,,
Because behind them Public Conscience stood
And without wincing made heir mandates good
But now that Statesnanshp" Is Just way
To dodge the primal curse and make II payj
Since Office means kind of patent drill
To force an entrance TO the Nations till
And REGULATION something rather less
Risky than If you spelt 1t with ans;
Now that TO steal by law Is grown an art,
Whom rogues the sires, their mlder sons call smart,
And "sllghtly irregular " diiutts the shame
az what lad once a somewhat blunter name;
with generous curve We draw the moral line;
Oar swindlers are permitted to resign;
Their guilt is wrapped in deferentia names,
And twenty symOatliize for one that baIne6
Add national Disgrace to private crime,
Confront mankind with brazen front sublime,
Seal but enough, the world Is unsevere,-
Tweed ia a statesman, Fisk q 1Bancier;
Invent a mine and be-the Lord knows what
secure at any rate with what you've got
The public servant who has stolen or lied,
II called on, may resign with honest pride:
AS unjust favor put him in, why doubt
Disfavor as unjust has turned him Outf
Even If indicted, what is that but fudge
To him who counteG-!n the elective judgef
Wh,tewashed, he quits the politicians strife
At ease in mind, with pockets filed for life:
His lady glares with gems whose vulgar blaze
The poor man through his heightened taxes pays
Himself content II one huge kohinoor
Bulge from shrtfront aInper than beforeJ-
But not too candid, lest 1t happy tend
TO rouse suspicion OF the Peoples Friend,
public meeting treated at his cost,
Resolves him back more virtue than he lost;
With character regilt, he counts his gains;
What's gone was air, the solid good Remains;
For what is good except what friend and foe
Seem both unanimous In thinking So,
The stocks and bonds which IN our age OF loans
Replace the stupid pagan's stocks and stOness
with chcker white wherein no cypic eye
Dares see idealized a hcmpen tie,
At parisb-IncetIngs he conducts in prayer,
And PAYS for missiOns-tO be sent elsewhere;
On Change respected, 10 his friends endeaPed,
Add but y day-schoolclass he's rcvered,
Aud b = too early tomb will not be dumb
To point moral for our youth TO come.