The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-12-28

TIE SrALwARrs.-When the word ''5tal-
wart" is written with q little 50 it is seen
to be very good word. No one speaks of
it slightingly or contemptuously, or in any
condemnatory manner. Apply it in any
way, and it 10 term which exalts and ele-
Yates and attracts. Take ii in q physical
sense, and the stalwart man is one who is
we'll -proportioned, square-built, muscular,
and replete with manly vigor. If we ap-
ply it mentally we have avigorous intellect
uality, wide-reaching grasp and power Of
thought, q strong and decisive will, cool,
clear. energetic power of reason, and deci-
sive mental grip that marks the leader Of
opinions and of men. five apply the term
morally, its meaning is no less ennobling.
The moral stalwart is q moral hero. He
has clear views Of right and wrong. He
pursues the right in spite of obstacles or
temptations, and he strikes at wrong with
the energy Of the lightning fash. He can
labor and fight, and suffer and die, but he
cnnnot wink at wrong, and he cannot suf-
fer his conscience to be directed from the
true line of rectitnde, even in the estimation
of hair. His moral fiber is fine-grained
and clear. He stands always before triba-
nal erected in his own conscience, and meas
ures his own conduct by what his clear vis-
ion sees as the everlasting right. The reli-
gious stalwart Is a Luther, a Fenelon, a
Wesley, or Moody. The patriot stalwart
is David in Judea, or Chatham in England,
or Washington, Putnam, and Warren in
America.
To all this everybody will assent. The
term ''Stalwart" is good word, an excel
lent word, q most praiseworthy word-if it
il spelled with little IS" But beware Of
1t when it begins with a capital s. Then It
suddenly becomes a term to be avoided, .
word Of reproach, a political rawhead and
bloody bones, a bugaboo TO frighten chill
dren and timid Conservatives. That is. e
Is all this hideous aggregation in the wobv
bling and unstable minds Of certain polit-
ical writers who were never stalwart In any
thing, neither in mental construction nor
political ideas, neither in moral ethics nor
genuine manhood, neither in the courage Of
opinion nor fealty to party.
With singular obtuseness and strange ig-
norance of the force of words, these half
and -halfers, with no drop Of stslwart blood
in their veins, are found Trying to crush an
impregnsble section Of . great party by
calling them .'skaauarts,r spelled with
capital g. The great dramatist was right.
Nature hath framed strange fellows in her
time" Surely these are among the strans-
ct. They huh upon certain gentlemen,
prominent now in political sfhiss this grand
old saxon word - though il vese q term or
rsprosch that would cover them over with
the mildew Of decay and death. Let them
70 furbish up their English, and learn how
proud The men must be to whom such
word wiIlstick. Let them learn that stal-
want man isa man of unswerving manhood,
always true - the needle 70 the pole Let
them learn that Stslwxrt po,itian. Slways
. Republican, y one uho is true to his par
ty;. Who believes In It; Who viii urge it on
when It ID right. ana when IL b wrong WI
labor 70 ct il right; who has 81 up his ban
ner in the name Of victory, and will never
desest 10 the foe. La them Ssh for trans
fusion Of stalwsrt blood, 20 that they too
may grow staluart, bone and gristle and
Cher; thst Ill Republicans may b Stalwarts,
= nov all ssalvasss are Republicans, and
tAAt thss the Pasty long crippled by the
weaker brslhsen may move forward again
'wioh The sevlde OF Z giant. Eas7- Ocean.