Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-03-31
PROM CEDAR HILL.

EDITORS CHRONICLE: When the
people gathered themselves together
on a certain auspicious occasion in
ante belluna" days of prosperity, peace,
happiness and harmony, for the pur-
pose of hearing the gospel expounded,
divided and given out in proper pro-
portion to each one by an Iron side"
minister of no ordinary notoriety, he
advanced the presumptiUe idea that
some had come for the ride, some for
the walk, and some for to hear Shad-
owen talk" Doubtless the conclusion
to which the gentleman had come by
parity of reasoning or by force of cir
cumstantial evidence was correct. So
with reference to newspaper eorrespon-
dents. When one shall have taken
retrospective glance at the various
''ringed, streaked and striped f" produc-
tons of the vast army of literary news
paper contributors, he is forced to the
conclusion by similar process of reas-
oning and like character of evidence
that various were their objects and
motives in writing. He will necessa-
rily conclude that some have written
for character, some for reputation,
some for local notoriety, and others for
the indirect accomplishment of certain
ends, and so on adj intinitun.
We do not propose to assume the
attitude of critic, but merely claim the
right to speak and act upon the ny
pothesis that all public speeches and
newspaper communications are open
TO criticism-sarcastic or not, and that
the principles and doctrines inculcated
therein may, with all conceivable pro-
priety, be endorsed or opposed accord
ing to the manner in which they are
construed or the light in which they
appear. It is a maxim based upon
common sense and good reason that
the beauty of oratory consists in sim
plicity Of language. As evidence of
the truth of this, Mr.. Webster thought
that Daniel Boone paid him the high
est compliment he had ever received
when be (Boone) stepped up to him
and assured him that he understood
every word he used in a speech to
which he had just listened The same
with an equal degree of propriety may
be assumed with reference to written
communications. And in this eonnec-
ton it may not be impertinent to re-
mark that great many modern writer's
have departed from their former teach
ings Cor else they were never taught,
choosing rather to suffer criticism
than to be called disciples of such
dOlts as Webster and his class. There
seems to be quite panic existing at
present both among poets and writers
of prose with regard to mysterious
writing. There seems to have been an
idea conceived among them that the
most imperious is the most popular
writer; that the more ambiguous, in
definite and intangible the idea (if
there be an idea expressed) the more
positive are the indications of superior
literary attainments. Wonderful sim
plicity.
We see Just a little of this disposition |
10 mysterious speaking and writing in
the ministry occasionally. Politicians
and lawyers are full oft; indeed they
are a bundle of mysteries. You may
hear one of them talk a whole day
about bonds" and you know less about /
them at night than you knew in the
morning. This, however, seems to be
their acceded prerogative.
If man has anything to say let him
say it according to the rules of the
language which he proposes to speak.
If he has anything to write let him be
governed by the same rule. If thing
is said and cannot be understood who
is made wiser? If thing be written
and is incomprehensible who can be
profted
The follies of fashions are destruct-
i've to the merits and morals of men.
president Grant and Mr.. Colfax
occupied seats and doscd once a week
in the national pew" in the Metropol-
itau church, Washington, after having
gone there in the grandest style imagi-
nable because it was fashionable,
whereas the fraudulent President"
and his lady 1rdl& out in the open and
genial atmosphere to the church of
their choice, seat themselves in the !
congregation, say their prayers and
participate in the services like other
white folks. Mrs. Hayes is a devout
Methodist and a warm advocate of the
temperance cause. The manner in
which the President and his lady go
to church, the position they occupy in
the house, and their participation in
the services may be deemed an admi-
rable new departure. - We have thus
far been unable to ascertain whether
the President and his lady do or do
not eat soup with fork.
A pretty, sweet, smiling young widow
of the bon ton department assured me
a few days since that gentleman who
uses the knife instead of the fork while
eating is absolutely regarded as indie
cent, impolite, and not even respecta-
BILE among the celebrated upper tendon,
and referred to love case in which
the dolt had been rejected by the rosy
fingered beauty because of his stupidity
in point of etiquette. Since the lady
furnished me with this importdnt-but
what she denominated Indispensable
information, l have been rather
thoughtful on the subject, endeavoring
to arrive at some reasonable conclusion
as to the cause and prOpriety of this
fashionable edict, but have failed quite
sigually. We are of the opinion, how