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!1 W'ff.
BY S. B. ROW.
CLEARFIELD, PA;, "WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1857.
YOL. L-M. 5.
JBTra lllil Sill 1
I MUST HASTEN HOME.
-I mnst hftdten homo, said fi roay child,
. Who jraily roamed for Lours ;
1 must buslen home to my mother dear
She will geek me among the bowers ;
If ."be chides. I will seal her lips with a kiss,
And offer her nil my flowers.
I must hasten homo, raid a beggar girl,
As she carried the pitiful store
T)f crumbs anil scraps o' crusted bread
he gatHerud from door to door ;
t nii!t hasten homo to my mother dear,
hc is feeble, and old. n I poor !
i must hasten home, said the ball room belle,
As day began to dawn ;
A lid theplittering jewels her dark hair deck'd,
Mjone bright as the dews of morn ;
I'll forsake the j.-iys of this charming world,
Which leave iu the heart but a thorn.
I must hasten home, said a dying youth,
. AVho had vainly sought for fame
Who hr.'l vowed to win a laurel wreath,
And immortalize his name.
J!Ut, a stranger, he died on a foreign shore
All the hopes he had cherished were rain.
I must ha?tcn home, said an aged man.
As he ge;.ed on the grassy sod.
Where oft. ere age had silvered his hair,
Hi feet had lightly trod ;
Farewell ! farewell! "to this lovely earth
I am hastening home to God!
TIIE TEST;
Or, Love in a Hogshead.
fThey put everything on runners, while the
BUow lasts, for it does not, usually, tarry long.
Buggy scats, carriage tops, crockery crates
all are in requisition. And I even saw one of
the finest horses in the city draw ing a hogs
head, on wooden runners, in which wore seated
a gentleman and lady. They were a very
handsome couple, and bore off the palm for
last driving as well as the most ludicrous sleigh
conveyance." Letter from Chicago.
Ali, readur, pud "thereby bangs a tale."
It was a In cw Year Day in that far-famed
city of the west even the New Year Day of
'57. Since Christmas, winter had set in, in
good old fashioned earnestness. Snow had
fallen to the depth of several inches, and be
ing firm and hard, made excellent sleighing
a rare thing in our city.
Indeed, our winters seem sadly degenerate,
of late, being much more mild and tree from
snov, than in the days of our fathers, perhaps
to accommodate our failing health and strength,
for this latter fact is but too apparent.
Yet, this New Year Bay seemed more a type
of the old time. It was cold, yet hot too cold,
and the sleighing was excellent. Everybody
who had a suitable conveyance, or could get
one, even at any price, was out enjoying the
rare sport, onTy the more keenly to be enjoyed
for its very rarity. It was, indeed, a gala day,'
bright and beautiful still in the humane hearts,
beating so joyously beneath.
Earnest Hamruon sat in his counting room,
busily engaged in attending to the reception
f a large quantity of goods just arrived. He
was young, yet, but fast rising in wealth and
position. Born in the east, he had bro't with
ldzn all the habits of strict attention to busi
ness, which are there generated. While there
was aught of that to claim his attention, plea
sure must be waived. Therefore, when he did
give himself up to its enjoyments, it was with
a double zest. Naturally warm-hearted and
Impulsive,- and social withal, as such persons
iuBsf""c.lwrays be, he keenly enjoyed society.
And when he entered it, he was ever a wel
come companion, both with bis own and the
opposite sex. . And now closing his books with
a look of satisfaction and relief, he determined
to give himself up to the pleasures of the day.
"While business was pending, be had closed
hi eyes and ears to all else ; but now, he could
net fail to hear the nnusual stir in the streets,
and to feel, that while he bad been engaged
within door, at had been life and commotion
without,. When be came forth, the street pre
setted a most novel scene. A more motley,
Incongruous lot of vehicles, it were not easy
to imagine. Such life s.nd hilarity arc always
nfectuous, and Earnest soon caught the spirit.
Jle, too, would join the sledges ; but how 7
' He inquired at several stables for a sleigh.
