Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-11-23
RNIiCAliSni. No. s.

oiuee canned. OLD DOMINION.
Radicalism. No. 5.
4 c'eVer writer, and ono who is not ashamed
OF being called q radical, thus describes the fate
OF q reform, +: 'There is nothing which the
world resents so much MS al attempt to carry
out better measure than existed before i
man who would benefit the world must first tska
leave of his own reputation for the word never
let man bless it but it first fought him; it never
let him give it II boon without first giving him
buffet If with one effort you 81 ouid raise tree
twenty feet high, SO to make it forty feet hiyh
you would not do more violence to its roots than
you do to society when you attempt to elevate
1t above its former level" The same wri.er
thus speaks OF that much abused word called
ism Every new or more perfect applica-
ton OF Christian principle to the life of society
Is caiied an Ism so long as men fight it. bu. q
glorious evidence OF the divinity of Christianity
rs soon as they are defeat Il BY it Selfish men
aohor all lsms of benevolence proud men All
lSms OF concesceHslon; the gripping hand hates
the open palm and self love thinks the love OF
Others to be spenutnrlt. If it is an ism to W..
mt tne poor, TO defend the innocent, to main
tam every where tho rignt though 20 do it over.
throws time honorei Observation-Disclosures the AL
mighty is the Father Of isms, and has been pro-
pagatlng them since the world beganr'
every WORD o! the above is as true as GosDal
How truthful in particular is this sentence:
Ihere Is nothing which the world reSents -
much as al attempt to carry out better meas
urc IAN existed before" This opposition dates
back to the days Of the pa rarrhs and tn,
prophnts For want of space l will not attempt
TO enumerate instances OF opp jstion to rad G.,
reform in ancient days. but take the history Of
modern times In the fifteenth century CoIun-
ous was made the butt Of ridicuIe by the grea.
ana wise OF his generation for advancing the
idea Tat there WIS IN undiscovered country
across the Seas. Had he been governed by his
doubtng AMI sneering conservative aSsOCi .tc.
end countrymen the discovery Of new world
would have teen left tor another Of more firm
ness and hath. The invention of printing fur
nishes very striking illustra ion of the bitter
"'ppos!t0n to radical relo1m IN literature GU.
tembeig Faust and Schoetf.r, tie inventors OF
types "nu press were afraid to make known
tneir wonderful discovery, and when finally
discovered they were accused Of being in league
with the devil. This attempt to elevate the
world above its former level nearly cost them
tnetr llVes: Gutenberg, IN l46I, died poor il
Is believed, AID unhunored it is known. 1t WA:
reserved for q lnter and more radical century
to rescue his name from the obscurlty into
which it FELL The inventors of the steam e..
glne, c!motives. steam boats all had share OF
the world contempt and opposition TO change
and progress.
There is nothing that troubles conservatism SO
much rs "changlng and ov"rturning the present
state OF things? It's chief weapon IS abuse, and
every reormer gets his share. One calls him
radical" another Iikcns him to /. Don Quixote,
another Says he is /. fool-thus tha rerortner gets
tlck from one aud q buffet from another. But
still the good work goes on; one improvement
here and another there; new siiroads are con-
staEtly being put IN operation, iUrges factories,
pub lcbulldngs, churches and schools continually
sprlhging up and changing present state Of
thlngs;" and thus radcalism will colt nue. lis
march of progress until perfection rules su-
prerne. When that glorious day arrives change
would no longer be desr be, and then self in
forest would induce 'all the world and the rest
OF mankind to be thoroughly conservative.
Now word to "Fideiis," who ssys there is
Scrlptural Injunction about answering people
which IS logical as we'll rs Sc;iptural, and that
is wise man should never 90 to Il fool for in
formation. The game would not be worth the
ammunition. But let that pass. 'Fidelis' asks
II l would favor change under all crcum-
STANDARDIZATION | would not, in some Cases,
leave well enough slone?" l am in favor OF
change. and pr"gress as long there Is
room for improvement. When the financial,
industrial and commercial affairs of nation or
state have reached a aldard o excellence iha.
human wisdom, energy, perseverance, and capl-
tai canL ot improve, then l would stop, and not
I'LL LueH COHFluC6 mo IuaL lTBlnla no" cH-
joys this standard of excellence, then | will dis
card radio lism and become firm and consist
ent conservative; convince me that sumnc, hoop
poes ana perSlmmons are more conducive to
we+lth and general prosp= rLy than the develop.
ment of iron and coal deposits; the erection Of
furnaces, factories, shipyards and other branches
oftrade and commerce, then l will no longer
vote for radical, don Quixote." b carpet
Dagger, or fool" but henceforth, and under
81! circumstances" support through thick ana
thin, The great and glorious conservative party
Again. "Fidelis" says ''for myself rs con-
servative in politics, 1 desire to preserve tAe
constitution as Washington and his compeers
made it, without rad zeal change or revolution.
Now, If l should say ''tor myself desire to
peers did that l desire to travel in III old stage
coach instead Of a Pullman palace car; to lake
passage on vessels propelled by sails insLe d OF
steam t. pay twenty FIVE cents for letter trans
mlted at tho speed Of four miles an hour, IN.
stead of three cents and fifty miles an hour;
'Fidelis' and his conservative coDlpeera Would
at once and very silly too, call mea consummste
fool Now the constitutions and laws enacted
during Washlngton's administration sre just rs
to the wants of the present last ase
as an old coach, craft driven by wlnd anu can
vas, or the slow and uncertain post BOY. as
people advance in knowledge aad in the science
of political economy; rs arts and mechanical
skill progress; as agriculture improves ana "a" ,3
WstchWord of creation is "onward and uoWaFu,
in the same ratio, constitutions aud laws shou'u
be remoddled and improved to meet the W"h's
of the LIVING, and live people should not ciItl5
TO old institutions fit only for relics 10 represe'
the DEAD. propose TO review this suo]ec. luz
ther. a "AO
Frank r. Weaver has been appointed posF
master at CedarviIle, Warren county, 'a''