Daily Republican., 1880-01-03
A NOTE.


New H ear Resolves.
The year 1880 no doubt starts on
with as many good resolves, perhsp
more, as any that preceded it, and lik
its predecessors, when 1t comes to
close 1t will have to look back upon tn
great worlds cemetery where the mos
Of them lie buried. There is no goot
reason why New Year should be chosen
to put cool resolves into practice, bu
custom seems to be arbitrary and cor
respondingly contagious. Good resolves
are Of various grades and Importance,
embracing questions Of health, Of NOR
ais, and Of constancy, perseverance and
success in business, but those Of morals
are the most conspicuous, because the
most damaging to character and society
at large. Thsre has no doubt this year
as usual teen no lack of Swearing
off," but those who have studied the
question closely will be astonished to
find how short many Of the resolutions
are. At the beginning Of the year and
tor some time succeeding they cluster
around the gates of the cemetery where
they are soon to be buried, and the
competition for burial room is as lively
rs that for corner lots in newly laid out
railroad towns.
These resolutions are no doubt made
in good faith, those making them feel
ing their need of them, but the fact
that they are made to commence on a
New Year or at any other set time
shows lack Of confidence and sincerity
which proves a wreck ere tie thresh-
old Of the New Year is barely passed.
Through the month Of January the
falling off Of the faithless number will
be tremendous. The portals of the
month which lead to the cemetery
beyond will be crowded, and inside
there will be want of room to bury each
broken resolution by itself, and they
will be thrown into one common ghast-
ly receptacle. January will be the
month showing the greatest mortality
good resolutions. February
will follow with much decreased num-
Der. In March the number will be few
or still. Each succeeding month de-
creases the nber and when Decem
Der the last month OF thu year is reach
cd, there are but here..and there solitary
instances where tie good resolutions ,
made at the beginning Of the year have ,
been faithfully kept. 1t might be well
for tn young mar, or cd either for
that matter, as the year is about clos
In its 10 tails owe: the past to take a 3
retrospect IN note the exact spot where t
his 6 BOD resolution expired. 1t might \
DO proftable for him to survey the sit e
nation as it was, and in his hour o
" retrospe ction TO weigh the co nsidera- fl
ions which entered into the violations I
4 th at broken vow. Should he do that, b
10 will fld all his estimates of his tt
roasted power to resist temptation n
lwindle away into utter insignifcancs. tt
I the man who flung away his segar or b
ossed his glass of spirituous liquor l.
yer his shoulders at the commence ia
lent Of 1879, will but Low return to m
be spot where he stood when he made as
nat resolution, be will find something III
hat may be ofservic9 to him this year, lc
nd indeed every year to come. The pr
ian who when he stepped across the
,reshold Of 1878 washed his mouth of
will find something TO his -
1vantage if he will 60 back to the hour "
hen he violated that laudabls vow
= uttering q vulgar oath. 1t is not -,
lat there can be any objection to swear =;
lg of as respects any bad habit on the
rst Of January that this course is =.
to the young and old,
ut only to impress upon them the ::
of the custom as it is usu- -.
ly observed. A good resolution to be -
ithfully kept needs constant reinforce =:
ent, in fact it needs good resolutions
-ery day to support il; left solitary
I'd alone with no visible support on tn,
~ hand it must soon fall before the bs
Verse winds which whistle requiem GO
rye around it. In fact all good reso- tn,
lions to insure successful resistance Ma
bad habits, involves a renewal OF LIE,
cd resolutions on every day Of ones Pr,
q, and frequently in every working ito
,ur, since temptation never sleeps, del
d evil tendencies recognize neither Of
y, nor time, nor place.
INSTEAD OF Governor Garcelon SUBJ led
ting the honest questions proposed Chi
la