Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-20
Thursday Evening, Feb. 20, 1879.
sALMAGUNpI.
once: Is Madison Street.

EDITOR LEDGER And what of the
outlook now? And what does a cast
of the city horoscope present? Who
can tell? Have we no Delphic oracle?
Has the fire jumped into the frying
pan, or the frying-pan into the fire?
Ask the chief cooks. 1t would look
as if there were no lodging the main
thing at last. Twist and turn our wits
as we may, the same ghost appals us.
And the eager inquiry along the
streets is,
What its signs Of promise are?"
For further information, if not con-
ISOLATION, we would refer the afflicted
to"Baxter's Everlasting Saints Rest
WHEN?
When is Boston to have another big
noise with her big anvil? Hub, put
it to work by all means, and quickly,
before the yerdant spring ponds creek
forth their cressy choruses. If Vu
cans iron lap cannot be utilized in
making rails or nails, give us the me-
tallic walls. At it hammer and tongsi
make it ring, fit has to sing Let
the silver tones Of its duleet voice
again enchant the ear Of the land.
The world is becoming wondrous dull.
Hub, out with the esthetic anvil The
dilletante world demands it, especially
the blacksmith. Let it banner the
outer wall. They will come again.
They are not all dead. We saw them
leave the Centennial for their homes.
Some have since gone to the Par-ee
exhibition, and some to-that other
place. But they are about, and will
again be there fear not. There will
be little or no Mardi-G ras for them
this time at New Orleans nor Mem
phis. Hub must entertain them.
CONSCIENCE AND ITS MONEY.
1t is refreshing in this cycle Of great
moral weakness and turpitude among
men considered Of the higher classes,
and who relapse from their fidelity
and integrity in the discharge Of trusts
given to their management, to find
that even now and then conscience
beckons them back to their former
better ways. The secretary at Wash
ington recently, as he is wont occa-
~siOnally to do, announced the receipt
of several thousand dollars from an
anonymous correspondent Of what is
termed Conscience money" the
writer averring that that amount, in
Guiding interest, TO be justly due the
government, it having been improper
ly withheld BY him in his annual in
come returns. Some people, and we
hope many, can well imagine what
agony that stricken soul must have
suffered TO induce the REIMBURSEMENT
and restoration Of so many thousands.
But the sweet fruit had turned to
bitter under the condemnation of.
an offended conscience. The stricken
delinquent becomes restless in his
countlng-room, still more nervous and
troubled in his evening parlor with his
wife and children. He feels that the
ill-gotten gain is destroying his happi-
ness by racking his soul, and to save
himself determines so far as possible to
wipe out the damned spot" And
sitting down and scrupulously count
ing the interest, which he adds to the
fatal amount, anonymously enlcoses il
to the righful owner, simply saying.
this is yours" This is all the re-
paration he dares make, and is all he
should make to man-the rest, what
ever that may be, is between him and
his creator. And now how relieved
he must both feel and appear; and
how much freerand deeper his breath
ing.
And we have thought If it would
not have been better and kinder for
all concerned if Conscience had been
a little more alert and prompt in her
calling and put in her gentle appear
anee and warning at the moment OF
temptation and thus essayed to prevent
the offense?
But at times she appears to think
otherwise, by permitting the offensC
andthen sending her avengingminister
Remorse, to torture and harrow the
poor tempted delinquent, and by thi.
painful and unchristain thumbscrew
ing of his soul extort repentance anC
restitution.
But Conscience may be all right
about it and we all wrong, for she
ought to know her functions best and
as we pretend to know nothing what.
ever about it, we shall pass the query
along to the casuist.
And to the secretary Of the treas.
ury and the withheld amounts Of hi,
delinquents, he doubtless holds, thai
while the lamp Of life shall burn
D%elinquents may such dues return.
"The bloody shirt" now floats Al
1.-THE ensanguincd pennant. Shatte.
the phrase as you may or will, the seen
of the thing will hang round it still.
The Cincinnati Enquirer informs ii
readers that the programme Of tb,
Republicans is to give tho Solid Soutl
he'll alOnp the whole line The s. y