None were to be bad. Yet he was not easily
daunted, and, moreover, had an nnusual share
of perseverance. lie owned one of the finest
horses in the city; of that he felt sure. He
remembered, too, that in a remote part of the
stable, where he had usually kept him, ho had
noticed a pair of wooden runners. lie wond
ered if, in some way, a conveyance conld do
- be planned. Hi Yankee ingenuity must be
brought into service. . . - ,
lie soon reached the stable. The runners
were found, and in good order. ' But now for
the other part. A hogshead that, for some
reason or other, had been saved apart, and
nicely cleaned, stood, before him. ? Instantly
a part of it was upon the ranners. In a few
minutes, a comfortable seat added, and he was
ready for a drive. J ' -' "
But now arose another' difficulty unthought
of before. He must have acompanion a lady,
of course else half the enjoyment would be
lost. But who would be seen, even withhim,
in such a conveyance as that 1 Excuse his
vanity, dear reader, lie knew be was a favor
ite. , Indeed, he could not : help knowing it.
Bet this was a special ocoosisn. ' "All the
world" was ont. Who would be brave enough
to dare it? He would see. : - "j
There were two or three young ladies who
bad claimed his special regard, and he felt sure
ha was not entirely indiaereut to them. Ho
bad even been observing them ef late, striving
to learn the trao ctaracterof each. How be
yearned to see through the false surroundings
into the true and inner life beneath ! He was
rather old fashioned in his notions, it must be
confessed ; but still he did care more tor the
real than the artificial more for the mind and
heart than for the outward adorning. But how
would it end ? Would he be wiser than his
sex ? It was, indeed, a difficult question ; but
he did not quite despair.
Ella Campbell had long been ono of the first
in his esteem. But, recently he had thought
her somewhat vain and superficial cuing
more for the outer than the inner man, and he
had been cautious in his attentions to her. He
would test her now.
Driving briskly to the door, and throwing
the reins over the horse, he quickly rang the
bell. A servaut at once ushered hint into the
parlor, were sat the lady of his thoughts. She
greeted him with-cheerfulness, but on bearing
the subject of his visit, and the unique convey
ance he had brought she pleaded a previous
engagement, and excused herself.
Earnest II amnion was gifted with a good
share of penetration, and, when not previously
blinded, read character well. Xow iu.st incti vely
feeling how it was, he withdrew; and, while
he rode gaily away, Ella Campbell sat pour
ing in her room, unthought of, and uneaicd
for by the moving mass wi'hout.
Earnest's next visit was to the house of
-"Squire Eeed. Here he bad long been a fre
quent and welcome visitor, and was always re
ceived quite "like one of the family," as the
'Squire often said, looking knowingly at his
two girls, Charlotte and Bella.
Charlotte was the oldest and most handsome
of thetAo; and beauty is always attractive,
especially with the men. She was the favorite,
too, in society. But, at times, Earnest had
turned from her to the graceful Bella, with her
pure heart, and piquant innocent ways, almost
with a feeling of love for the fair Bulla.
Hers, indeed, was a character to study.
Timid and retiring when m the presence of
strangers, she was singularly artless and con
fiding in those she best knew. There was a
dash of independence, too, and a vein of ro
mance in her heart, pleasant and refreshing to
meet. She was graceful and pliant ; it is true,
but there was a character and strength there,
also. Though her sister might best please in
a crowd, she would be best known and loved
at home.
All this Earnest felt ; still beauty fascinated
lira- Not that Bella was ugly. Oh, no ! but
she was not beautiful, cither, at least, save in
the loving eyes and hearts of those who best
knew her. Earnest liked them both. It was
diflicult, indeed, to determine which of'thc
two was the favored one.
As he nearcd the door, be said within him
self, "a look, a word, shall decide between
them. It one, or both, refuses to ride with
me, it shall be a sign that all is over. But if
one accepts why, then, who knows what may
come of it ? I am twenty-eight now ; old e
nough, as my partner told me yesterday, to be
married and have a home of my own. Aud
so I am."
The faces were at the window as he drove
np. One brightened, visibly ; and the other
visibly paled, while a mingled expression of
scorn and disappointment passed over her fine
features.
"Good morning, ladles, good morning," ex
claimed he, as he entered their presence. "I
find myself in rather an awkward position just
now, and need some one to help me out. I
must have a ride this morning, yet have been
unable to obtain any conveyance save the one
you saw as I drove up. What shall I do ?
