The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-12-30
A Nov Year.


ewhirligig Of time The old year is
drawing rapidly to close, and we stand
upon the threshold Of the new, looking
back, Janus-like, to the cue, and forward
to the other. The old year has been dis
tinguisked chiefly for four things-its
teeming abundance; its business depres-
sion; the Centennial Exposition; and the
Presidential election, or non-election,
whichever il may be. What Is the new
year likely to be remarkable fcr9 Wilt
be distinguished for peace and prosperity,
or the reversed Will it bring joy or sor-
row-poverty and privation or plenty and
plethoa9 None may answer these ques-
tons None may lift the veil which hides
the future from our sight, but all must
await, as in the past, the gradual unrOlling
Of the scroll of fate, hour by hour, day by
day, in trust and confidence, not in our
own strength, or wisdom, or self-suficien-
cy, but in humble reliance on the great
All.Father, whose tender care is over all
his creatures, and who assures US that not
even a sparrow falleth to the ground with
out his notice. Few men realize this, and
yet ii is literally true. The great drama
list realized It when he said-"There is
divinity which shapes our ends, rough hew
them how we will And very roughly do
we hew them at best; were it not for the
shaping given to them by higher power,
sad work would We make Of them, indeed.
The coming year ought to be, and in
some respects may be, an improvement on
the past. The country is full Of substance,
Of corn and wine and OIL None Of the
elements Of wealth are lacking. All that
is needed to restore general prosperity, is
good government, return Of confidence
which will unlock capital and set the wheels
Of industry aud enterprise in motion, CIV
ing employment to the hands which are
now idle for the want Of something to do.
Our difficulties are chiefly political, and
within the control Of wise and prudent
craftsmanship. If Mr.. Tilden should be
peacefully inaugurated on the 4th of
March next, aud honest government re-
stored; rigid economy practized III all
branches of the public service; strict ae-
countability enforced upon all public Off
GERS; the tariff modified so as to be laid
chiefly on Injuries, while articles Of prime
necessity are free and taxation reduced,
the country would at once enter upon a
career Of prosperity unparalleled in her his
tory, and we should at once welcome the
return Of better days, aHording profitable
employment to the thousands who are now
idle and charge upon the public bounty
because they can get nothing to do.
What happy termination this would be
to the business depression and financial
distress which have afflicted the country for
the last several years. On the contrary,
should reckless and revolutionary cabal
succeed in foisting upon the country
man not chosen to the presidency by the
suffrage of the people, and the same cor
rupt men control the administration that
have controlled it for several years past,
the country will scarcely be able to realize
any Of these bright anticipations Of future
prosperity, but will have to drag on in its
present woful plight, with reasonable
prospect before it that affairs will grow
from bad to worse until ruin and wretch
edness stalk abroad over the whole land.
IF this is to be our fate, let us not seek to
draw aside the veil which hides it from our
vision, that We may look upon it in antici-
patton, for the hideous reality will reveal
itself all too soon. We have no such an
ticipations, however, for the indications
all point to the dawn Of better day. Let
us hope that the new year will usher it in.