The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-04-29
Can the Ethiopian Change his
Skin?
SUDS AND SOAP BOILERS.

Ill.
Sometime during the existence of
the late civil war. one of New Eng
lands famous Monthlies commenced
an article on it with the remark that
'.The people Of the NORTH went gayly
into this war;" This exhuliiug note
rang through the preface, and was
followed with pages of bloody jokes
and murderous mcrriment. 1t treated
lightly of the lives already lost, and
sug gcsted that not more than three
hundred thousand more would be
needed to make the North masters of
the South. 1t might have been writ
ten by Lincoln-it was unilIumined
by single reflection. Stewards 60
days had long since expired, several
armies had gone under, the govern
ment's promises to pay were below
zero, forced currency was put in the
hands of the people, and yet it claimed
that "every prospect was pleasing"
and that "the country was meyer de-
was altogether trivial and disgusting
view of war, and suited 10 some of
those ages we read OF with adherence.
But it took. The "gay recruit" went
forward-the fanatic was joyous
the drums rattled-women lent their
charms-everybody, with OR without
straps, was riding on railroad. La
Dor was suspended, prices raised, aud
spectators grew suddenly rich. Bank
ers and bondholders abeauded, and
the olisarch, he who never liked our
government, mixed himself sparingly
into the yeasty crowd, at certain i'm
pressible opportunities. and then
withdrew, not "to pray" but to grin
in secret. For him, it worked.
There was victory; and the negro
sits among our jurors, judges and sem
ators. The old constitution with it's
characteristic provisions is superseded
with a new one. demonstrations
have followed reconstruction. Debts
are not being diminished. Taxes are
not lessened. In the mines, in the
pines, and on the farms. the soldier
has used up his pay and his bounties,
and, though pensioned, is everywhere
striking" for the means of subsist-
ence.
Z" But these are days of advance, the works of
the men of mind,
When who but fool would have faith in q
tradesman's are or his word:
Is it peace or war? Civil war, as / .hnk, and
that of a kind
The viler. as under.iand, not openly bearing the
sword.'
-7eanyson.
The fun is about exhausted. The
acts of the play are becoming less and
less comical. Seward and Greeley both
came to that conclusion before they
| fell. 1t is immaterial what Lincoln
thought. The last greenback will de-
termine what kind of monument
Chase should sleep under-and the
poorest speller and orthoepist can
now pronounce our late "deyclop-
ment of resources" theory as one of
the sharnmiest tricks of governmental
deception and insolvency. 1t is seen
now that our government, as well as
stne others, stands not upon the in
telligencc, but the ignorance of the
people. There is merely intelligence
enough 10 keep up agitation the gol-
| den sediment will after all find its
way into the scales of the capitalist,
and the masses may chew wood" and
wipe their brOws with their sleeves
unmindful of the color or smell OF
those who sit next them at tables or
public places. When the audience ex-
pected the play to be ended, it has
been found out that il is only just be-
gun. 1t also begins to be suspected
that it is not a comedy at all, and that
it will have long run. The denoue-
ment is still unforeseen. Grant still
keeps his spurs on and the saddle on
his herse. His predecessor in the
presidential chair is in the Senate
chamber acting the buffoon and trying
to call up the ghost of the old Consti-
tuition. But it will not come. Six
years as Senator, or sixty, will never
undo what he did as hanger on to
| Lincoln and Ssward. Honest, per-
haps, but not better than Butler. whs
voted forty-ninc times for the grea,
Southerner, Jefferson Davis, and then
directly afterwards sought his dcs-
truction, or Logan, who at first en-
listed troops for The South, with the
+ expectation OF commanding ihem. and
then deserted for higher prospects on
The other side.
! Our statesmen of the last fifteen
years make IL sickening list. If con-
sistency, integrity, honor, wisdom, are
essential elements OF craftsmanship,
then the genuine article must be with
drawn, for shoddy is enly found in
the market. L beg pardon. Thore
have been some exceptions in what
has been called the Republican party.
Millard Gilmore was not only gem
| tleman, but statesman, uncontami- j.
mated with delusions and true to his
country and its constitution. II he
ever had any base impulses he thor
oughly subdued them. lie was above
temptation or fear. The plaudits or
threats of a mob made no impression
upon him. Like Socrates, he gave his
utterances and calmly discoursed in
the midst of perils. He had been
President. He declined to sink his
dignity or forget his oath. When he
left the shores Of this world he left no
brighter name behind him. At the
eternal gates he was met by Washing