The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-12-08
Our PHIIADEIpHIA LrTTER.


vIRTUE-THE PERIL OF THE CoUN- /
TRY-DEMoCRACY ADAoNIsHED, ETC. /
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 4, 1892.
Thanksgiving day was greeted with a I
garment of white. Business was gener-
ally suspended and the day devoted 70
enjoyment. Services were held in all
the churches Of every denomination -
As usual, the crowning feature of the
day was big diuners, at which the tur-
key was the prominent dish. Outdoor
sports were not as common as in former
years, but indoor entertainments were
more common than usual. The average
American may neglect to pray, but he
Will not neglect, however poor he may
be, 10 celebrate Thanksgiving day with
a dinner above the usual standard. A
number of charitable institutions util-
lied the day, and a liberal spirit was
shown in the distribution OF gifts for the
sake of charity. The day brought glad
ness to many of the poor and fatherless.
Many poor little ones enjoyed a chicken
dinner at the Southern Home for
FTiendIess Children. From all accounts.
it would seem that the palitable turkey
was the object Of voracious attack all
over the land. At no time since the iu-
auguratiun of setting apart one day in
the year for general recognition of the
bounties bestowed by an all-wise Provi-
dence was a thanksgiving day so uni
veT5ally observed as was the last one.-
Great was the homage and praise every
where for the blessings of the year.
A SEASON OF PENANCE.
This being the first week in advent.
season of penance set apart by the
Church 20 prepare us for the festival of
1 Christmas, l am doing penance in a
weak sort of way, and not in such a
strong manner as truly good Christians
are in the habit of doing. But in my
old days, laboring under physical disa-
I bilities and worldly disadvantages, I
have reason to deem it happiness and
source of gratitude to Divine Provi-
dence that l am enabled under bodily
infrmity to do something which affords
me occupation if not remuneration
| Were my time suffered to pass away
| without employment of any kind, my
spirit you'd be depressed and nv mind
would consequently be unhappy. / con-
slider it incumbent upon me, whatever
my pTivations, to discover if there is not
yet some means left me of doing some
good, if not for myself for others. I de-
sire that my light may, if possible, shine
in some situation. and not be entirely
extinguished with my life. If per
tie good may result from it, it will be
acceptable in the light of Him who
Knows exactly how to estimate our ac-
tiOns, by comparing them with our dis
positions and abilities toact The aver
age small amount of good which, under
inferior circumstances, I may be able to
do, shall not prevent me from perform
ing it, however little it may be. The
motives which excite to write, and the
objects which 1 desire to accomplish,
are Of a nature not only calculated to
cheer the mind. but also 10 give the an
. ina spirit a salutary impulse. To do
good here, is promoting not only of
our good here but hereafter.
THE STAR ROUTE CYCLONE.
Sharp was the arraignment of the star
route sympatizers. The decapitated
Helm is the only one Of the decapitatad
government offciasat Washington who
knows the cause of his dismissal Heis
the only one who realizes the cause. In
bis own words it was because he refused
to fOrsake a ''life long friend' and Join
in the hue and cry of cruelty him. =
This shows that Mr.. Helm realizes what
his fellow victims do not realize. name
" the true cause of their dismissal. Mr
Helms metaphorIcal reference to the
crucihXiOn in speaking of Brady will
doubtless strike every one hut Ingersoll
as being blasphemOus. Mr.. Helm. how
ever, as well as the other victims and
their sYmpatuizers, does not seem to be
capable of seeing anything out of the
way in a government employe serving
the thieves whom the government is pros
ecuting. So many star route tools have
so long 1ourished openly or secretly in
the vaTiOns departments at Washington
that they cannot understand how allie
glance to these public plunderers should
not continue in thepublic service. The
star route ring, the principles of which
/ once delighted to advertise themselves
as Stalwarts, are now trying the dodge
OF calling themselves Garfield Republi-
cans. But they cannot evade or post
pone the day of legal judgment by anv
such scheme The people of the coun-
try are too well informed in regard to
the history, progress and culpabilitv of
the star route ring to look upon any
who are connected with it, even remote
ly, as martyrs. Itis notable fact that
: these prominent Republican officials
who have been removed for obstructiLg
, the star route prosecutions were among
. the eXemplerS of the virtues of the last
7 administration.
The natural inference is that Helm in
: his apology typifying the crucifixion of
.
I to our saviour. but To the penitent thief
who perished with him on the cross. If
such is the inference, though brazen,
/ Helms language is not necessarily
/ blasphemOuS. .
THE DECAY OF PUBLIC VIRTUE.
The decay of public virtue has kept
! pace with the growth, wealth and popu-
/ lation of the United States for the last
/ two decades. The tolerance for crimi-
mails in this country is most alarming -
The nations moral sense appears to be
I deadened. 1t has been stuffed and sur
feited with peculation until it has not
/ only become used to il but to have a
taste for IL. The twelve years of Grant s
and Hayes administration. and as much
! as we have had of the present admins
Lration, will live in the history of the
United States as era of peculation.-
The enOrmities of the stealings during
the three last administrations is terrible
TO contemplate. The growing tendency
Of the times towards cOrruptiug expen-