American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-09-19
THE ONE THING NEEDEUL.

- CANl IllLNc ~ I4LlD La
At this day cash is virtue, piety, learning,
moralty-thc "be-al and the end-all, here. -
Without it the abIest are feeble, the wsest sim
pie, the bravost week, the modest mean; with
it, ignorance becomes knowledge, dulncss
changes to aCutencss, basencss to nobIcncss,
churlshness to generosity; under the broad folds
of its ample cloak, viIcness the most despicubc,
crimes the most monstrous, are scarcely hidden
from the public gaze.
Somebody asks very triumphantly, "Can gold
gain friendship:n TO be sure it can; it can gain
any thing short ofheavcn itself The poet would
never have exclaimed, "impudence Of hope"
had he lived in these patriotic days of profit and
loss, buying and selling, fraud and barter, when
all things earthly have their marketable price
when all things resolve themselves INTO one
great calculation of loss and gain-when the
first, last, great question upon every lip Isl
"Is he rich?" the answer is in the negative,
the individual may be as eloquent as Cicero,
as Just as Aristides, as meek as Moses, as wise
as Solomon, and yet in the worlds estimation
he is perfect nobody. Well has some one
said:
ga man without money is body without a
soul-a walking death-a spectre that frightens
every one. His countenance is sorrowfu, and
his conversation languishing and tedious. If
he calls upon an acquaintance, he never finds
him at home, and if he opens his mouth to
speak, he is interrupted every moment, so that
he may not have chance to finish his dis
course, which, it is feared, will end with his
asking for money. He is avoided like per-
son infected with disease, and is regarded as an
incumbrance to the earth. Want wakes him
up in the morning, and misery accompanies
him to his bed at night. The ladies discover
that he is an awkward BOBBY; landlords believe
that he lives on air, and if he wants any thing
from a tradesman, he is asked for cash before
delivery"
This is painfully, shamefulIy true. We res
poet money bags more than men; wealth mole
than worth. The only test, the only criterion
we seem to have of mans excellence is the
number of houses that he owns or shares of
bank stock "Worth makes the man"-that
is, the money he is acorth
How true is the description Of that able jour
nal, the London Dispatch, with respect to the
undeserved honor paid to " eath, and the I'M
merited disgrace attached to poverty. Read it
with calm attention, and let its forciblc truths
be treasured up in the Utmost heart:
"We always say, you need not be ashamed
of poverty-it is no disgrace;' and most truly
have we spoken, poverty is no disgrace. But
why do we who preach, treat it as if it were
Observation-Disclosures IL, pIOCldllll IL,
it, chastise it, betray it, oathe it, abandon it,
We shame to greet that 'shabby looking man.
or bow to that ''ill-drdssed woman" or because
we want moral courage to walk in the right
path, unless it be the chosen highway of the
powerful What dreadful lesson does this
address to the hearts of men stepped in hypoc-
rcy and pampered by wealth and crouchIng
obseuulence. How many bow in tervd adora-
ton to the length of a mans purse while in
their hearts they despise the man! How many
slaves of coin, and mere watch-dogs of wealth,
will pass by in proud dersion, aborer. How
many rich nabob would spurn the proffered
grasp of tiller of the soil in his laboring ha-
biliments, and how contemptuously they can
speak of the lower orlers!' Ye garn ished Sc
pulchres! In what arc We better than they?-
Naughty mistress of lordy mansion how
dare you scott at the operative? What comfort
what luxury do you enjoy, that labor did not
procure? What comfort or luxury could you
command, were YOU to depend on your own
hands alone; Had your gold been invested in
perishable property, and destroyed by heat,
cold, storm, food or decay, where would be
your Wanted superiority? Can you not see
yourself child of circumstance? Oh, shame
10 creeds and nature is the proud, arrogant, rich
mortal"
We have said already that at this day
wealth is every thing. How many fond pa
rents are willing to sacrifice their daughters at
the shrine Of Mammon. How well does a
newspaper essayist comment upon this evil in
the following paragraphs:
''ls HE MANY heavy sigh is heav-
ed, many heart is broken, many a lie is rem
dered miserable by the terrible intatuation
which parents often evince iii choosing lie
companion for their daughters. How is it pos
sbe for happiness to result from the union of
two principles so dramatically opposed to each
other in every point of view as virtue is to vice?
And yet, how often is wealth considered bet
ter recommendation to a man than virtue?-
How often is the first question which is asked
respecting sutton to daughter, sis he ricll'"
Is he rich2 Yes he abounds in wealth-but