Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1876-03-25
LUXURY AND EXTRAVAGANZA.

Oluc6 Tile Deikudp sC8uu6l we nave
heard a great deal about extravagsnce
in Washington City in the way of
dress, 1uxuriously furnished estsb-
lishments and equipages. This is no
new thing. and it has often before
been urged by democrats that the
luxurious ways of living, INDUCED in
by federal officials, was unrepubli-
can. and should be stopped. Philos-
ophers have, in all ages, decried lux
ury as enervatIng to the body, and
depraving to the mind and morals of
man. We hear it often said that it is
impossible to live in Washington,
even in all unostentatious way, on
less than ten, fifteen or twenty thou
sand dollars year. If this is 20, why
is it so? Because the servants of the
people have been spoiled by an cx-
traysgant and loose administration of
public. affairs, by which they have
been enabled to possess themselves OF
large sums of money, honorably if
they could, ,dishonorably if they must.
While we are endeavoring to insti-
tute reforms, let the people of the
country, let the Statesmen of the
country. let the press of the country
make an effort at reform In this di-
rection. And the best place that we
know of to commence, 10 in the man.
sion of the man who should be the
fret gentleman of the United States
the president.
This has already been done to some
extent by the reduction of the presi-
dents's salary from fifty to twenty
i've thousand dollars. As the per-
quisites of the position are about as
much as the salary, lot them be cut
down in proportion, aud let it be un.
derstood that the dignity of the posi-
ton is to be maintained, not by ex-
pensive wine suppers and magnificent
receptions, but by honorable deport-
ment, and the country will have made
stride towards purity OF conduct
that will be worth more to it than q
thousand empty phrases, such as, 'let
US have peace aud let no guilty man
escape,' which are spoken from tho
teetA out.
When q. S. Grant hauled cord.
wood for living, he was az good a
man as he is to-day; and he then
found more comfort in . split bot
toned chair than he now does in q
brocaded divan, and it would be
worth millions of dollars to the coun-
try if he could condescend to study
lessons of the past, aud endeavor to
set all example to his army of retain
ers by returning to the simplicity
and economy Of the primitive days
of the republic. 1t may tickle his
vanity to see his receptions mention.
ed as gorgeous affairs, where the flow
ers alone cost some thousands of dol.
lars; and 10 read some jenkins &C.
count of the silks and jewels worn by
his wife and daughter, but he would
live in history in better light were
he to frown down all such clap traps
and receive his guests in comforta.
BILE but uncarpeted parlors. God for
bid that the day should ever come
when the people of this country could
applaud the effort which seems tc
prevail in Washington of aping the
luxury aud pomp of aristocratis
courts. When that day comes, W.
may look for an early dissolution Of
our republican government, and W,
have only to read Roman history tt
see how soon we could descend in tb,
scale of prosperity.
{ If Gen. Grant wants to gain tn,
applause of good men, in all parties
let him institute such q reform ss il
limited at above; and W hen the dem
ocrats come to nominate q candidate
for the presidency, let them lool
Wellto it that they name Q man tha
cannot be led into encouragement
of luxury and Veluptuous ease at tn
expense of the pnri,y and virtue o
the country. -,