Sentence:  It is thought by many, and said by some, that this Republic has already seen its best days; that the historian may now write the story of its decline and fall. Two classes of men are just now especially afflicted with such forebodings. The first are those who are <WSD>croakers</WSD> by nature – the men who have a taste for funerals, and especially national funerals. They never see the bright side of anything, and probably never will. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  One who croaks.