The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1839-08-08
AMERICAN MECHANICS, AND DE.
MOCRACY

50 valuable to the community as the me-
chanic who thinks and acts for himself
We are sure of this fact, AID have always
been surprised that class Of our citizens so
valuable TO the community, and so necessa.
ry TO the support Of the country, should be SO
indifferent 10 themselves and their country
Old Ben Franklin was one of the wisest
sbrewdest, and the greatest mechanics o
the day. His {" Poor Richard will make
any poor man rich. What is the secret oil
his success many a mechanic may ask.
All that is the thing. When we find out
this secret, we can all be Franklins, and
we can all be rich.
We have often studied the character Of
this great man, from the time he was stick.
ing types in Boston, to the time he was
wandering through ire streets Of Phlladel.
phia with loaf of bread under his arm,
or sat with kings or queens in Paris, or
brought down the lightning from heaven
By his kite. The secret of his success, we
have thought 10 part was INDUSTRY, which
very many have FRUGALITY, virtue ma.
ny also have-but above all he THOUGHT
and ACTED for himself His HEAD belong.
ed TO himself He was no mans man, but
he was Ben FraukIin's man. He wore no
collar. When he acted with a party, he
so acted because he thought it was right.
But, says some one, you say industry
and irugahiy are common virtues with me.
chanics. Why are not all mechanics rich /!
The reason is, that there are very many
who will not think for themselves, In an
affair Of business, for example, instead Of
sitting down and making their own calcula-
tons, they trust others to sit down aud
calculate Tor them. Instead Of employing
their leisure hours in studying out for
themselves, bow the world IS going, they
ST down and listen 10 others, and take
their say SO, that is hight, and that is
wrong.
IL IS in vain TO disguise that this world
is divided into men OF two extremes. sieu
who for popuarity's sake call ihemselye,
democrats, as Robespierre did IN France,
when he was cutting off peoples heads by
the regiment, I'll the very streets Of Paris
were cIolted with human gore-such men,
we say, tell US, that wha; is called demo.
crazy represents one Of these classes which
they call THE PEOPLES FRIENDS; and
Nhiglsm, alias federalism, alias arstocra-
cy, the other class THE ENEMIES OF TIL
PEOPLE. Now a mechanic who has eyes
and ears, will not take this upon trust, but
will do as OLD Ben Franklin did, and deman.
ded, is THIS so Well, is it so Let US
discuss thss question, aud think for our.
selves as We 20.
Generally speaking, very rich mans
son is likely 10 be less Of an aristocrat, than
poor man suddenly made rich and pros.
porous. The reason is, that q rich mans
son is accustomed to wealth, and thinks
nothing of II, whereas the poor man sud.
denly made rich man, often has his head
turned and made dizzy By the very dazzle
of his wealth. He can't stand his prosper.
lty, perhaps. Accustomed, for all his life
to sleep on log for bedstead, or TO Jog of
miles on foot, the moment he gets rich
perhaps he out dazzles the greatest daz.
ziers, aud ottomans alone are good enough
for his seat, the carpets of Turkey for HIM
to walk upon, while he sports his equlpage
out OF doors, his servants and his livery and
astonsheS the beholders with hrs magnIti.
cence and state. Now, Ben Franklin in
this case would ask, which IS the arlstocrat
the rich mans son, or the poor mans
son made rich
Again, Ben FrankIn Judged people by
their acts, and not by their professions. If
he had been called upon 20 ask which Of
two candidates was the degenerate candi.
date, aud which was the friend of the PEG.
pie, he would not have looked to the pro-
tesSion of either but 10 the ACTS Of both.
It by democracy Is meant love Of our iel.
low men, he would have asked which had
shown the greatest iorgetIuIness of self,
and which had done most for his fellow
menl Which in his manners, in his con.
duet and his life, exhibited the greatest re.
gard for the people, and the peoples inter.
est Old Ben Franklin would never have
believed that a man was a democrat, be.
cause some one said, told you So but he
woaId have opened his eyes TO see and his
ears TO hear.
The great obstacle in The way of the ad.
vancement of the poor aud of the working.
men Of this country, is that they do not al.
ways think for themselves, and that they
too often suffer others to think for them,
But let them remember that the moment
they suffer others TO think for them, that
very moment they cease TO belong to
themselves, and belong TO him to whom they
have entrusted their thinking powers. For