The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-11-20

In human affairs. In all human govern
mcnts there are more or less abuses Of
public trust. No government ever exist
ed, from the creation of man to the
present time, In which some abuse OF
power did not exist. And 1t will be so
| till the end of time. 'As 1t was in the
! beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end,' though we cannot
say amen to it.
You will say again: The man who is
| elected to office is inferior in intelligence
| and virtue to thousands of his constitu-
cnts in the community grant it, but
does 1t not frequently happen that per-
| sons Of inferior culture and virtue are
clothed with authority while men of a
| cultivated mind and high moral rect-
tude are relegated to private life?
Witness Saul, afterward Paul the
| apostle. He goes from Jerusalem to
| Damascus, breathing vengeance against
! the Christians. On his way he is struck
blind by visitation of God. Our Lord
why persecutcst thou Me?' And Saul
answers, Lord, what wilt thou have
| me to do?' Our Lord does not person.
ally instruct Saul, but sends him to IN
obscure man III an obscure street in
Damascus. Does Saul murmur at this
| command? Does he say why send me
| to this man? Why not send me to one
of your apostles? He goes to Damascus,
where he is instructed and baptized by
/ Ananas. Surely Saul was greater in
| intellect than Annnias. Indeed the
| name Of Ananins might never have come
down to us had 1t not been associated
with that of Paul.
"Witness again st. Peter. No mcm-
Der Of the apostolic college had so griev-
ously sinned against his masters rs
| Peter had. lIc denied Christ while the
others had only abandoned him. Vet
Peter was appointed head Of the apos-
| ties and the visible head of the church.
never heard that any Of the apostles
had refused to obey Peter on account of
his gricvous transGrcssion, or that they
| had ever ,,pbrnided him for his crime.
"You will nll admit that Peter and
| Paul were more conspicuous for virtue
| than was Nero, the emperor. who was
the most dcpraved and bloodthirsty
| ruler that ever sat on n throne. Yet
both Peter and Paul, in their cpistlcs,
| cnjoln on The faithful tho obligation of
| honoring Caesar nnd obeying the I'M
| pcrial laws. And these two apostles
| submitted to those laws even to tho
sacrifice of their lives.
Again, l may be told that there are
thousands OF citizens In the community
! who have not only more Intelligence and
! virtue, but also more capacity for dis
charging the duties of Il public Office
tlnn the present incumbent. This may
be SO, but let us remember that 1t Is;
much easier for Il man to criticisc Il pub
lie functlonary than to FIJI his place with
credit to himself.
"When Samuel ]. Randall was speaker
of the house of representatives thcro
was Il certain member of the house who
habitunlly annoyed him by questioning
his rulings and taking exception to his
decisions. One day, in II full house, the
speaker vacated the chair and invited
the obnoxious member to take his place.
In n few moments the house was in IN
uproar. Pandcmoni,m rclgncd supreme.
Several members rose at the same time,
appealing tc the chair. But the chair
man had lost his wits. The confusion
continued Till the speaker returned and
resumed the chair, and then only was
order restored. Tho offending member
| learned from this incident to he after
ward less critical and more respectful
to tho presiding officer.
"On last Tuesday several candidates
were elected to important state and m,l-
nicipal Offices. Let all cnrping criticism
regarding their fitness be laid aside till
they are fairly tried. Let them not he
judged unjustly before the time Let
the citizens rally round them and en-
courage them by words Of good cheer.
Let us bid them godspccd IN tho tenn
pcstnous and pcrilous voyage on which
| they have embarked.
| above all, let us pray the God of wis.,
dom that lie may inspire them with u
| deep sense OF their responsibility to their
constituents; that they may exact such
| legislation as will rebound to The well
! fare Of the commonwealth of Maryland
and to the peace and prosperity of the
city Of Baltimore"