Middletown transcript., 1876-12-30

SATURDAY MORNING, DEC. 30, 1876.
THE END or THE YEAR.
Time, whose ceaseless fight bears Us
ever onward. has brought US once again
to that period which must ever bring
with it feeling akin to sadness, as IN
dicative Of the end of life-ths close of
the year. 1876 is passed-is gone! Gone
With its joys; gone with its sorrows.
Gone with its pleasures; gone with its
pains. Gone with ite hopes; gone With
its disappointments. Gone with its
promises; gone with its failures. Long
looked forward to, and ushered in with
the ringing Of bells, the roar Of cannons
and the shouts Of millions of American
freemen. as the hundredtb anniversary
Of their nations independence, it was
looked upon. and promised to be, an era
Of good feeling and reconciliation when
the people from every State and every
section of the Union, meeting on com.
mon ground as witnesses Of their coun-
try's prosperity and progress. should
forget their past differences and forgive
their old grievances; when all sectional
hates and animosities should be over
come and the American people should
once more become united in heart and
feeling and be once again the happy and
prosperous people Of old. These were
the hopes and expectations Of the nation
At the beginning Of the year, to be real
lied from the great Centennial Exhibi-
tion. Hsw have they been fulfilled
The great celebration has been held:
visitors came to our shores from all parts
of the earth. bringing with them the
productions Of their industry. their art
and their bandicraft. Our own citizens
were gathered there from every section
Of the land. and North and South, East
and West stood on equal footing and on
common ground and joined in the csls-
bration of the events which gave birth
to the great American Republic. But
in the very midst Of these festivities; in
the very height Of the celebration the
election campaign for tho choice Of .
chief magistrate was begun. and soon.
through the uncharitable and bitter pre-
judice Of malsvolent partisans who could
not. or would not, see aught but evil in
an honorable opponent, even though be
had but few months before command
ed and received the highest commsnda-
tions and praise from those very partisans
for bis exalted and impartial adninistra-
tion Of the government Of the greatest
Of the American States, became a Bit
ter war Of vituperation, abuse, villifiea-
ton and slander, aud was prosecuted in |
spirit Of the bittsrest anlmosity and
hate. quicksning into life the slumbering |
and dying passions Of sectional prejsdics
and strife. And even yet. though nearly
two months have elapsed since the elsc.
tien was held, the contest is still car
risd on and the most shameful attempts
are being made BY shameless partisans
to override the will Of the people and
manipulate the election in the interests
of party, and force into the executive
chair man whom the people refused.
Thus the year closes upon our country.
Instead of centennial era Of good feel
ing, reconciliation and kindness, it has
proved anIsra Of partisan prejudice, Sec
tional hate and political and personal
malice and ill-will. and as We enter upon
. new year We look back upon the past
with no longing desire for repetition
Of its scenes, and forward to the future
With feelings Of dread as we contemplate
the possible consequences Of the evil
Vaccinations Of wicked and designing
men; but jet we have an ardent hope
that the good sense and better feelings
of the people will prevail. and that
happy and peaceful solution of the pres
ent difficulties will ultimately be reached
and that no worse calamities will follow.
In other countries, too, 1915 has been
q year of trouble and disaster. Wars
bloody pinions have been unfolded and
carnage and tumult have laid waste the
land and brought death. distress and
suffering to thousands Of households. -
Several Of the European provinces of
Turkey, wearisd With the expressions
of their Mohammedau rulers have risen |
in opposition and rsvolted against their
government and are endeavering to
throw off the yoke Of the hated Turk.
Once again the cross is engaged in
bloody strife with the crescent
In Mexico another revelation has
taken place; the chief executive has
been driven. fugitive from bis capital
and bis government overthrow. Mil
itsry usurpation has succeeded to civil
authority and the successful chieftains
Of the revolution, unable to reconcile
their conflicting claims, are preparing to
settle them BY force Of arms, and new
civil war is daily threatened Thus the
old year dies and the new year dawns
amid clouds and gathering storms Of