The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-03-16

REFLECTIONS ON THE RECENT
DEAD.

Probably the neurology of no people
in any age presents such an illustrious
quartette of CONSPICUOUS actors quitting
life's fitful stage, within such brief
space, as does that of our own country
for the past ten or fifteen days. Brooks,
Lamar, Blaine, Butler. Gifted they
were in inherent intellectual acumen
and high culture none can gainsay.
Each had high goal in view and under
the spur of ambition common to such
natures strove to reach it. 1t was not
a common goal, nor was the limitation
of means to reach common to all.
Eminence and successive upward out
reach was doubtless the coincident in
stinct of each. Mediocrity to men
of their mental mould had been their
bane; herding with the herd in the
realm of thought unfellowship.
Comparison to this point holds
good; beyond, as between two and
two contrast enters. In the preacher
and the judge, good men everywhere
were proud to claim a kindred bond
of brotherhood, for in straightforward
ness of life, simplicity-of character,
broad charity and unselfshness of aim,
combined with lofty thought and
thrilling power of expression, they
were recognized exponen,s and high
exemplars. In their walk of life they
followed the shortest path between
two points as defined by geometry,
deviating neither to the right nor left.
Professional emolument found each
unsought. Mere accumulation was
beyond the capacity of either, because
above or beneath their appreciation.
The successful votary of wealth must
give his entire mind, time and thought
to its pursuit, and these had other
things and far grander in contem-
plation.
Living in venal and self-seeking
age, they stand as type respondent to
the poets prayer:
God give us men, A time like this de-
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and
ready hands;
Men whom the lust of Office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of Office connot buy;
Men who possess opinion and will;
Men who have honor: men who will not
lie;."
Gagged by that standard it grieves
to say, that neither of the others comes
up to requirement. Unless most
wofully belied, they were not of that
breed OF men. But the purpose is
foreign to mate them together. There
are many gradations in moral descent,
and the great party leader does not
touch the bottom. As little did he
rise to the plane OF level, that {" a time
like this demands" He was 100 much
the slave of that sin by which angels
FELL" to reach the full stature of true
manhood. In him it was not healthy
or we'll balanced "ambition," for in
its outgrasp "the rule of right" was
pushed aside, and, rare combination
in a son of genius, it was yoked to
base avarice.
Honest ambition is Godlike- attri-
butte, and the world can pardon even
a slight suspicion of vanity to shine
in the possessor. 1t is slow to forgive
the would be rule if it sees in him the
over anxious money-getter. "The
great Marlborough, little Jack Church
ill., worshipped power, and history
has condoned that offence; but not
even Blenhiem and Families has
saved his name from smirch, owing to
his sordid and insatiate greed of gold.
Fox and Webster are more indulgently
regarded, even though oft hard put to
for guinea.
Thus much in bar of upper grada-
ton. Mr.. Blaine was not a Philips
Brooks or Lucius Lamar. On the
downward scale, neither was he
Ben Butler. He could not have writ
ten the famous or rather eternally in
famous order No. 10 ~ and done
other dirty, kindred work whilst in
command OF the helpless city, such as
was done by the other and by which
he gained the horrible soubriquet that
he carried to his grave. Had Mr..
Blaine been man of war in time Of
war, he could not have earned the
reputation of malefactor and the
brand of outlaw placed upon the front
let of the other by heightened and
chivalric foeman. Gen. Butler was
one of three out ofsome three millions,
who carried the stigma of outlawry by
order of the Confederate President.
Some may say that the corrosive
touch Of time should obliterate that
ugly mark, which at the time the
civilized world approved, or make US
slow to remark upon it. The same
argument for sponging Off a we'll
earned epithet. applies no less to Nero
the tyrant, Caligula the monster,
Charles the cruel, and Alva the
infamous. Not so, with an eve to
posterity.
1.-THE evil that men do lives after them
The good is oft inferred with thir bones
SO let it be with C8ar."
In lame imitation of the great
Plutarch, who was wont to run
parallel or divergent lines between his
contemporary heroes, we have taken
these four conspicuous characters,
whose lamp of life went out together,
'sto point moral or adorn tale
If it may stimulate some ingenious
youth to emulate the good and shun
the bad, the work is not missent.
To summarize, two of them, accord
ing to the lights before us, were actu-
ated by holy purpose and lofty aim to
subordinate oneself to the amelioration
of mankink. The third, we are fain
to believe, was likewise so imbued at
bottom, but lacked stability of resolve
when "Self the wavering balance
shook" The fourth and last has been