And he looked up to Charlotte for an answer.
' : "An awkward position, indeed !" answered
she-' "You must drive alone."
"But, must I T" he asked somewhat sorrow
fully. .. . ;
Bella looked np qnickly, but did not speak.
"Surely yon do not think a lady would be
seen in such a conveyance!"
Again Bella looked, while a bright flush suf
fused her cheek. She was sorry her sister had
thus spoken sorry for her, grieved for Ear
nest. She felt sure that she could not have
denied him that whatever he should ask,
would not be improper or wrong. How then,
could her sister speak thus !
- Charlotte noticed the expression, and half
read its meaning. ' She did not much like the
reproof it conveyed, and turning to her, she
said somewhat scornfully i
'Perhaps ray sister will go with yon. Will
you, Bella?" ' '
"Will you, Bella ?" "repeated the young
man, as he bent on her a glance that thrilled
every part of her being. For. a moment the
blood rushed over her brow and neck, and next
It receded, and she answered gaily s " '
"And why not, pray ?"
- "But will you go, Bella ?" again asked Ear
nest, in that straight-forward manner which
ever characterized him.
"I should like it of all things !" answered
the enthusiastic girl, forgetting the emotions
of the moment before.
"But remember howyou arc to do so," con
tinued Earnest quickly. ' -rYou
will be the observed of the observers,",
added Charlotte. t ;
-"And what of that ?" called back the de
lighted girl, as sIm was halfway up the stairs.
-In a moment ' she was ready, and gaily bid
ding her sister good-bye, sbe was soon seated
beside Earnest, and they drove rapidly away.
Charlotte had repented her momentary pride
when she saw the tender glance of Earnest, as
he placed Bella carefully upon the seat, and
drew closer the folds of her huge warm shawl,
in which she bad the good senso to wrap her
self. But it was too lale now; so taking a
book, she prepared to spend the morning a
lone. In the meantime, Earnest and Bella had
joined the motley throng, aud were now mo
ving through the city.
Now they drove down close to the water's
edge, where far as the eye could reach, cne
saw nothing but the clear blue water of the
lake, with its masts and sails, making one
think lie were upon the coast of the Atlantic,
instead of so many miles in the interior. Anon
they looked upon the wide spreading prairie,
now pure and white with the new fallen snow,
and streaching far away, till it was lost where
earth and sky seemed to meet. Then again,
they were swiftly passing through the wide
and level streets of the city.
Oh, there is life and cxhileration in thus
giving one's self up to the enjoyment of the
hour ! Nature is a good mother to us all ; and
when we give ourselves into her keeping we
shall ever fill the hearts with joy and gladness.
Would that more such exercises more of
such out-of-door exercises were freely enjoyed
by all ! This shutting one's self completely
within doors, as many do in winter, is enough
to drive all roses from the cheek, all joy and
gladness from the heart, making one cold and
dead before her time.
The spell of the hour was upon Ihcmjas
they sped merrily aloug, Earnest felt his heart
warm more and more towards the pure and
artless girl by his side. He had known her
long; he had known her well; and she had
ever seemed the samo ingenius, truthful,
noble and good. He wondered how, even for
a moment, he had ever thought of any other;
she seemed to him then, all that his heart
could desire. But could she ever be his?
or was she destined for another ? The tlought
made him desperate. The question must be
decided at once, and with him the resolve was
to act.
They had been talking gaily of the scene
around them or Bella had been talking, he
listening for amid the multitude of vehicles
in the street, each had to attend pretty care
fully to his own; then, turning to her with
another of those glances that thrilled through
every fiber of her being, he said, and his voice
was earnest as he spoke :
"Bella, I am a business man, and shall do
up things in a business fashion. I love you.
Will you be my wife?"
The young lady looked up astonished. She
had always loved him liked him better than
any other on earth ; but she never dreamed of
being his wife. He was so much older, so
much wiser than she for she was scarce eigh
teen,and in heart a .very child why did he not
take her sister? She could not comprehend
it at all, and almost doubted if she beard a
right. For many moments she did not reply. Ear
nest observed her closely, and saw in her truth
ful face the unuttered thought she was about
to speak, when the ludicrousness of the scene,
burst upon her and she laughed outright. It
was now his turn to look astonished.
