The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-10-03
John Howard.


after them. The evil is like taint in
the blood. However long time it may
linger, poisoning as it goes, at last 1t is
eradicated. The good goes on. But it
is not always that with noble heritage
left to humanity name is linked undy-
ing. So it seems to have been, however,
with the self.denying, simplifying, no.
BILE Howard-a man whom "all the blood
of all the Howards" would not have en-
nobled like his life of toll and suffering,
spent, as Burke put it, taking the gauge
and dimensions of misery, depression
and contempt" After a century has
elapsed, the name of Howard is still a
watchword, g symbol of the open heart
and generous charity, of the soothing
hand and soft step, Of melting sympathy
and watchful care, of the midnight vigil
in the halls of the rich and in the huts
of the poor. Wherever mighty and un
sparing affliction has obliterated all dis
tinctions and fused all men into humani-
ty, and made native nobility in man
stand out bright in the darkness of woe,
the name OF Howard still lives to be
stay and hope for the well and a comfort
for the sick and afflicted. 1t was no ac-
cident led to the adoption of the name
Howard Association" of which we hear
so much. 1t was kindred ideas and SYM
pathies which saw in the name of a man
who produced revival of that broad
humanity which is the fundamental idea
of Christianity, fit appellation.
John Howard, F. r. S., was born in
1925, at Hockbury, near London, the
son of tradesman, and inherited an in
dependent fortune. 1t was not used for
any low ends, not even for that higher Of
low ends mentioned by the poet, who ad-
vised the acquisition Of wealth:
~-. "Not for to hide it in o ditch,
Not for train attendant.
But for the glorious privilege
Of being independent"
Far from seeking independence, he
used it in making himself the slave of
humanity in a physical sense, but there
by secured that noble independence of e
man whose moral nature lifts him above
all trammels of sense and low desires.
He was on mission of mercy to Lisbon,
after the great earthquake, when he met
with misfortune which was the director
of his future life. Captured by French
privateer, his life in prison determined
his life-work amongst the wretched aud
vile, to alleviate sutferings and seek some
restoration of the means of moral reform,
of which the criminal was deprived by
prison life and discipline. He visited
most of the prisons of England, and in
duced the Common to begin system Of
prison reform. From that, l774, he
spent his life travelling over Europe, Wis
iting prisons and hospitals, nursing and
relieving the sick, sharing the prison fare
with the worst criminals and exhibiting
the most heroic devotion. He was tenn
perate, self-denying, simple in habits
and, in diet, rigidly abstemious.
In 1890, after Il life time spent in good
works, he died on the field of honor at
his post. 1t may seem that such life
should have ended at home with friends
about the couch, and the sympathetic
hands of wife and children to soothe and
caress and catch the whispered farewell
of one on whom the curtain has descend
ed in the last act. His last act was one
of piece with his life. A terrible pes
thence of fever had broken out on the
Black Sea, and he hastened to labor for
the relief of the suffering and study the
causes of pestilence in the interest of
coming generations, when he was stricken
down ut Cherson, and died away from
country, home and friends, but died at
his post, walking the dreary round on his
beat, guarding Others against death.
Such a life is ftly perpetuated in the
| name of Howard in our cities, where
hundreds and thousands of heroes, i'm
bued with the same humanity, enlisted
in the same cause, win the same bright
crown, either in an honorable death no.
bly, won, or in an approving conscience.
Perhaps no earthly name fingers or earth
ly fame is enshrined, but what of that?
The commanders name fingers on pages
to be written years after, but the reward
for duty as honestly and as nobly per-
formed has been awarded equally to him
who sleeps in an unmarked grave, per-
haps never missed from the roll of the
world.-NashviRe american.