The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-11-30

Whenever any event happens in this
country that causes any unusual opuG"r
comment, political, financial, or even so
cial or religious, the croakers and proph-
cts of evil seem to take malicious de-
light in efforts to excite the apprehcn-
,sions of the timid by minging the noisome
.drippings of Their shallow brains with the
teas that tiow from their nIOisticss eyes,
and exhibiting to The world the repuisive
compound as pretended wisdom just
now, owing to the public suspense attend
ing the delay of the final decision of TIC
Presidential question, these human owls
ravens of the lard are gloatinT in grand
opportunity OF indu!g:as their chronic
habit of hooting and croaking-the
frightful imprfcctitns OF our political
system being the burden Of their plants,
and the inevitable certtin;y Of the carly
downfall of the Republic being the object
Of their lugubrious representations. We
Lave now on the table before US number
of letters and essays from this class OF
nervous alarmists, sent US for publca-
ton, within the past few days, Not sat
islied with their own secret enjoyment OF
thoughts and expectations of darkness,
they are anxious to spread gloomy spell,
like a pail, over all the land. We cannot
crafty their ambition in this respect, for
the reason that we cannot SYM alhlZc
with aheir sickly fears, anticipations or
theories. They are prophets OF eYli
while we, though assuming ~ be neither
prophets Tor the sons Of prophets" have
sufficient patriotic faith 10 believe that
the day of disaster aud doom, which they
would have IT, think is nigh ut hand, IS
not yet ready to break its destructive hof-
rors upon this land Of popular intelligence
and free government.
Impcrfcctions in our political system
have recently been developed, and posi-
bic perils have become apparent; but 1t IS
lust such contests and cvcptua'itics as the
late incidents and circumstances OF the
late political campaign and its present
or prospective sequel which serve as in
structive lessons for the bcttermcnt OF
that system and the prevention of n rccLr-
renee of those perlls. We take it that the
American pcorle-thosc of thcm who
mould, guide and control public opinion
and national moycmcntS-havc sense
-cnou Ii, patriotism enough, if not enough
REGARD for the personal and the cCmmun
welfare, to temper their zeal in behalf Of
PARTY, faction or prejudice with those
prudential considerations to which The
sober sccond-thought' ordinarily in
spires thoughtful minds. The truth is,
none of us, as American citizens, as the
inhcritors and posscssors of common
national heritage, can afford rashIy to
make fools of ourselves at the risk OF sac
rificing everything that we hold sacred
our individual rights, tenurcs and othel
precious interests. We're we IA nation OF
ignorant and unthinkirg scmi-barbarianS,
this assurance of our national stability
would be wanting: but the one simple but
potent fact that we are, on the whole, d
nation Of civilized, thoughtful people, he
appreciate the truth that the common ma
,tonal peace, safety and prosperity mean
the peace, safety and prosperity OF each
individual citizen, is the chief and all
powerful reason Why no great number OF
us would madiy rush into those excuses
which would involve the country in :
civil war, with its attendant horrors and
vidual sclf-intcrcsts, as people, is the
guaranty of our national continuance il
the future, as ii has been in the past. A
all cycnts,we shall prefer to hope and be
lievc that it is so until we shall discover
better and more sufficient reasons for be
licving otherwise than any which have
vet appeared or are likely to appear il
the near future.
The man who is constantly predicting
.calamitics to come is scarcely less mis-
-Chevious as in element Of society than
he WHO deliberately plans to precipitatc
grave ills upon 4 community. The rock.
less gamblers in politics, to whatever par.
,ty belonging, who, in the spirit Of bragga'
%docia or menace, threaten violence in case
the candidates upon whom they have
Toolishly wagered their money or fUnlly
staked their hopes shall not be declared
successful, are unworthy the name and
blessings of American citizcnship-they
would gamble away the very heads on
stheir shoulders, if anybody could be
found who would deem the stake of any
value, and then, should they fail to win,
would insist that all other mems heads
must pay the penalty Of their folly, and
ttheir own be spared. And then the pro-
phct of evil, as innocent as u lamb and
quite as blatant, would step up and insist
that that is just precisely what will and
must and should happen" heads | win,
tails you lose"
Who threaten "civil war;" Who NUT
ter threats of anarchy, slaughter and ruin
if this man or that party should be Count
ed in" or counted out?' They are not
. statesmen, nor men of brains, and cSpc-
'cially are they moi men Of patriotism,
good sense or good citizenship. They
are reckless and seditious members of
community. Their threats arc treason,
and their natures are cowardiY, mean and
treachcrous. Good and faithful citizens
and men of sense abide by the laws of
1.-THE land, and respect the laws obligations,
requirements, decisions. They rely up
on the legitimate means of peace not VIC
'ience, for the righting of wrongs and the
of grievances. And these are
the great mass of the brave, intelligent,
thoughtful American people-the real
ruling and governing power of the nation
and in them and to them we may safely
trust every national controversy for just
and righteous disposition.
Let us, then, hear no more of violent
measures, civil war, the braggadocia of
the bully, or the winnings and snifiiings
Of croakers. We need tranquility and
tranquil counses. We need inspirations
to popular confidence in our politics, in
our commerce, in our national destiny
These inspirations can be checked only
by the croakers and the alarmists who go
about, like birds of i'll omen in the night
time, 10 brighten women, children and
weak hearted men.
And as regards the revealed and de-
imperfcctions and perils of our
political system, let Congress, the teprc
sentatiyes of the people, set to work, at |