"Why, Bella, what is the matter?" he ask
ed, somewhat hurt.
"Only think! making love in a hogshead!"
laughed the mischievous girl more hearty than
lefore. "Who ever heard of such a thing ?"
and this time Earnest joined her, even at his
own expense.
Well, well, n3 matter where," continued
he, taking the hand that lay for a moment out
side her shawl. "Do you love me Bella, and
will you be my wife ? Answer me truly ; will
you be mine V
" Ye, Earnest, yt ; but I must laugh never
theless; the scene is entirely new and ludic
rous. Quite a new order of romance !" and a
gain her laugh rang out loud and clear as the
song of a bird." "
And this time Earnest joined in it as hearti
ly as she. no could well laugh now ; had she
not promised to be bis ? No matter where the
promise has been made ; no matter how she
was to be his all his ; and as he pressed her
hand at parting, he said
"Laugh now as much as you please ; but to
night shall call to appoint the wedding and
arrange for Its ceremonies. So good night, 1.
dearest," and In a moment he was goue. .
That night all was arranged ; 'Squire Heed
and his wife giving a full and free consent;
and in just six weks from that time, Bella
Beed became Mrs. Earnest Haramon.
Missouri Election to be Contested. 'We
see by the Missouri papers that Rollins intends
to contest the election with Stewart. We have
no doubt but this contest will disclose some
grand swindling on the part of the Stewart
men. Election frauds have now become the
settled policy of the party whose candidate he
was. Ballot-box staffing and fraudulent re
turns have become:-ordinary- weapons with
them. But tbey have got a customer in Major
Rollins who will be ugly to handle. .
' The Tampa (Fla.) Peninsular states that
Capt. Simpkins, of the brig Anderson, lying
at that place, "was down with yellow fever on
Monday; on Tuesday he was attacked with
Asiatic cholera j on Wednesday he was danger
ously ill with smallpox, and on Thursday ho
transacted business ia tho city, and prepared
his Ycssel lor sea."
IMPORTANT FROM UTAH.
Excitement about the coming of the U. S. Troops.
Gov. Young takes a bold stand.
The following is the closing portion of G ov
ernor Young's sermon delivered in Salt Lake
City on the 29th of July :
What is now the news circulated throughout
the United States ? That Captain Gunnison
was killed by Brigham Young, and that Babbitt
was killed on the plains by Brigham Young and
bis Danite band. What nore ? That Brig
ham Young has killed all the men who have
died between the Missouri River and Califor
nia. I do not say that President Buchanan
has any such idea, or the oflicers-of the troops
who are reported to be on their way here ; but
such are the newspaper stories. Such reports
are in the bellows, and editors and politicians
arc blowing them out. According to their
version, I am guilty of the death of every man,
woman and child that has died between the
Missouri River and the California gold mines,
and they are coming here to chastise me. The
idea makes me laugh and when do you think
they will get a chance ? Catching is alwavs
before hanging. They understand, you know,
that I had gone North, and intended to leave
this placo with such as would follow me, and
they are coming to declare a jubilee. It is
their desire to say to the people, "you are free;
you are not under the bondage of Brigham
Young; you need wear his yoke no longer;
now let us get drunk, fight, play at cards and
race horses ; and every ono of you women turn
to be prostitutes, and liecome associated with
the civilization of Christendom." That is the
freedom they arc endeavoring to declare here.
I will make this proposition to Uncle Sam !
I will furnish carriages, horses, the best of
drivers and the best food I have, to transport
to the States every man, woman and child that
wishes to leave this place, if he will send on
at his own expense all those who want to come
to Utah, and we will gain a thousand to their
one, as all who understand the matter very
well know. It would have been much better
to have loaded the wagons, reported to be on
the way here, with men, women and children,
than with provisions to sustain soldiers, for
they vcill never gel here without we help them;
neither do I think that it is the design of Pres
ident Buchanan that they should come here.
I am not going to interpret dreams, for I don't
profess to be such a prophet as were Joseph
Smith and Daniel, but I am a Yankee guesser,
and I guess that James Buchanan has ordered
this expedition to appease tho wrath of the
angry hounds .who are howling around him.
lie did not design to start men on the 15th of
July to cross those plains to this point on foot.
