The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-03-08

tall lighthouse uuSl'J tllch pu"y i"i''
And Pie rude granite scatters, for lhclr pains
Those small deposits that were meant lol pIain
Yet the tall fabric in the morning sun
Stands all unmidful Of the mischief ZONE
Still the red beacon p0urs ms evening rays
, For the lost mariner with as lull Il Dlaze, ,
And shines all radiance DER the scattered meet
OF gull ana boobies, brainless at It's leet
The discussion of the Mississippi Sens
torial question of 1880, and especially tn
discussion of the personal fitness of res
or rumored aspirants for the election
which is then to occur is at present quit
premature. 1t is WORSE than idle Tor Tn
small-fry politicians who are sleeping can
didates for the place-and their name
legion-to be cunningly and slyly getIinj
their little names mentioned as posslbl
senators. God bless their little sonls
They had best keep quiet, and watch for
chance to get in on compromise after
should, perchance, be discovered that nj
man of large calibre can get the place
True this is a slim prospect, but it is the
only one possible for seven-eighths of thu
gentlemen, who have thus far referred tt
themselves, or have been referred to by
others. (In some instances, perhaps, by
their own instigation.)
But it is amusing to see, whenever mar
of real senatorial abilities and character il
mentioned or referred to even in the mos
coniectural manner, as being in any res
pect fitted for the place, how all the sleep
ers aforesaid and their respective hackers
begin to shake their empty heads and faI
their assinine ears in holy horror of "tha
mans record" as connected with the war ant
the rebellion. For example there is mar
in our minds eye, who by reason of his
colossal intellect, his vast attainments, his
ripe Judgment, his admitted patriotism
his great and oft tried courage, his faith
fulness to every trust, and his unsullied
honor, has, for many years occupied
large space in the nations and the worlds
eye. He has served his State and the
Union in both houses of the federal Con-
gress; in many a weary march to meet the
enemies of his country on their own soil ;
and in many stricken field. He has seen
many years of service in the Senate and the
Cabinet. When the storm of war was
about to descend upon the Republic, he
stood as q statesman at the helm of the
Union, bravely endeavoring to avert it, as
the world knows, as long as there was any
hope; and when Hope fed, he took a
mournful adieu to that august body, and at
the call of Mississippi and the South, du>
ring the dark and weary years of blood and
death, which followed, he became the CEN
trail figure among a brave people struggling
for self-goverment, possessed of almost
kingly powers among his own people, and
over their lives, property and liberties,
malice, envy, or falsehood cannot point to
even one voluntary act of cruelty or dis
honor. He saw free Republic born, and
saw that Republic wiped from the map of
the world. His cause and his people went
down, but he went down with them. The
despots iron heel was upon their necks, but
that despot's iron manacles were upon his
arms and ANGLES in the gloomy dungeons
of Fortress Monroe. The moral sense of
manhood was shocked at the cruelty of his
sufferings; but the world was filled with
admiration at the heroic patience with
which those sufferings were borne.
1t was needless, and we will not turn
aside at this distance of time to say that the
cause in which the great chiefta1n and his
people were engaged was, or was not intrin-
1cally right. Whatever may be the ulti- |
nate verdict of history upon that subject,
here can be no doubt that their honest |
md faithful adherence to that cause, their |
iufferings and sacrifice in their vain, but |
none the less heroic, efforts to uphold it |
nave made that cause a holy cause in the |
of all who love liberty, or adj
nire courage or martial faith, whether they
the one flag or the other, or live
n this or in a foreign land.
This is the briefest possible summary of
he facts; but the summary fnlly justifes
md vindicates the man in all the heights
nd depths of his sublime history and
more sublime genius and character. And
ct many little upstairs, begotten of the
ogs, and born of one season to perish the
ext, speaking in their own behalf, or in
he interest of others as silly as them
elves, have already displayed their agonies
f fear, lest the illustrious man of whom
re speak should be placed before the peo-
lie and Legislature in 1880 as a possible
ompetitor with the small fry politicians for
seat in the Senate. But we opine that it
S not their objections to him as Senator;
ut rather to him as candidate.
his is the character in which the
lagnifying glasses of the small fry are
ow turned upon him. But when the
agile is soaring in the air, the owls and
ats had best keep their holes.
1t is not probable, it is only an idle
onjecture, that the gentleman to whom re-
srence is thus made intends ever again to
eturn to public life Should he do SO, we
re by no means sure. that should we have
ny influence, we should favor him or his
ause. That will depend on the csljbre and
of the competitors that may APP
,ear against him. But we desire only to
xpress the contempt with which the petty
lurs, sneers and inuendoes with which this
lluatrious g ntleman is being assailed.
The Board of Supervisors adjourned
Thursday evevening. They hold their next
ocular meeting at Raymond. Nothing of
General interest transpired during TIE meet
ng-the usual number Of accounts were al