The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-09-20
A Capital Essay.
from the Farmville Mercury.1

from the Farmville Nercnfy.l
SOME REMARKS ON FOOLS.
Against stupidity, says great writer, the
very gods fight invictorious. Like the UiS
inertia, OF inanimate matter, the resisting
mower of fools in the mass Is great force
i'm nature. 'Tis easy to overcome or brush
aside the resistance of single atom, but
vast conrlomeration Of such will stand I'M
moved against the impact OF steam en-
CINE under full head OF steam. SINH
larIy a single fool may be an object OF COM
mlseration or ridicue; but as one OF
Il countless multitude he becomes an OBJ
ject of no small consideration. "What,"
said Prince Hal. speaking to his boon con-
panion Poins Of his fathers expected death,
..wbat would'st think OF me II should
wcep?" 81 would think thee" replies
Poins, "a most princely hypocrite." "lt
would be every mans thought" re)olhs
the Prince, "and thou art blessed Jettoao
10 Mink as eUery man Times never
u mans thought in the world keeps
the roadway better than thine" Ana
this, as a general RUE, is just the want
tape ground Of n fool; he has plenty
of company to keep him in countenance.
And this OF necessity, since he usually
forms his opinions OF men and things less
OF his own Judgment than from outside alb
sorption. Even in this age OF multiplied
olosies and indefinite newspapers, the num-
Der OF people who take their opinions, like
their hats, ready made, is abundantly
large to prove that it would still be Il
dangerous experiment to unloose the
foo-killer upon any civilized commit
nifty. Of course. we don't speak row
OF that inyetrate type OF the genus fool OF
whom it is said in Eoly writ that tho ugh
YOU bray him in mortar with pestle, yet
will not his folly depart from him. On
such an one argument or demonstration IS
alike wasted. But there is not few OF us,
dearly beloved. who take rank with those
OF the long-eared persuasion merely be-
cause it is the fashion to be-haw; mere.
" because we prefer to listen to the
voice OF passion or prejudice rather
than to that OF reason; merely because we
don't want TO be at the pains OF thinking
for ourselves. For example, how else is it
possible that q paper like the Richmond
Whiq should venture TO recommend to the
people OF Virginia Us Il panacea for all their
financial ills, to do what in them lies TO
strew the State "two feet deep" with
an issue OF irredeemable greenbacks
What would we think VI a man who should
srayely PROFOUND it as an automatic truth
All RoNC} SCiSDSC Shae Wv PSoP1S
were made for kings. not kings for the peo-
pie? To our ears the proposition sounds
monStrous enough; yet it required the eX-
penditure of millions OF treasure and the
lavish outpourinS OF such blood as Hamp-
denis to estiblish the converse. Would the
WHO'S greenback proposition sound less
monstrous if we could look at it as q
mere abstract question? Unfortunately
we all want money very badly, and In the
fond hope that there is possibility OF
getting it by such cheap method as that OF
voting for 1t, we are very willing to allow
ourselves to be persuaded by any sort OF
reasoning that looks to so delightful a con-
clusion. Now, nothing is impossible which
does not involve contradiction. 1t is pos
sole that defaulting cashier levants with
trust-funds committed to his charge for
the sole purpose OF furnishing warning
against dishonesty to the rising genera
ton; it is possible that the murderer OF
old Mr. Nathon committed the deed for
the sole purpose OF furnishing the ground
work Of mysterious romance; 1t is posi-
bic that people will continue to take us
money the promises to par OF a Government
that never pays; all this no doubt is posi-
Die, but 1t Is 50 extravagantly improbable
that man who would act upon such posi-
bilities as facts would be pretty generally
esteemed as fit subject for the iunaiic asy-
1um.
But 1T is not our design to make any SCI
rioas argument against this irredeemsble-
greenbak extravaganza, which We merely
Drought In by way OF Illustration Of our sub
ject. We and this subject, by the way, too
vast for the limits OF newspaper article.
We trust We shall not lay ourselves sable to
the charge OF diseourtesy il we say Ia
conclusion OF the Whig-Which is doubt
less made, like Hodges rlzors. to SELL
that II Il succeeds In putting meRey in Its
purse by making converts TO IFS 4 twc-foot
deep theory. ID would be no more than
common justice to leave its gains by sill
Ses the benefit OF the insane OF the Com
IL viii find at least one impair
1Ial fudge ready TO say Of il, rs was said OF
Dean Swift: z
~ Y zIe left the HtfIe wealth he had sss. II
TO build house for fools and mad;
And Showed, ty one satirie touch
NG people wa1.ed II so mnch.n
lRs-------------
General Weayer's efforts to 70 to Con-
gresa somehow or. other feHaiAd us OF u man
s.aio has Just washed his hsnds In strong
soap-suds and Is trying 70 turn q porcelain.
daer-k peb TO get into the next Room for a
towel lie nsualiy makes q tremendous
nIaount OF motions TO q Very little progress.
n ~AzlA9 i