312 TRANSACTIONS OP THE KANKAKEE 



married men. build houses for them to live in, and let them board at 

 home. then, instead of ostracising them, visit with them, and let them 

 know that we ourselves do not feel that their occupation is one whit 

 lower or more degrading than that of any other calling. 



Let us give our children all the culture we can, and encourage 

 others to do the same; teach them that the genuine lady is not repre- 

 sented by the flamsy-pamsy-lifeless " belle of the period,'" — I shook 

 hands with one the other day, and I waited breathlessly for a 

 minute or two for her to speak or breath to satisfy myself that 

 she was not a corpse — but by her whose kindliness of heart dic- 

 tates her actions, whose purity of purpose is unquestioned, the touch 

 of whose hand betrays life, strength and self-reliance; that manhood 

 is not embodied in that despicable biped, a dude, but in him whose 

 restless energy and indomitable purpose is employed in lifting up 

 humanity and lessening its woes. Never fear but that the inherent 

 force of that true dignity of character which such manhood, such 

 womanhood implies, will place the possessor upon the highest round 

 of the social ladder. And, if in the past we have been negligent in 

 in this matter, let us remember that such an education cannot be 

 obtained in a day, and though never abating one effort, wait pa- 

 tiently, for wait we must, till the end is attained. 



Before we complain of a political grievance let us know we 

 have a grievance, be able to clearly show it and plainly point out the 

 remedy, and I have no fears when this is done about its removal. 

 The statesman pays no heed to hair-brained crochets or chronic 

 growling, but when any question is clearly, ably presented, he always 

 wishes to enroll himself on the side of right; if a demagogue is 

 occupying the place of a statesman he would, under such circum- 

 stances, stand in a greater fear of the farmers than he ever did of 

 the "wrath of God," for farmers' votes are to the demagogue a little 

 more omnipotent than Omnipotence Himself. 



Before we proclaim our opinions upon great political questions 

 let us be sure we have opinions and some grounds to safely base them 

 upon; let us treat every political question with that same care and 

 thoughtfulness which our traducers have in times past accredited to 

 us, when great emergencies have arisen, and we have settled them at 

 the ballot-box. Let us by much reading, close observation, by care- 

 ful thought, acquire convictions and then have the courage to main- 

 tain them, and, party or no party, vote for them, abiding with them, 

 through weal, through woe, through good report, through evil report. 

 To do so we must at times be unpopular: our motives will be im- 

 pugned, obloc[uy thrust in our face, reproach heaped upon us, and we 

 must patiently bear it. And though perhaps not in the very far 

 distant "bye and bye," when it shall have been demonstrated whether 

 or not we' were wrong, a just public may retract the slur upon the 

 motive which impelled us, yet, in case we err, the obloquy and re- 

 proach will remain, changed only to the old familiar word " foolish- 



