The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-03-16

ocrats or Republicans concede that the
loss of this state is to determine their
chances in November, and yet it seems to
be pretty generally acknowledged that
such an event will be more disastrous
to the party now in power than their OPP
ponents, and will set against them such a
tide as they will find almost impossible to
overcome in the coming campaign. In
which ease we may live to see the old raj
lying cry metamorphosed into las goes
New Hampshire SO goes the Union"
Meantime the Belknap exposure doesn't
seem to preach its solemn lesson to any
body in particular, or if it does the warn
ing is Slow to take effect. since at no time
during the present congressional season
has there been such an influx Of gavly
dressed visitors as during the past two
weeks. Visiting the capitol and noting the
richly arrayed throngs that pour through
the rotunda, fill up the corridors and stair
ways, and overrun the galleries, one could
in that incessant cry of hard times, or to
the fact that the country not only hovers
on the brink but has taken Il long stride
downward into the abyss OF bankruptcy,
however much they might have faith that
the prevailing signs OF extravaganza would
speedily bring about such a result. All
the world meets here, at least that part Of
it represented by the United States, and
some beside. and all come clad in their
best and holiday attires, so that nowhere
is to be seen the same amount Of eXpcn-
siye dressing, elegant equipages, costly
furnished houses and other examples OF
high and luinous living rs here, not even
in rioting Gotham, where every woman
goes her bottom dollar on dress. and the
men live like princes until they BRING up
in the penitentiary As a matter OF curl
osity, mention to New York woman any
other subject than that all engrossng one
that has pre0ccupied the female mind ever
since mother Eve ale the apple, down to
the present hour, and see if she won't ele-
vate her eyebrows and shrug her shout
ders after that peculiar French style, and
| reply languidly, with a very perceptible
shade of sad reproach in her musical voice
-"Ah perceive you are strong minded,
and come from Boston, as if that last
| contained the climax Of all possible and
| impossible crimes. And yet Vanity Fair.
with all its frivolities and nonsense, holds
supremest reign here at the capital Of the
| nation, its yotaries gathered up from every
| city, town, village and hamlet, large and
| small, this broad country over, righteous
| Boston, the very centre OF civilization, not
| excepted. 1t is wonderful how an appetite
thrives by what it feeds on, and how soon,
how very soon, persons coming here with
the simplest wants and tastes, get fastened
| to this dazzling car OF fashion, power and
| place, and long to drive at headlOng pace
| to the envy OF all beholders, ut Il cost far
exceeding their widest and most Nisiona-
| " dreams of 4 few Years before, and to
| the utter ruin of both body and soul. That
this is due to the pernicious system that
has sprung into vogue here OF late years,
Of making money and good clothes the
| only and absolute passports TO what is
termed "best society,"" is certain. And rs
this same 'best society"is at present man
aged, any first class cook or pretty cham
| bermaid may look forward with not I'M
reasonable expectations Of some day see
ing her name heralded as the stately Mad
am or the piquant, graceful Mrs. -,
| who leads fashion and society at the capi-
| tai, wears The most expensive toiettes,
gives the most brilliant entertainments,
| and, in short, is Just the most desirable
person in all Washington to know.
Just at present, poor Mrs. Belllnap is
the victim Of the gigantic elephant OF en-
ulation and envy, OF woman's vanity
and mans ambition, and is the target OF
every body's condemnation and contempt
and vet is not a whit worse than plenty
of others, except in getting found out
There is not the least doubt that had ii
been the fashion to be plain, prudent and
domestic. Mrs. Belknap had not fallen,
but would have eXcelled as pre-eminently
in these as she did in her Partisan hnery
and gorgeous entertainments; since the
natural ambition and energy Of the wo-
man would make her q leader anywhere
But what can you expect from a woman
trained from babyhood to consider only
frills and tlounces, laces and jewels, rib
bons and bows? Don't blame poor Mrs
Belknap, but pity her, pity every woman
brought up in this horrible fashion, and
blame this great, hideous Moloch that we
call fashion Why don't the eloquent
women of our day turn their attention,
not to making woman manly, but more
womanly? Why don't they plead for a
different system of education for girls, in
stilling it into their minds by precept and
example that in their hands lies all the
future glory and greatness of our beloved
country? Does anybody doubt that an
earnest, sensible, refined, prudent wom-
anhood would not change and improve
the manhood OF this country? If they
do, let them try the experiment for the
next century. It's not much use to 60 tC
the top of the tree for reform, but incline
the twigs in the right direction on start
ing | once sat at a hotel table at nine
o'clock at night partaking, rs necessity
of a late supper, and beside me sat two
little girls, unattended by parent or ser
want. the eldest of whom could not have
seen more than eight years 90 by, ar
rayed in the most deliberately trimmed
silks, directing the servants hither and
thther with an assumption of dignity and
superciliousness that would have been
laughable had it not been painful anC
ordering hot coffee and steaks at that late
hour with an air Of long habit and Gus
tom. Should perverted nature prolong
their span Of life, what will there be left
for them at twenty but broken constitu
tons, frettulness, repining, and the vair
attempt to kill time by the most unheard
of extravagances and dissipation? L
the political economists and statesmen o
America desire really to reform the abus
es of our body polite, let them lay the
axe at the root, and train the children il
the way they should go, and so make so
Der, sensible men and women of them
instead of the dancing, brainless puppets
and Haunting butterflies that they are
now
1t is a pleasure to record, amidst sc
much vanity and extravaganza, that there
is one sweet, modest little woman here il
Washington, the wife of a real, live mem
Der of Congress- tall, broad shouldered
noble looking man, who has sat for many
years in Congress, an honor to his party
and liked by his opponents as fair, con