Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-10-12
FOR THE ARGUS.
FROM THE CLUB.
Richmond, Oct. 9. 1910.

Y 3stSOVSoUby OCt- De iSlOs
&dsinguiar is the disposition of nam
ktd 9TH regard to certain qualities of
our nature, that printiple WEIGH is
insisted on whilst it operates against a
man is discarded when il operates in
his favor. The slighest insinuation i'm
aginablc is sufficient to ipjn.e IN indi-
vidusl in the estimation of his fellow.
citizens; the suggestion of knave is
fenouah to excite the busy tongue of
scandal and to demoralize character /:
but neither insinuation, nor suggests
on, nor even probable circumstantial
proof all! be entirely admitted in ex-
culpation of a man; there is nativ,
oias, IL would seem, in society, TO the
belief of every thing that can defame
our fellow creatures, which neverceases
10 operate till il reaches the point tina,
we call pit, and pity is a sensation as
we all know, more corroding than heal.
ing TO refined sensibiiity. his portrait
OF human nature, which 40 man of the
least experience 10 the world will deny
to &c likeness, furnishes sad view of
the condition of humanity, for, howe
vsRph ilanthropisrs may attempt to
cop&a&t, there cae be no doubt that
SUD- adkpositi9n in m4nkinS proceeds
from the intrinsic vileness of our ma :
ture, which, Judging from its own SEN
sations, is prompt to believe OF others
what IL feels a tendency TO in itself.
These reflections are calculated to
humble the pride Of man but, never
theless, l imagine they are necessary
to him in his present state; because, in
the complicated concerns of society,
vice would be too secure in its rnaohi-
nations If there were not in the human
breast a counterac,ing prompsness OF
suspicion, brought inso activity by the
consciousness OF general correspond
log pepPensity in the whole human race.
Wsiddge that in this or in that situa.
ton AMMAN will act in this or 10 that
way; and we judge so, BECAUSE we
know that such 10 the doctrine of his
species. Calculations, truly made, up
on this doctrine, constitute what we
call foresight and he will make the
best estimate of what will happen in So
ciety or among nations, who, with acute
faculty has the most assiduously stu
died intellectual organization OF
humat beings. So profoundly skill-
ed have some modern Go say nothing
of ancient) individuals been in this sci
ence, that they have predicted things
with so much certainty that they have
passed for prophets or men endowed
by the Deity with miraculous faculty
Yet, when we come to aualyze this ca
pac'ty Of foresight, we find that it 10 ir
TACT nothing more in the intellectual
than what chemistry is in the natural
world: chemistry is the knowledge oil
the qualities of substances capacity Of
foresight is the knowledge ofthe qaali-
ties OF intellect the chimist can tell
, VOC when certain quantity of a Ger.
tain Inscription of Substances are com
podaded, what effect will be p rodueed /;
and an Individual well verscd ia the
operations Of intelIsct, can, pretty near.
ly, pronounce the effect of a series of
NOhtpACR NuiObiOuos IL thOTdl rule
of opinion is the converse Of the
legal rule--the latter holding every
man innocent until he is proved
guilty ); whilst the former admits
guilt upon mere accusation. 10
the legal rule the citizen Gads his POI
liticsl and personal secOriiy; in the
moral rule society finds safeguard
from the excess of dishonest artifiee.
Inperyerted mindsthe moral rule ope.
rates too strongly; for such intellects
believe too quickly AID too much up
on bare conjecture: whilst in minds
rightki .framed, surmises aud sugges-
tons have no further influence than &c
inculcate caution. But there is 30 NOR
tai mind whatever, it is presumed, bu
does, moro or less, yield To the pres
sure of the moral rule sgaisst an accu