The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-03
EuLoelsr.c RESOLUTIONS.

Florid Platitudcs Which Arc beginning to
Nauseatc Sensible People.
''In tho good old days. wren they
hanged witches" the people of this
country wero careful OF the reputation
of their great men. When q great man
died they met and adopted resoluti MS,
and set out his good qualities. etc. This
is thoroughly commendable. and should
always be observed; but in latter days
this matter has reached such a point
that doubtless most thoughtful people
would like to consign the prevailing
custom to '.innocuous dosuetude" 1t is
not enough that friend and benevolent
societies, military companies, baseball
clubs and other private and social or
CARNATIONS must pass resolutions which
would mean great deal if they meant
any thing at all, but man can not be u
lawyer, doctor, an actor or member
of either house of Congress but that
when he dies tho newspapers give us.
with an account of his death, set of
resolutions invariably commencing with
something like this: Whereas it pleased
Almighty God, etc" and ending with u
Tcsotocd that no was one of tho best,
purest and most accomplished of mon,
and that .''thcSe resolutions or copy
thereof be transmitted to his afll ,cted
family, and published in tho town or
city papers," etc. All of tho interme-
date space is occupied with inform ny
tho public what an exceptional charac-
ter ''our departed friend was, and what
mourning is felt for his loss. and that
his place can never DO supplied All
~ mi !, hi
with resignation to tho DEGREES OF an
all-wisc Providence" Now this is SIM
ply ridiculous. Why can not some great
American genius get up for general use
Il formula entirely void of the hackneyed
whcrcascs and Two bow with rosigna-
tons, etc, so that the funeral notice
and resolutions which were offered and
unanimously adopted on the occasion of
the death Of Hon. Josiah jenkins, n
member of tho Nip and Tuck Society,
should not be so exact n copy of the pro-
found expression of fcoling manifested
and publicly expressed by the Associa-
ton for the Promotion of Humbugs on,
the melancholy occasion of the death
OF Tittlcbat Titmouse? Being n law
yer, doctor, merchant, member of anv
society or member of either house of
Congress- does not necessarily carry
with it any special social allegation or
rank, and is by no means a condition of
friendship or of increased social status.
Doubtless Il majority of lawyers. doc
tors. members of social societ cs and
members OF Congress are honest and rood
men; but can il be doubted that in their
ranks there arc many Tor some) who arc
not SO? Then why should there be ION
the death Of any resolutions passed
commanding them, unless they were
specially deserving of such tribute?
Should such resolutions be passed alike
for good and bad? If so. tho merits of
tho rood ana of tho deserving arc utter
ly lost when wo contemplate that the
identical sentiments arc made to do SER
vice tn all. Tho fact that compliment-
AIRY resolutions are expected on the
death OF every member OF Congress,
every member of any society of which
tho deceased may have been Il member,
without regard to mort, makes them
not only useless, but damaging to those
who really deserve them. This custom
is not in accord with tho old maxim, "Dd
morfnis MI n'@ doRun,." because it goes
further, and to the extent not of refrain
ing from speaking at all of the dead, un-
less we speak good, but it makes us
speak good of everybody who dies n
member of Congress or of "A particular
society, without regard TO his race
morals or previous conditions of rascal
ity. II is certain that in the course of
events all members of Congress and all
members of all Of tho various societies
will die. We can not conscient;ously
say that all OF them came up 10 the CON
ditions demanded by the rhetoric OF the
commcndatory resolutions Which arc
usually adopted. nor is it proper to draw
the limo strongly between those who do
and those who do not deserve a great
tribute Would not tho best course be
to refrain from ilorid platitudcs and un-
due praises, which arc alike supcrlluous,
meaningless and import ncnt. and in
stead of seeking occasions for exhibit
ing our grief in public. determine to
wait until a public demand requires it,?
Marcus j. Wright. in Arena,
Advice.
AS general thing, it is worth advice