Year: 1876

POPULAR PEsSIMIsN.


1t has become the fashion TO decry
men who are prominent in politica
or social life, and to give currency TO
the impression that such qualities as
purity and integrity are out OF date.
A certain class of papers have given
themselves over TO the ejaculation OF
scandals and inuendoes. and each
successive issue is an embodied
sneer. A similar capital constitutes
the entire stock in trade of some OF
our public speakers. The poison has
penetrated to every rank IN society:
and in every quarter we have this
abominable can: about the ~degen-
eracy of the tines the -corruptions
in politics. the licenfiousn-ss of he
pulpit. and the like II we were %
credit this doleful school OF prophets,
we should come TO the conclusion
that the whole nation is going to the
bad; that the fabric OF our national
institutions is honeycombed with cor
ruption; and that no representative
men of acknowledged emine nee are
free from the taint OF suspicion. A
man in high official or social life fails
to live up to his exalted professions:
and straightway there rises cry OF
scorn, directed against ministers
and christian statesmen and the
phrase becomes a catch word. and is
repeated on all Sides Another. who
has commanded the respect OF the
community by long career OF ap-
parent integrity, is found to be de-
faulter; and Immediately that trife
falsehood. Every man has his price,"
is banded about, and the doleful in
quiry is urged, ~who next?" Still
another, who has been an influential
moral teacher in word and example.
swaying thousands by the magic OF
. his presence, becomes the subject Of
mysterious accusations, and a large
part OF the community is ready to
condemn him unheard. In each case.
the scattered instances OF wrong do
ing are made basis for the assump-
tion that the men implicated are rep
resentative OF their class; and that
scores OF other like cases are await
ing detection. Only little while
ago we heard of nothing but the
greatness Of the nation, and the bril-
liancy Of its prospects Now the PEN
dulum has swung back to its other
extreme. and corruption and ruin are
the themes


Has ii ever occurred TO these pur-
veyors OF scandal that the matters
they expose are subjects for lamenta-
tion rather than jubilancy. and that
the sweeping CONGRATULATIONS they are
SC ready to make. il they were true.
would call fer sack-cloth and ashes
raj her than sneers? Did they ever
{ nee to think that il there are cor
rupt men in public life, themselves
have helped TO put them there: and
that if society is diseased. the respon-
sibility is as heavy upon them as up
on any for its relief and healing? We
are not disposed to cover up or apol-
ogize for anything Of fraud or corrup-
ton, or dishonesty, in public life. But
there were bad men twenty. thirty,
forty and even fifty years ago; and
unless the millennium intervenes TO
cut them of. there will be bad men
fifty years hence. Fraud, corruption,
dishonesty and RIGHTEOUSNESS exist.
but they are not peculiar to these
days, or to this people; and when
they come to light, we can discern no
special cause for satisfaction in shout
ing, "We told you So" and then lying
In wait for more scandals. Reform
begins where charity does-at home.
Suppose each one OF us should try to
keep his own skirts free from evil,
aud should square his life by the
measure Of the Golden Rule? We
should find this the Inauguration OF
form; and at all events should have
our hands SO full that we could not
spare time to look after our neigh
bor's shortcomings.





Industry is not only the instrument
of improvement. but the foundation
of pleasure. He who is stranger to
it may possess, but cannot enjoy; for
it is labor only which gives relish to
pleasure. 1t is the appointed vehicle
OF every good to man. 1t is the in
dispepsable condition of possessing a
sound mind in sound body.


HOW TO MAKE MISCHIEF.