The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-12-26
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
TEMPTATION

Inc man OF ten thousand a year confessedlv
does not steal he has no possible temptation
Again, the of thousand wear does mn,
The lawyer, in the full career of his profession
does not violate the law in this respect, nor the
merchant in large wav of business Pbcv dn
not want the money or they can get it in a much
easier and more reputable way. But the man
who has not penny in his purse nor any means
OF getting farthing steals to save himself from,
starving. Theft IS not, in the first instance
voluntary or a malicious crime; and therefor,
should be distinguished from those that are II !.
not vice of general inclination, or of inberen,
dePravly, but Of particular circumstances Place
thief IN circumstances Of gentleman. and he
Will n" longer be thief-though he NAV carry
all his other bad propenSities into his new charac
ter
Fake the common case Of the lapse into this
offence, and consider with what feelings il would
be just or natural TO view it, What. then. is the
meaning OF The cutlery against the lawless de
pTaVliy oil The lower classes in this country? A
man Is a labOrer or mechanic he has a wifi.
and children to support he works NIGH, and dav
he denies himself almost every thing sill be
hnds 1t difficult To live. He is taken sick mr. il
thrown out of employ he is reduced 10 the NJ
most extremity; he still holds out and cliogs IN
the last chance of hope and honesty bat in vain
his patience and his principle will last no Ionocr
and he steals WHY Not rr,nn ,can, r.
n #
ec"nomy; he observed the strictest-not from
want OF abstinence he almost starved himself tu
death-not from want of fprlitude he bore everv
sort of distress and hardship without repinino-
not even from want Of honesty; for The fret lo
parture from it almost broke his heart. Vet no
and his class are accused of a total want nr do
cency and moral principle, from his not havino an
heroic degree of these virtues, not one of which
the higher classes are SO much as ever called upon
to practice, or to make the smallest sacrifice to
10 argue, therefore, against the good disposifi,n
OF the lower classes generally. because they alone
are subject to those temptations which produce
particular violation Of the law when the trutb il
that by tar the greater part OF them are continual
ly holding ont to the last extremity of desn,ir
OF sickness, and often Of life itself in slrnp,lin,,
against those temptations. Is most base and nm
manly Edinbwgh Repie,o.
NAsHrNCToN's GRAvE-A gentleman ,yb,
has recently visited the grave of washington a,
Mount Vernon, says - ~
q" II grieved me to the soul to witness ,bo ,,,,o,
neglect which is visible around this c,nsecra,od
spot. Inc Tankest and fullest weeds are perni,
ted 10 grow and flourish above and around if a
few scattering cedars in all The wilderness If nm
cultivated nature, are the only trees 10 he soon i,
The vicinity OF the grave while around in ovorn
dr'c'Ionthe eye rests upon the diIapidafed raH
fences, broken rails and scattered brush ,vo,J
lie roads leading 10 it are washed lnto imnr.c,i
cable ravlnes covered with filth and prcseo,i,,
hInghi That IS agreeable, bot every thing that i
,hehSIVe 70 me eye and uncongenial to The hal
lowed spot" "''