The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-01-16
RESPECT THE CONQUERED.

Among all our minor charities, the "wee
sma'" courtesies Of life, none are more grace
full than kind words and respectful greetings
to those against whom the battle of life has
gone adversely. The strife with them, we
know, if they know it not, is over. We can
see by their changed manner. their dimmed
eyes, and their wavering discourse that they
have fought their last battle against frowning
Fortune. Even their attempts to seem con-
tent and cheerful betray them, for while they
try to amuse Us with old stories, to relate the
ludicrous incidents of other days, q low echo
comes from the sad chambers of the heart and
mingles its mournful notes with their voices.
They say, perhaps, that they hope to "get
up again in the world" but We can see plainly
enough that they are hors du combat and Grip
pied beyond the hope Of restoration. They
may have shown courage Of high order in
their days Of battle. but they are brave no
highest grade and strength such as made
them like machines of iron for toll and con-
test but now they are growing listless and
weak. The spirit that delights in strife, the
guadia certaminis, they feel no longer and
know only as q memory. As worn and
wounded seamen gaze from the windows Of
their hospital by the harbor's shore, upon the
"tall snchoring barks." alive with busy off,
cers and mariners, SO do these detected,
overdone and conquered citizens look out
upon the haunts OF those who still toll and
still maintain themselves in ife's hard war
fare What they see Of the prosperity of their
fellowmen is to them q sad and constant re.
hinder Of what they have struggled for and
never won. or what they have once possessed
and then failed to hold. Their frames may
still retain health, strength and animation;
their appetites may still be normal,
and their general physical condition
wholesome and sound. II in the enjoy-
ment of prosperity, with the appliances
and comforts of wealth around them,
helped by servants, fostesel by interested
friends and fattered with the Difference
which the wealthy and successful always re-
ceive, few would think and none would say of
them that their best days are over. Yet
denuded in property and impoverished in
true position from any shrewd observer.
How shall those who are Sill in the sup
posed road to success, and who are still striv-
ing to win, to hold, to regain or to increase
their possessions, treat those who have
fallen out of the ranks? Pride survives
failure and these are proud in spite OF their
poverty. In point of character they are often
more to be respected than those who sue
coed, and often their failure is attributable
to scruples which the successful do not regard
Their fall is often due to their better natures
which forbade them from boarding while
they were able to give pleasure, consolation or
relief with their means. Their misfortunes
may have grown out OF virtues not duly re-
strained and modified, or they may have
sprung from vices long ago conquered and
How shall they be treated by
those who still keep up the line of battle
against misfortune and still f sht for success ?
The actions of men will answer for them in
different terms, according to their state and
disposition. The actions Of the grossly selfish
will answer selfshly, aud hold in memory
none whom fortune has looked upon unkindly.
The man Of meis policy will turn aside from
the unsuccessful and seek more profitable in
tercourse with fortunes favorites. But those
who know better law than the law Of self, aud
who try to cultivate and who delight to en-
ploy their higher and better faculties, will
not withhold from the victims Of adversely
candid and cordial sympathy or any of the
courtesies that spring from a considerate
benevolence Considered in the abstract, or
with reference to the sum total of possible
pain or pleasure, there is but slight difference
between success and failure, and both are
more the results of accident than of care and
design. He who fails need not be despond-
ent or ashamed and he who succeeds will
not, if wise, be proud or arrogant # of
noble and worthy nature the man on whom
fortune smiles will not be selfish, or cold, OF
fogertful towards those who have fallen by