The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-03-12
VICES DISGUISED BY NAMES.

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Words have much to do with morals
! Vices called by euphonious titles are sti
vices, but under the nicknames of society
they lose part OF their odium. Like wantons
in satin and jewelled swindlers they walk the
street with greater freedom, less feared and
less hated. The disguise Of names is not
complete, but under it vices parade them
selves before the public without shame or
fear. 1t is trick Of scandalmongers to hide
indecent, coarse, obscene and prurient
thoughts in double-deallng phrases and subtle
inuendoes, or speak il scientific or profess
sional terms so used as to leave the ordinary
meaning plain to the sense.
The usage has erept into political debates
and journals. According to the phrasoology
now current, the taker and carrier away OF q
gold watch must be described rs the possessor
| de tacto, while the unfortunate victim who has
lost it becomes the owner lie tue. The thief
is q "kleptomaliac His propensity to seal
is 1. 'lnoral disease" His taking possession
Of anothers property without consent is .'ir-
regular acquisition instead OF larceny. The
| owner enters into an 9 Investigation through
detectives. the thief surrend4rs to Superior
force, an 'farbitration takes place before a
criminal court, the "enlightened public
opinion of Witnesses is elected an award"
is offered by the jury, and the whole matter
ends il a compromise, in which the lie flcto
possessor returns the stolen watch to the
rightful possessor, and goes to another city to
engage IN mechanical pursuits at a reforna-
tory institution.
1t was once understood that a member OF
Congress who preferred a claim Of three hun
dred thousand dollars for what was worth but
a third Of the sum, and agreed to share the |
difference with a dozen friends in case OF the |
payment Of the amended and increased |
claim was a swindler and guilty Of that which |
should lead to his summary expulsion. Tout |
ceia est change The increase, prosecution |
collection and apportionment Of tue claim
becomes merely problem under the new
: rule OF addition, division and silence
The declarations Of partisans in behalf of a
comrade who has violently or fraudulently
taken possession OF an Office becomes a stre
cognition, and he who should be denounced
as usurper becomes Governor, or what
not, ode acto.' In legislative bodies all
sorts of plundering is allowed under "the
rules. and any peculation which can pass
current as not violating parliamentary law. is
baptized as regular transaction"
This is a material age in which the men
who rule look so exclusively to results that
hey care little for the methods and appliances
employed in reaching them. Principles are
brown out as rubbish OR put up in dusty
case Tor show, like the costume and camp
Utensils Of General Washington in the Patent
Office. Constitutions are treated like old and
gheezy organs, on which politicians may
: play what stops they please Morals are
'alued IN currency, and sentiment is passed
'ver 10 novels and poems. That alone which
ield5 immediate pioit has value in the ewes
# modern speculation Hence, the names by
Which things aud acts are called are such as |
ound to increase the chance Of pleasing the
'ersons interested. villains are Il .ttered
that tariff may follow fAwning" while other p;
illans are made 10 feel that they may not be
. very bad, hearing their vices and crimes
allied by such gentle names.
All this IS loathsome, il not dangerous.
.et the Senator who votes for a fee be called
taker Of brides; let claim raisers be classed 4
here they belong, among swindlers; let lie r.
toto Governors be siigmatizcd as intrusive
surpers; let Us not call a surrender COM
romse; let us not hatter the robbers of the b
ublic treasury with gilded epihets. Let US
IL things by their true names