St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-10-19
A Lesson for the Times.

Here is story which we recommend
to the lesser Mortons and Gilmans, who
are not yet found out. There are such
men, who know themselves unfit for the
trust reposed in them, and yet go on
rObbing others, pursued by fearful
looking-for of Judgment. Not necessa-
rily villains by nature, either. The re
cent hard times and the struggle fol
display and power make temptations
strong, and the American custom OF
leaving officials unmatched makes fraud
easy. Good reputation alone will carry
man through forgeries as clumsy as
Gilman's, and swindle as gigantic as
Morton's, and enable him, like the lat
ter gentleman, when he is found out
to charm respectful reporters with
grandiloquent declarations of remorse
until they hasten to cover up his crime
with admiration of the Christian graces
with which he adorned it. Heaven for
bid that we should be hard upon any
fallen man. But there is no more sig
nificant sign of the corruption of pnb-
lie morals, and there is no surer way t.
spread that corruption among the
young, than the good humOred for
bearance Which such criminals now
meet from the public, the leniency
with which their felony is excused and
rebaptised as mistake. Half of Mr.
Morton's virtue was hidden from the
public, until his exposure, when the
Philadelphia press lifted it to view as
Shem did his fathers garments, and
walking respectfully backward, cover
ed him with it. Any keen witted lad
reading the story as told at the time
would be bewildered to find where the
virtue ended and where the crime be-
gan in such mans career. We are
apt to forget that the history of the
world in few years will be made by
just such lads.
Nobody, however, can misunderstood
the meaning of this Kentucky story.
A certain lawyer in Lewis County was
appointed Judge of the Criminal Court
being a much younger man than had
ever before held the office. He was a
brilliant, honorable fellow and sound
jurist, thoroughly competent for his of
fee except that he drank hard. The
other day, in opening court, he was SC
much under the influence of liquor as
to be unable to transact business. The
next day, being sober, he came into
court, and in few manly, direct words
acknowledged that he was victim to
vice which had disgraced him. ~
am unworthy of the honor and trust
conferred upon me-" he said, "and be-
ing unworthy of my office have re-
signed it. My Judicial integrity and of.
| fetal acts are blameless, thank God
am no longer Judge of Lewis County
May God keep me in my effort to re-
FORM" There was not a sound in the
crowded court as he spoke. No one
could look at him and not know the
struggle through which he passed be.
fore he could SO humiliate himself, wa,
worse to bear than death. But there
is no one whose heart would not warm
to an offender who is man enough te
acknowledge his error, and go honestly
and humbly to work to regain his lost
place. "When the Judge entered the
Court" says the paper from which We
borrow the story, Hthe public feeling
against him was that of anger and con,
tempt but when he went out, every
man there was his friend, and ready tx
hold out helping hand to him. We
have faith in the future of man who
having fallen, could thus make firm
ground under his feet for new path il
in life. Both God and man help those
that help themselves in this fashion,
N. T. Tribune.