Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-11
syahs, il would not be any more conspic'
nous,
:. About fifteen years ago we had
An Ilustfious Instance


undoing the more impressive as moral les
son. First an honest chairmsker, then al
derman, then member of Congress- then su-
pervisor of the city, then school commits
sioner, then State Senator, then commits.
sioner of the Department of Public Works,
on and up stealing thousands of dollars
here and thousands of dollars there, swim.
ding on the largest scale of NAL
feasance ever witnessed in this coun-
try, so that the new city court
house of New York is a monument of
municipal crime, having cost more than
the capitol at Washington or the Psrlla-
ment House of London, and running the
city debt from thirtysix million of dollars to
ninety-seven millions Now, he stands high
up in milionairedom. Country seats, ter
raced and arbored and parterred to the
waters brink. Horses enough to stock
kings equerry. Grooms and postillions in
full rig. Wine cellars enough to make
whole legislatures drunk New York poll
tics and finance in his vest pocket. He
winked and officials went down. He lifted
his little finger and ignoramuses took high
place. He whispered and at Albany and
Washington people said it thundsred
Higher. up and higher up until psndemo
mum seemed about 10 adjourn to this world
and there was some prospect that in the
Satanic realm there would be change Of
administration, and that Apollyon after
holding dominion so long would have an
earthly competitor. To bring all to a eli.
max wedding came in the house OF that
n an. Diamonds as large as hickory nuts.
A pin OF sixty diamonds representing
sheayes of wheat Musicians in semi
circle, half hidden by great harp of flowers.
Ships of flowers. Party silver sets, one of
them 24O pieces. One wedding dress cost
five thousand dollars A famous ibertine
who owned several Long Island Sound
steamboats,, and not long before he was
shot for his crimes, sent as wedding pres
ept to that house frosted silver iceberg
with representations Of Artic bears walk
ipg on icicle handles and ascending the
ST oons. Never such convocation OF
bionzes, of pitchers, of shswls. The high
est rate of New York splendor rolled in
upon the scene and recoiled never again to
rise so high. But at the moment when all
observation Of earth and he'll was concen-
tered upon the scene eternal justice, imper-
sonated in that wonder of the American
bar, Chas. O'Conor, got on the track Of the
offender First, arrest; then indictment;
then sentence of twelve years imprison-
ment on twelve indictments; then peniten
tiary on Blackwell's Island; then srit
against him for six million dollars; then
Ludlow Street Jail; then escape and flight
in foreign country; then return under tight
grip OF the constsbulary and death from a
broken heart in prison cell. Allowed to
20 on until all the world learned as never
before that the way Of the transgressor is
hard, that dishonesty does not pay perma-
nent dividends. that man had better be an
industrious chair maker on days wages
than fraudulent commissioner ofpublic
ks with all his pockets crammed with
7 under. -,
How proudly in history sounded'th the name
of
william, the Conqueror,
Iptimidstur of France and Anjou and Brit
rany, vi,'cr at Hastings, Snatching the
Erglish crown, driving people from their
homes that he might have game forest,
making q Doomsdsy Book by which all the
land was put under espionage, to avenge a
Joke at his obesity, procLalmlng war; tramp
ling harvest fields and vineyards under
cavalry hoof until nations were horror
truck: But a. that apex Of renown, while
lie was riding one day his horse put his
iorefoot on q hot cinder and plunged.
woundipg the rider against the pommel of
the saddle so that he died, his son hasten
ing to England to get the crown before his
father breath ceased. The imperial corpse,
coffinless, carried in cart and most Of the
attendants leaving it in the street at fire
alarm that they might 60 and see the con-
fagration. The burial in the church built
by the conqueror interrupted by some one
who cried Bishop, the man whom thou
hast praised was robber; the very ground
on which we are standing is mine and Is
the site where my fathers house stood. He
took it from me by violence to build this
church upon it. ! reclaim it as my right
and in the name of God forbid you to
bury him here or cover him with nv glebe.
Go up" said the ambition Of William, the
Conqueror. go up by way Of throne
Go up by way OF criminality. Go rp by
way Of revenge" Come down" says
God. Come down By way of miserable
death. Come down by the way of ignom-
inous obsequies. Come down IL the sight
of all nations. Come clear down. Come
forever down"
So all around US, though on smaller
scales the wicked are allowed to live so that
their overthrow may be more impressive,
memorable and climacteric.
And what say of sin may be said of
Satan,
its author, sometimes called Abbsdon, the
Dragon, the Serpent, the ApOlyon, the
Prince of the power of the air. That there
is q commander in. chief Of all evil, no one
doubts. The PersiaDs called him Chriman,
the Hindoos called him silva. in medieval
times he was represented on Canvas as
NEUROLOGICAL combination of Thor, Ger
berus, Pan, Vulcan, and other horrible ad'
den6a. But, whatever you call him, this
monster is abroad, and only for destr uctiVe
purposes. Although Milton sometimes
glorifed him by splendor Of description, be
is the concentration of all meanness and
despicability. Ny little child of seven years
asked her mother: why does not God
kill the Devil at once, and have done with
iY In less terse phrase, we have all ask ed
the same question. 1t is promised that ne
shall be put back into the pit and chained.
Why not drive the old mis-
creant INTO his den now? Il
would seem that be has done
enough to close Gp the chapter Of infsmy :.
His work in tie last half century would
make an appropriate peroration No; God
is going to let hini get up to the tip top OF
all endeavor and then, while sll ihs earth
and sll the solar system and all coastella,
tions aud galaxies and the universe are
watching, hurl him down with violence aud
horror enough to teach FIVE hundred eternt
ties that the most acute and prolonsed AMI
stupendous rebellion against Gc5; ehd right
eousness shall come down into q crash OF
everlasting ruin. God is not going 10 do 1t
By piecemeal BE is not going to do It in
smsii skfrmish. He is waiting till all the
forces are uassed and some day when IN
n