National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-09
boiling Hot Wrath.

To The Editor Of The Republican:
In common with many others | was
greatly shocked on reading In yesterdays Post
half-column editorial, consisting of jumbled ii
rade, a sort of chaotic medley, in which some of
the grammar -defying sentences were wholly mex
plieable; but the general drift was an eviden
abuse of men and things naval in general Arctic
expeditions in particular He says: " Schwatka
managed to fail to find the POLE" &c. If the Pos
man had read papers of intelligence, he might
have known that Schwatka had no such errand
as finding the pole.
With maudlin attempt at sarcasm this scribbler
shows courage of the sort Shakespeare says aids a
certain class to "rush in where angels fear to
tread" gibly, as indecently he speaks of bring
ing home in q tin can a few bones of the Franklin
expedition: and in the closing paragraph, de-
voted particularly to aspersiOn of those absent
young officers, he says: The young patriots on
Benefits ship who enjoy the romance of being
brought back years later in tin can will have To
wait patiently" &c.
After private gentleman has fitted out, mod
estly but most layishly, expedition without pre-
cedent in a scientific search that has interested
learned men and great newspapers throughout the
world after our Government has carefully euIied
from the flower of our navy detail OF officers ana
ordered them to take charge of the expedition;
after these heroes have fearleSsly done the bid
ding of their Government and carried our
flag far into the unknown, and left no
trace in the darkness of its icebergS
after mothers, wives, sisters, by the side of the
empty chair at the ireside look up at the features
brighten with those parting words Ofcheer: Don't
fret dear heart We go TO lose ourselves, and will
bring back our own news y and the poor, tried
soul seeks courage in the thought; through all
these weary months, each one growing Wearier,
have these sore hearts, with outward calm nurSed
their secret grief thankful for every cOnsoling
word, or look or line on the printed page. And
here comes a newspaper, daily viSitant into
some of these same firesides pouring forth
half column of gall and wormwoOd-thr,iSting
in the yenomed sabre to the hilt, and twisting il
through the ranking wOunds-womens wounds!
Out upon such Wretched semblance of a man
aud an editor. He winds up his flow of vileneSS
by saying % If it is not impertinent question,
why ask the Government to send for
Mr. Benefits lost boat at all?" 1t is imperti
nent, very impertinent, i'll you or any
one with no more claim TO possession
of heart or brain than shown in your editorial
as though government, fOrsOOth, should detail
its officers perilous duty dRylrhere. in any
bOdyS expedition, and is not bound to protect
and suceor them if it takes the entire navy to ac
complish it, even though the CALLED jade vince
and obscure squibblers objcctL If the man needs
the pledge, let him have it. If he is possessed of
diseased stomach instead of the devil, let him
take big blue pill, get rid of the bile then dose
of castor oil in the morning say his prayers and
he may feel better. ST. LOUIS.