Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1806-08-01

lions ia 4 candidate for Office. Recent
elections have shown US that the man
who attempted the chastity of his neigh.
bour's wife--who could reward the ira
ducer Of his friends character, and who
could produce other vices ofequal turpi.
tude, was not thought an unsuitable cha
racter for the first Office in our govern
ment. -. ia 80 -. -. >
The opinions Of. the chief officers Of
government will always have . sensible
effect upon TIP public mind. Under
Constantine the people were or affected
to be Christians, and their conduct or
respect to society was conformable TO
their professions. Julien differed from
Constantine and the public religion chan
ged. That there was hypocricy here l
have no doubt, and ! detest It as much
as any other man. But I adduee this in
stance to show the effect that the opini-
On of the chiefs Of a government has up.
on the people. AT present am, only
treating Of religion and morality, a. they
affect the happiness Of civil society. Man
must account to his God for his opini.
ons. But certainly tits MOI polite for q
people toraise to.the highest Offices, men
whose opinions and conduct are calcu-
lated to relax that forcibly restraining
idea, on the minds Of the, weak and the
wicked so far as their examples Extend
that If theY can avoid punishment here,
there is no danger hereafter. Ambiti.
on and susceptibility of dissipation are
not unfrequently united in the same cha
racters. II both passions can be gratif-
ed, there Is no chance that either win be
restrained. But If the public opinion
shall declare them Incompatible, then one
Of them must give way to the grati6cati-
on Of the other, and the probability 10
that ambition win prevail. This passi-
on, when corrected by an upright course
oflife, will lead to the benefit Of society.
But the youth of the present day, who
see infdelity, incontinency, ingratitude
and immortality rewarded by the highest
honors Of the state, win see very little to
stimulate their virtue. The Wears of
Bray, who follow the government in e
very thing, Jest with religion, and laugh
At morality. The old grow half asham-
ed Of their God, and the young Of their
virtue. A general spirit Of iniquity UNI
der the title of literally prevaiis-and
gambling and other VICES have taken the
place of innocent divtfsons. A cele-
brated writer has said that - vice is gra.
dual and easy descent; where it at FIRST
deyiates from the level Of innocence but
the declipity at every sseRbecomes more
and more steep; and thosf who descend,
deseead every moment With greater ra-
pidity." rEs<tff. ..-.:
=. While vice prevails and impious
men bear sway," we mayl look in vain
for the beneficial effects Of moral obliga-
ton upon society. The lesser vices 1viH
prevail, and these zviI inevitably lead to
greater. s..s.:.f
The nephew of Wythe il is believed
began hiscareer with the fashionable vice
Of gambling. He lost more money than
he dared to ask his uncle for at once
He forged his name to some checks on
the bank. The day a PaymeAt APP
preached, and 70 conceal his shame, he
plunged himself still deeper in misery
he murdered his uncle and his benefac-
tor !--Here you can trace the gradual
steps al vice, from the polite beginning
at card table, to the murder ofthe dear
es.friend. How careful should parents
be to check the FIRST sprouts of vice in
their children i@Howextremely cautious
should the people be not 70 sanction vice,
by exalting the vicious : $500,
I. / ~. ANoLD MAN, !
- 20, .'@ r
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