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Show WE TAKE IT FOR GRANT-ED. I People who, like the perpetrator of I these lines, have been away from the I hurly burly always prevalent here, . I for some little time, arc apt to lose ' I the thread of the continuous sensation sensa-tion and think the first thing catching their attention is the paramount issue, is-sue, so to speak. For such a person to state the case as it appears to him sometimes amuses if it doesn't instruct; in-struct; and while well aware that no one is waiting with bated breath or otherwise to read a report from the undersigned, it is also the fact that these lines will not displace any others oth-ers the editor may desire to place before be-fore his readers. Besides, those who " arc troubled with cacoethes scribendi tniiht scratch occasionally. As seen by the Prodigal, the most conspicuous names on Zion's roster just now arc Col. Daugherty and Apostle Grant, but for vastly different differ-ent reasons one for his abundant presence and the other on account of his plentiful absence. A volcano with a habit of erupting at unlooked-for times, making a good deal of noise and filling the air with sulphurous fumes but doing no great damage on the one hand; a quiet vale so retired as to be hard to find and yet extensively exten-sively sought, on the other. Having but slight acquaintance with cither and the invisible one naturally crcat- ing the greater interest, let us turn a little comment in that channel. As intimated, Hcbcr J. is a quiet, retiring sort of person. He has the appearance of being a trifle lofty in feeling and not at all given to "conniptions" "con-niptions" in greeting any one he may chance to meet. One would be apt to say, judging from his demeanor, that a warm day was more agreeable to him than a cold one. He is by no means a tinker with any doctrine he may espouse, but binds it to his soul with hooks of steel. He doesn't know how to belong to a church or party a little; right or wrong, he goes the whole figure and engages in no commutations. com-mutations. It is generally understood that he is a married man with a goodly good-ly family; also that in this respect as in all others, he has not practiced the vice of extravagant economy. To those who arc not on intimate terms with him a pretty big list, no doubt he may seem something of a mystery; and to another large number, num-ber, but more particularly officer's with a warrant, he has been in the nature of a disappointment. Mr. Grant to speak after the manner of men is also at times somewhat Aetna-like in the matter of speech. On occasion he says things that cause others to do things, thus showing plainly that some people peo-ple don't like him. Among these should not but may be some of those whose mortgages, given to secure their indebtedness to Jiim, have been canceled without the same or any part thereof being paid, these amounting amount-ing to a goodly number. Perhaps, also, a few of these whose unpaid notes bearing his name as payee have been destroyed may have it in for him good and plenty, but let the hope find expression that they arc not num-f num-f t erous although figuring in a numcr- ' " ous class. Among a host of those ! . owing obligations not in writing, and of those whose wants have received ' fitting attention at his haniU, without a soti marquis being paid back or cx-' cx-' ' pected, there may be a limited frac tion whose voice is for ctucifixion ! . ' and would be tickled half to death to ' know that a bolt had descended upon his devoted head; now, if the other t , - half could only be added, would it ' . be unchristianlike to call on the fates to go ahead with the performance? ' There is at present a very earnest and well defined desire on the part of Hon. C. M. Owen and some other f prominent citizens to have Hcbcr J. put through according to Hoyle because be-cause of his (Hcbcr's, not Hoylc's) alleged multifariousness and adhesiveness adhes-iveness in the matter of conjugality, aggravated by his pauciey in the matter mat-ter of inhabitivencss. Of course the laws must be obeyed; Justice must '0 not be made to weep until the band age on her eyes becomes as wet as one of our costly municipal highways. If we haven't got enough laws to cover the situation the factory where they are (supposed to be) turned out is in working order and expected 'to get a move on it almost any week now, so that the remedy may be said to be at hand. However, before hostilities hos-tilities begin, let us consider what it is we want, how we arc to go to work, and what the harvest is likely to be. In this goodly age we are not 1 i0 supposed to punish people just for the sake of doing it, but for the sake I of imparting healthful restraint up on the more impetuous through the example afforded, and with the hope I that imprisonment or fine may be productive of contrition' and this lead i j to reformation. Now does any sane person suppose for a moment that if Apostle Grant were mulcted to the extent of thousands of dollars he would come any nearer being a good man like Col. Daughcrty or Mr. Owen? Or that if imprisoned for a term so long that it would satisfy even those gentlemen, he would not emerge from the incarceration if he ever did emerge just as much Grant as he is now? So, what's the good? As Nasby used to say. Suppose all do as some of the Union soldiers did with new prisoners when overstocked administer the oath of allegiance to him (if we can catch him) and let it go at that? S. A. KliNNER. |
