Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-10-06

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There WAS time when seat of gov
eminent was at the mercy OF rabble
led by ambitious proctor or disappointed
lictor; when neither the army stationed
ON the frontier. or pursuing the work OF
conquest in foreign territory. nor tho
people following their peaceful avoca-
tions on tho farm and in the workshops,
could bs summoned to the defenco OF
the capital. or ths support Of the Con
stitution, before treason had done lis
deadly work and freedom bad beeu
wounded even unto death IN the house
of its friends: a TINS. wnen all such DIS
cassion OF the great principles which lie
ut the bottom Of questions affecting The
life of the State, fell upon eals To which
bread aud the circus were more welcome
aud more Ineligible phrases than lib
erty and law; when the psstilent demo-
coyue could obtain hearing while the
orator who appealed to tho reason aud
advocated the best interests of the peo-
pie met with jeers and Ignominions
bani,hment 1T tue bands Of the mob.
Times haye changed since then. lie
printing press IL the worlds heritiSe,
the republics palladium, the trae p',-
triot's sheet anchor, the foe If error ANA
the friend of truth: the schoolhouse IL
its supplement, Its training school, ITS
recruiting ground: the telegraph IL ns
swift and onuiipressnt messenger, reg
istering its rescripts in letters Ut fire,
nnd delivering It's SUMMONS with more
tnan the c.leri,y Of an Ariel; the rail
road IL ats servant ready to bsar u host,
when called upon, to til. defense OF the
riyut or 10 the war against wrong. ln-
teiliaencs and patriotism and courage
are ats adjutants; and the field and the
factory. the Warehouse and the forum,
the mine and the merchant ship, fur
nish the cohorts which fight the battles
of Freedom, Of Truth and Right.
All these things are ours, and they
weIe not theirs whose lamentnbie re-
cords do little more than serve to point
u moral or adorn tale.
Not day passes in which the COM
hined forces of these mighty influences
do not manifest themselves in Titanic
throes. Not always, to the shame of
those who direct and control these Ii
tanic powers be it spoken, for the best
interests Of the body polite: but, iii
times of danger, when great motives are
to he appealed to and great CAUSES come
ON for hearing. irresistibly potent for
the conservation and protection Of the
right, the destruction of the wrong.
The history If our own beloved coun-
try, for the past twenty-five years es-
pecially, is an epistle to BIZ seen and read
Of by all men. which bears indestructi-
BILE testimony to the truth Of what We
have. seid. No modern Erostratus will
ever light the torch that shall kindle the
flame in which il will DO consumed.
Aud no mob, drunk with the phrenzy
and mad with tho orgies Of the conn.,
mune. will ever level to the dust the col
umn, loftier than the Vendome, and
commemorative victories arander than
the Gallo Sphynx ever achieved, the
erection Of which, the voice, the spirit.
the arguments, the pa sionate appeals.
the fiery adiurations Of the press made
possible, when the life Of the nation vas
threatened by its intsrnccine foes.
Even while We write, in the State
which abuts the southern boundary of
our own Territory. and In that yast
community which has won by common
consent the title Of Imperial, CONTESTS
arc going on which illustrate in u re-
maskabie manner the existence Of those
latent forces which have their gcnpais
In the work OF the press and the school
room.
Ia both cases. the apparent dcmina-
tion Of party, and the insolence VI office.
two sworn. hereditary toes Of free
thought. fre Spssch aud indlvidaai
Judgement and action. lead men who be-
licye wi,h almost religious fervor in the
principles avowsd by the men they OPP
pose, 10 trust rather to the Temporary
ACKNOWLEDGMENT and defeat Of their
own party than 10 the personal triumph
Of men whom they consider unworthy
to he standard bearers Of right.
such exhibitions If the sense OF per.
scnal responsibility Of the imperative
demands of duty. Of hottest convictions,
of determined purpose. are possihls
only in land where shc love Ut free
dom. devotion To constitutional forns
aud privileges. determination 10 resist
threatened eacroschmcns upon thossr
high pseroSatives which are the safe
guards and guarantees Of continued MA
tional existence are deeply implanted
in the breasts of the people and conssi.
tute their rock Of defence and their tow
or Of refuge.
Tho contest in Oregon over the S~na.
torship and that in New York over the
nomination 70. Governor are good indi-
cations. They prove beyond cAvil tha,
the work Of the free school and If the
press have borne fruit: that this work
has educated the pcblic mind and in
sparsd the public conscience.
Whatever the result may he. in these
particular cases, the influence upon the
public mind which thess contests viii
exert. viii Be mighty for good These
bitter fcuds will teach the aspirans for
high public honors that tortno0s coarse
isLy no means SURF to prove she hess
poliov in the long run; that stainless
y better than any given
kill in manipulating the
tics.
mens saks TO-