New-York tribune., 1900-05-14

The story of Charles Surface is a common
one. 1t has been repeated a thousand times in
almost every land where wealth accumulates
and'-in whatever manner-"men decay" Not
even the art of Sheridan can make the story
pleasant or the character admirable. AS rule,
indeed the real Charles Surface untes with
his prodigality the moral, or immoral, repulsive-
ness of his brother Joseph. and the result is to
be regarded only with detestatOn. Without any
personal reflections il may be said that seldom
since the first Prodigal set the worldwide eX-
ample for the tribe ha, there been an exhibition
of the kind more Iamentabe in the public est-
mate than that which is now TO he seen in Lon
don. The dispersion at public auction of the
Peel heiroons would in any case be dpplorable
The circumstances in which ii is done and the
train of incidents which has led to it make it an
abomination. The lofty character of the great
Sir Robert who treasured them seems to be
summoned from the past to be the victim of a
woful tragedy, for the degenerate author of
which no feeling of contempt or of reprObation
is too strong
The present offender is not however by any
means the only one. is such prodigality con-
fined TO individuals. The city, the State. the
nation, may likewise fling away or bring to the
SaleSmans block heritage more precious than
any Van Dyck portraits or Etruscan vases. The
sacrificing of public rights in "boodled' fran
chises or in Ramapo swindles is no less Grim
1nally prodigal than the using of family heir
looms for the gra tificatiOn of the appettes The
State that compromises its good name by the
reputation of its contracts or by the prostitu-
ton of its ballot plays ducks and brakes with
richer fortune than any Surface or Peel ever
dssipated The nation that should break its
faith by falsifying its weights and measures of
value, or by defiling the purity of its highest
judicial bench. would make such spendthrifts
seem circumSpect beside it. 1t is not alone in
money that prodigality is exercised Public
right, civic honor. national faith are for such
purposes negotiable funds. They may be sold
or bartered for the demagogue's or the spoils-
mans mess of pOttage.,
Or what should be said of the nation that
should deliberately throw away its noblest ira
dltions and basic principles for party revelry?
The supreme and original right of perfect SOW
ereignty, emitting the nation to do all that any
nation may do the wise and voluntary self
restraint from meddlings and entangements
where its interests are not involved. and at the
same time the indomitable and inexorable en-
forcement of its rights whenever and wherever
they may be assaied: above ALL the reservation
of Self-Sovereignty against any unwecome in
truson of outlying dependencies and polyglot
races-these are national heirlooms of worth
beyond all price. We do not say the outright sac
ritice of them, but even the least imperilling of
them or impairment of their absolute integrity
would be a sin against the nation contrasted
with which the madness of the Prodigal would
seem wisdom. We may not by all the moral
homilies on earth restrain individually
from playing the fool and worse But at least
if the human race itself is not hopelessly on the
downward grade, the reason and the integrity
of the nation may be preserved