The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-02-18

| lff Ult iosi InAultfSs NtlNH oiteS ~ e"s"
/ dainty crowaed thrir boards. Such men
If at all simple in their msaners, and eco
non,iral in their expenditures. are not 50
! from any admiration 81 these virtues, nhcl
afe esereTslow gfemih; butfram the pres
urr Of lyrannous, and, Ia them, crue
pennrs.
Having so severely deprecated the diseas-
-, whirh are wasting ibc moral fg0r oftit
bDd,. oliiic, it would seem Incumbent OF
/ III. 20 designate the remedies, most likely e.
effect their removal THIS, even lit were
rally within the compass Of human abili-
/ y, am modest enough TO refer 10 the CO.
eiiaiife powers OF ADLER heads. Tie sefi
est cmpiric in christendom may sometimes
be enabled to mark the sinking condition
Of patient, WHEN the most um that would
restore him, might be known only toan Is
cuapius. In such desperate cases as the
one which have depicted, am inclined To
link that every prescription, however
plausible, must SAVIOUR. more ar less, oil
quaekery; and that we must alone trust 10
the slow operation Of natural calises, 10
the eiIicaey Of the " ris mendicatrir natn-
ra," for radical and permanent cures.
These views are otintended To discoun-
tenanec the generally received opinion that
the pulpit and press are powerful instru-
ments Of reform. Pulpit oloquence, which
shall loculeate the necessity of good works
unto salvation, whilst ii shall enforce the
christian doctrine Of fath, can assnrcdly
accomplish much. 4 fearless, unshackled
and enlightened press, which shall hnrl lis
whitening dcnuucaIiuus, with unspafing Sc
seriiy,against the regning vices Of the day,
can likewise accomplish much, towards the
renovation of morals. Yet think | may,
with entire safety, assume the position that
these alone, however powerful, are made
quate to the complete moral regeneration
Of adebased aud vicious community. Mo-
raj considerations, apart from ply steal in
flnenees, and sometimes IN despite ofthem,
possess great and controlling influence o.
yer conscientious aud well-regulated minds.
The virtues of such minds are independent
of the ,ieisstudes of time, and the luctua-
tons Of property they rest securely Oh
pinnacle above the annoyance of fortune
and OF accident. The bare conviction that
any designated course OF action is morally
proper, is, to minds so constituted, suifi-
cient motive 10 determine them To pursue
II, with steady and inhexible perscrcr-
alce, however il may terminate in the loss
OF all their physical goods. Should they
la cntanglcd IN the mazcs Of error, hold up
10 them the torch oftrntil, and IN "a i'll fol-
low, with firm aud unhesitdtng step, its sa-
cred light.
But these combined characteristics of
noble minds do not, by any means, exhibit
Il faithful, general portraiture Of the human
character.
The great mass of mankind arc the
slaves OF circumstance. Their virtues llou.
tlsli or decay as the combination of the
physical incidents by which they are sur
rounded,may favor one or the other result.
The fluctuations OF the stock exchange fur
nish the best possible thermometer for
the varying state Ola peoples mo
rails. Would you redeem mankind from
Their bondage TO a particular vice /? You
must organize system of things, which
would render its indulgence Improbable
md unsatisfactory. Would you make the
people generous, conGdng, charitable aud
kind 10 each other You must bring IL
bout such state of things as existed in this
country during the days of its commercial
prosperity. But, on the other hand, would
you have them TO understand and practice
fraud, IN all its varcties;to violate, without
betraylng any symptoms of remorse, their
most sacred contracts to triumph in
each others woes !" and lastly, to recog-
nlze and worship no God but Mammon 7?
Then you would do well 10 bring about
such revolution in the commercial world
ns we have lately experienced. These
views, illustrative OF the extreme mallcabi-
lily of the human character beneath the .
peration OF physical causes, however they
may seem To be ut variance with the spe-
doctrine Of the independent, ethc-
rial and immateral nature of mind, rest on
the firm basis Of historical evidence. Both
history and tradition teach us that nations,
like individuals, have their srasons ofyouth,
OF maturity, Il of old age ; and that each of
those stages OF national existence, is mark
ed by tue prevalence Of its appropriate vi
ees and virtues, induced by correspondent
variations of physical condition. The inn
perfection OF human nature is no where so
stnklngly exhibited as on the pages of his
tory From them we discover that ma
tons, after a short period oil civil or militia
ry glory, commence at once the career of
deSeneracy and pursue its downward
course I'LL scarcely vestige remains ofthe
glory which once were theirs. Whilst ira
eng on the page OF ancient story, the rise
and iall OF empires, we are compelled To
unite with one of the most eloquent and
distinguished writer's of the age, in the be-
lief " that man is bound by the condition of
his nature, to run alternately the career OF
improvement, and of degenerncy and to
realize the beautiful, bnt melancholy fable
of Sysiphus, by an eternal renovation OF
hope, and of disappointment
NNTHE.
February Q, 1928,
A CARD.
! would respectfully suggest, to worthy