Russel & Co. will probably make from eight
to ten thousand dollars by freighting the bag
gage of the expedition. What would induce
the government to expend that amount of
money for this Territory ? Three years ago
they appropriated $45,000 for the purpose of
making treaties with the Utah Indians. Has
even that diminutive small sum ever been sent
here ? It is in the coffers of the government
to this day, unless they have stolen it out, or
improperly paid it out for some other purpose.
Have they ever paid their debts due to Utah ?
No, and now they have capped their meanness
by taking the mail out of the hands of Hiram
Kimball, simply because they knew he was a
member of this church. If he had only have
apostatized in season aud written lies about us,
it is not probable that this mail contract would
have been taken from him without the least
shadow of right, as has now been done. He
was to have $23,000 for carrying tho mail from
Independence to t'-is city once a month, which
was the lowest bid, but because he was a "Mor
mon" the contract must be disannulled ; and
that, too, after he had put by far the most faith
ful and efficient service on the route that there
fever has been, as is most well known at Wash
ington. If I thought that my prayer might be
answered, I would pray that not another United
Slate Mail may come to this city, for until Mr.
Kimball began bis service it had been a con
stant source of annoyance, disappointment,
and to us loss. We can carry our own mails,
raise our own dust, and sustain ourselves. But
woe, woe to that man who comes here t unlawful
ly interere with my affairs. Woe, woe to those
men who come here to unlawfully meddle with
me and this people. I swore in Nauvoo, when
mine enemies were looking me in the face, that I
would send them to h-ll across lots if they med
died with me, and I ask no more odds of all h-ll
to-day. If they kill me, it is all right; but
they will not until the time comes, and I think
that I shall die a natural death, at least I ex
pect to. Would it not make any man or com
munity angry to endure and reflect upon the
abuse our enemies have heaped upon us, and
are still striving to pour out upon God's peo
ple ? Brother Bernhiscl says that M'Graw's
mail contract was out in August last, but they
demanded at his hands and would pay him to
carry it two or three months longer. The Post
Office department knew, or should have known
that it had forwarded tho acceptance of Mr.
Kimball's bid, for the new contract in that
mail, which M'Graw was not carrying, and then
it took ad vantage of the failure of that mail
and trumped np a false allegation of the unset
tled state of Utah, and on those grounds dis
annulled tho contract with Mr. Kimball. Our
mail rights and other rights and privileges are
most unjustly trampled under foot, bnt they
can spend millions to raise a hubbnb and make
out that something wrong is being done in
Utah. Let me be the President of the United
States a little whilo, and I would say to the
Senators, Representatives and other officers of
government Gentlemen, you must act tha
part of men and statesmen or I will reprove
you. What are they angry at me for ? Be
cause I will reprove men for their iniquity, and
because I have such inHuenc; here the very
thing they arc after. They think that they are
going to obtain it with money, but they cannot
do it.
The following are extracts from the remarks
of Governor Young, delivered to tho Saints in
Salt Lake City on the 2d of August :
When I thins of myself I think just this I
have the grit in me, and I will do my duty, any
how. When I begau to speak in public I was
as destitute of language as a man could well be;
but tell about being bashful, when a man has
all the learning and words he can ask for !
With scores aud hundreds of thousands of
words with which to convey one's ideas, and
then tell about being bashful before a people!
How I have had the headache when I had ideas
to lay before the people, and not words to ex
press thorn ; but I was so gritty that I always
tried my best. ....
Should not 1 take my tea ard cofiee, my
beef and po:ki and ever' other good thing, ai.d
put it icto the hands of the men who sweat
over the rock for the Temple, instead of feed
ing men, women and children who do not
strive to do all they are capable of doing ? I am
tried in that point, and I must say that if there
is anything ;n the world that bothers me, it is
the whining of women and children to prevent
me from doing that which I know that I ought
to do.
I will acknowledgo with Brother Kimball,
and I know it is the case with him, that I am a
great lover of women ? In what particular?
