Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-05-09
Alffan0rla 6aKtttG
WEDNESDAY. MAY 9, 1877.
Reecher on Hard Times.

Rev. Henry Ward Beecher lectured iD Pbila
delpbia last Monday night on Hard Times.
The Record Of that city gives the following re-
port Of what he said -
The period from 1873 to 1874 will long be
remembered opened Mr.. Beecher, "as the
dark days, and We have often had these dark
| days and they have not been confined to us.
but they have reached across the sea. Mer
are waiting, hoping for something to tide them
| over. WEI is the matter? What has hap
pened ? A great mauy reasons have been
given; some have assigned it to the tariff as
| cause Of the depression, and others think 1t
lies 10 the want Of cooGdence-that if men only
had confidence 10 each other everything would
60 on right. 1t does not occur TO people to in'
quire why there is want of confidence. These
depressions are sleeps in the commercial world
which result from the habit Of giving credit"
The speaker regarded the credit system as u
great benefit. he inquired if "men cannot
pay, must they stand still until they can p
You must give him an opportunity to work his
way out OF difficulties, and to give men credit
gives them chance to begin at once to help
themselves. Where business goes on cash
basis money goes for everything and man for
nothing. Applause. The man who has got
industry, integrity, honesty aud fidelity has
capital which compels him to guard his map-
hood and reputation, and therefore promotes
the morals of society. The system Of credit
has dangers, it is true; but if it had dangers
thousand fold it would still be beneficial. We
are in the bud of great and prosperous future;
We are through with the winter and are 10 the
spring of brighter era. The credit system
will be renewed, and it will be renewed on
careful basis, Men will be thoroughly inspect.
ed, and none but the gilt edge" will be re-
ceived Mr.. Beecher said Ii is not until
men arc tried that they are proved honest
Some men there are whom you can strip OF
everything as the tree is srl rlpped by the blasts
OF wioe-, leaf by leaf until nothing is left, and
will DOT sacrifice their integrity, but these men
dc not walk 10 bat,aons. Laughter aod ap.
pause Men should con61e themsclVes with
in the limits of their own capacities, ADD the
fact that oGe is competent to wOrthl!y I'LL
minor position does Got argue that he Is equally
capable fer the duties 0i larger oCe, AID be-
Cause meu car pay With sma credit 1t does
cot fellow that they can Sustain large one.
Meu say it is the waot Of conhde1ca that rto:
Gucea revu sioos, "hut," SAID Dir. Beecher, Il
say IS tie aaot of cash" Laughter and ap'
piapse.
TIE sneaker affirmed as onc great cause Of
depression the immense amount OF money 10.
vested n railroads. aud said there was 81. l0O..
600, 600 sunk 10 this dark quit. Stocks, said
he, "wcrc the piles drlvvo down by engineers
to place lie first uortgage Looes upon laugh
ter, and the secooc mortgage bonds we're then
built oo the frst aod the third on the secocd
laughter; go. of course, the stock was run out
Of sight" Great laughter.
After showing how many people We're vic.
iimized in these boud swlndes-:hc mechnic,
the farmer aud the preacher here MIR. Beecher
touched bis own breast, to the great amuse.
meet of the audience the ruin caused WAS
huotcd out and the effects illustrated But
the country is COW nearly over the evil effects,
and would speedily realize the good: and the
United Sta,cs-thc united couotry-wil bound
beneath the spur Of renewed activity.
10 an eloquent peroration MIR. Bsecher re-
fcrrcd to the rcgcncratcd Uuiou, with 20 State
turning on bayouet as its pivot. with Il
couotry thus united we must surely feel the
good effects. What the North needs the South
needs; We have got over fighting, and the sun
of prosperity will soon burst forth from north
to south and from east tc west in brightest
splcndor."