Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-03-07
PosT-MORTEM PRAISE.
TFrom The Waoerly Progress, by J.
LODGE, ID. D., EDITOR

Some years ago an article under this cap
ton was evoked by the cold blooded mur
der of a man high in authority in this coun
try, some sentiments in which apply tC
what is now passing, and which, indeed
could not be inappropriate at any period in
the history of men. 1t was not astonishing
that fair-minded and humane persons of all
degrees and nationalities should soften some
! what in the presence of horrid death. Their
| grief, as men and Christians, over the brutal
murder OF quiet and peaceabe officer, un-
doubtcdly elected, was the voice of nature
and religion-virtue condemning wrong.
am nothing but preacher, not politician
enough to cast mere than one vote in the
! past twenty seven years, and do not wish
| TO become acquainted with the ways Of poll
ticians. But men who think for themselves
are often confronted with unanswera BILE
questions. 1t was less than year since
many papers charged the candidate with
several OF the meanest crimes, cited proofs,
pointed to the HGe mans record, and made
him out one utterly unfit to occupy so dig
nitied an office. Instantly upon the murder,
these pery same papers held the de0d man up
as the model OF all that makes man perfect
Who can explain or justify this "Oh, those
were only campaign lies, circulated Tor el-
feet" only campaign lie Is lie less q
lie because it is printed and circulated TO
further the interests of II party? Does IL
condone the breaking of the commandment
that false witness is borne against our neigh.
Dor because we wish 10 defeat his election
to any responsible position in the gift of his
country? If circumstances can affect the
quality of any talsehood, this kind of lying
is the most contemplate and unpardonable; ;
retraction, after life has departed, cannot
undo the wrong. De m0rtutS nal niS 6onuDa
is hateful maxim, if it be construed to give
carte blanche to SANDER, to Justify vitupera.
ton and persecution, all to be atoned for by
hypocritical silence or post mortem praise.
1t is no new thing under the sun, but
surely not so prevalent in any age as in the
present, for overbearing and insolent men
to seek to turn the keen edge of manly
protestaton and virtuous opposition with
abusive epthets in the lack of arguments.
They are perfectly sure of a following, fofit
does not require high order Of talent to at
tract satellites, the weakest usually displaying
considerable low cunning, sufficient to dis
cern what is now or is likely to become the
popular side, and feel and manifest no in.
terest in nor compuLction for their miser-
able moths. Ii the devil should have his
due, let us give these, his children, theirs.
They at least splash their mud and eject
their slime upon Hrin9 objects. They mani
fest the same kind of courage which distin-
guishes malignant brutes. Now, if they
will be consistent, and not turn saint at
sight ol the grave, so far, good. lf a mans
lie has been bad, there is as much proprety
in condemning it after as before death; in,
deed, there is more need, because "the evil
men do lives after them and youth, espe-
cially, should be warned against principles
which will not moulder in the grave OF their
propagalors If there be a single virtue in
a mans character, let his felowmen speak
of that, that living or dead he may have
credit for what he is or was. For this rea.
son one cannot but admire Macaulys essay
on Machiavelii; because, while admitting
his vices, he yet shows him to have possessed
the qualities of great statesman, and that
his character was more the product of an
immoral age than of a heart utterly de.
praved. Ii is II monstrous crime against
decency, morals and religion, to backeu
the reputation OF any public man without
full iusiiying cause. IL leads, inevitably,
10 contempt for government, which is of
Gods ordination, and n recklessness which,
sufficiently extended, leads to moral degra-
dation and civil anarchy. Not because an
unprncipled man has been by his own kind
elevated to office should he be screened from
that just indignation which his illegal and
corrupt actions provoke but it ought to be
clearly perceived and demonstrated that his
public acts are deserving of such censure
IL is one thing to resist tyrants, and quite
another thing. to deiame executives whose
party sentiments differ from our own. But
if moral influences are too feeble to restrain,
in any given case, unjust arraignment and
heartless persecution let the 9emblance of
consistency be preserved. Let not cruelty
in life be succeeded by hypocrisy after death.
That is a cheap kind of praise which has
dead men as subjects. When there is no
f,ri
orb no longer threatened to eclipse our own
light, and the obstacle to personal promo.
tiVn is removed, the smallest mind can cheat
itself into believing that it is magnanimous.
Ii is more difficult, but also more noble, to
admit the difference nature or grace has
made, and JON in the commendation of the
deserving.
The crime oil evil-speaking against dgni-
ties is not confined to men in political iiu,
but finds its objects where there is degree
of eminence DetractioD, like death, loves
q shining mark. Many time have heard
bitterest criticism OF ministers of the gospel
while they lived, and then have heard from
the oery same mouths the most iulsome euo.
ges when they were dead. plead for cor
rection OF this evil thing: il anything must
be condemned let it be done in an open,
manly way, and then be stuck To, living or
dead. II any praise may justly be given,
say ii n0,o, and say it without stint, espec |
alIv of ministers Saw, our brother H. not
was gifted eloonent. deyout noble excel
lent in ali saw il where his wife and chill.
dren can hear il. where his church can
catch The sound and love him more and sus.
tain bim better. saw il so the world can
hcar il and az In. led to listen Ia his words
There il vour consci.n,ious teacher one
of the leading toilers in a most ungrateful
world Daily, hourly. mOmenily there is |
the wear and lear nT mind and wnscIr the
strain of nerve trial of PATIENCE drudeery