I love to see them happy, to see them well fed
and well clothed, and I love to see them cheer
ful. I love to see their faces and talk with
them, when they talk in righteousness; but as
for anything more, I do not care. There are
probably buf few men In the world who care
about the private society ol women less than
I do. I also love children, and I delight to
make them happy.
I accumulate a large amount of means, but
I would just as soon feed my neighbor as my
self; and every one w-ho knows me knows
whether or not a piece of johnnycake and but
ter aud a piece of potato satisfies Brigham. I
can live on as choap and as plain food as can
any man in Israel. I have said to my family a
great many times, I want you to make me home
made clothing, but I would meet such a whiz
zing about my ears, if I were to have even a
pair of home-made pantaloons made. I do not
know that I have a wife in the world but what
would say, "You are not going to wear them ;
you ought to wear something more respectable
for you deserve to as much as any man
does." . . . .
It would be hard for the people to explain
away the idea that the government of the
United States is shutting down tho gate upon
us, for it is too visible ; and this is what hastens
the work tf the Lord, which you are praying
for every day. I do not believe that there is
a man or woman who prays at all, but what prays
every day for the Lord to hasten his work.
Now take care, for if he does, may bo you will
not be prepared to meet it.
The time must come when there will be a sepa
ration between this kingdom and the kingdoms of
this world, eve in every point of view. The
time must come when this kingdom must be free
and independent from all other kingdoms. lre
you prepared to hare the thread cut to-day f . - .
For let me tell you one thing, I shall take it
as a witness that God designs to cut the thread
between us and the world, when an army under
taket to make their appearance in this Territory
to cha-stise me or to destroy my life from the earth
I lay it down as a rule that right is, or at least
should be, might with Heaven, with its ser
vants, and with all its people on the earth. Ag
for the rest, we will wait a little while to sec ;
but I shall take a hostile movement by our ene
mies as an evidence that it is time for the thread
to be cut. I think that we will find three hun
dred who will lap water, and we can whip out
the M idignitcs. Brother Ueber said that he could
turn out his women, and they xcoitld whip them.
I ask no odds of the wicked, the best way they
can fix it.
KANSAS AFFAIRS.
On Wednesday, the 2nd Sept., Calvin Bai
ley, a resident of Lcconipton, wa dangerous
ly wounded by Lieut. Brockett, of that place.
Bailey lived formerly in Pennsylvania. Brock
et is known as one of tho most ultra pro-slavery
men in the territory, and was actively en
gaged during the difficulties. On the night of
the 2d he was much intoxicated, and swore he
would have the life of a free" State man before
morning. Mr. Bailey, w ho is in business with
his brother at Lecompton, was present at a
ball given by the citizens of that place ; during
the evening he left the hall, for the purpose of
assisting an acquaintance home. The person
be was aiding, being intoxicated, demurred to
Bailey's action, when Brockett interfered, and
without the slightest provocation stabbed him
in sevtral places. The bowie-knife entered
the right lung, and Mr. Bailey was not expect
ed to live. Brockett was arrested, but his as
sociates attempted to prevent his committal
or trial. -- An endeavor was made to get J udge
Wood to take straw bail, but the great majori
ty of the citizens of Lcconipton condemning
the outrage, the pressure was too strong, and
the bail was fixed at $2,00fi. On Saturday Lc
conipton presented a singular scene, on? i or
tion of the men being under arms, determined
that the prisoner should not be tried, and tha
other determined that be should.
Qniudaro, Sept. 5. Mr. Bailey is Bot yet
dead. He is lying in a very precariows condi
tion. On Saturday Mr. Brckett, who stab! cd
Mr. Bailey, returned to Lecompton and was ar
rested. The propagandists swore that lo
should not be tried, and that any man whe
dared to testify against him should bo shot,
lie was brought lie fore a justice of the jace.
The tocsin was sounded. The r eaters as
sembled. The Free-State Democrats also con
vened. The conservative Fro-Slavery men
met too Shannon, Brindlc, Ely Moore, and
Slcphew, of New Voik and determined to
act with their Free-State friends.
They gave notice to the fire-caters that if
the trial was interfered with they would aid t
put down tho insurgents. They all met at tho
justice's office. A man was called to testily.
Tho propagandists drew their revolvers. The
other party followed suit. One of them band
ed a revolver to the wituess; and, thus armed
the pistol cocked he proceeded to give bis
evidence! Isut this a great country? The
justice was a man of weak nerves, aiid faibted.
The trial was postponed till Monday.
ITCH FOR. SCANDAL.
Cutaneous eruptions indicate that the sys
tem is internally diseased. The prurient curi
osity and passion fr scandal and bloody news,
prevalent in our day, are morbid jymptonis.
They testify to deep constitutional maladies
in the body politic and ecclesiastic. They
show that mental attention is diverted from
tho centre to tho surface. Tho love of tho
startling, the horrible and tho criminal ia im
mensely stimulated by the daily and weekly
press. 'Society begins, like the old lady, to
overcome its scruples, and "relish its mur
ders." Magazine literature has one stock in
trade, which is fun, another stock in trade,
which is blood, and between the two the pub
lic interest oscillates. When it cannot break
fast on an accident it calls for a joke. Whu
it is denied a pun it clamors for a shipwreck
or riot. The truth is, we are victims of gos
sip. News has caught the hydrophobia.
Newspapers are bundles of scandal, and a
disgusting publicity is carried into the sancti
ties of home and the privacies of daily life.
The Athenian passion for news has passed be
yond the bounds of a single city, and has be
come tho morbid appetite of the civilized
world.
Let us concede that It is well to know the
great facts of society. Grant that we aro
learning the natural history of man when we
record bis acts of every day, good or ill, as
exhibited on the vast scale of cities and conti
nents. The elopement, the murder, the mob,
the accident, are signifieaLt hints of the sort
of creature that calls himself lord of this lower
world. But what we remonstrate against as
morbid aud demoralizing is, the custom so
common of going into all the vile details,
and dagnerreotyping to the life tho wound,
blood, lust, or villany. Give the facts of tho
trial, but let the thonsand disgusting particu
lars go. Somethings arj too bad to be pub
lished, and some that are not too bad are too
abominably foolish to be entitled to that honor.
Record, if you please, the murder, the riot,
the explosion, the forgery, but let not the
journalist inflame er corrupt a hundred thou
sand minds by putting .in every word, Imago,
inuendo, or oath, with which they may bo
garnished. We shall begin to think thci
stenography is amenable at the bar of public
morals. What, for example, could those staid
Scots have been thinking of when tbey poured
out all that more than French correspondence
of Madeline Smith, lately tried for murdering
her lover, in Glasgow, to the inspection of
the world ? Trials as well as executions
might better have, if that is the cue, only a
select audience of spectators.
We seriously object to tho publication of
a weekly list ol failures. For it pampers the
lust of scandal. It gives opportunity for hato
and malice to wound with a blow tbi? cannot
be healed. It is not unlroqucntly proved de
fective or premature ; and while it may have
some plausible excuses, as practised here and
in England, it has more substantial and fatal
objections.
But the worst of all is, what Addison call
"Gospel gossip." Here the tongue is "an
unruly evil, full of deadly poiso:i." How
many of the difficulties of parishes, the fre
quent changes in the ministry, and the small
earthquakes in choir and church, are due to
ears itching for some scandal, and tongues
but too nimble to join in the unholy alliance!
The cases of church discipline., so-called, are
frequently nothing more than instances of the
sacrifice of character and reputation at tho
shrine of gossipry.
We have one general rule in publication.
Proclaim the good, and Jet the evil die. We
do not wish tr rake over the kennel or stir the
fetid pool. . AVe would ni Iritig tainted joints
of meat and rotten vegetables to our dinucr
tables, and wo ought just as litHc serve up to
our reulers all tho loatasome, wicked and
pestilential matter with which jonrnaldont
reeks. We do not require to be tokl evrry
niorning that man is weak, is vile, tLat t ocicty
is out of joint, but conceding all that, and
writing the world as base ud corrupt as you
please, let us gfve the-pcful, sour.! 'de.
lor there is one. By the present ccsio. cvit
begets evil, murder sugjrests murder, suicide
ninltip'i s suicide, especially when tiic inflam
matory details are all given in the most vivid
colors. "Be not overcome of evir. tmt over
come evil with good." CArtJfKrii Uqntrer.
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