The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1848-10-06
From the Home Journal.
LIFE IN AMERICA.

1t is stated BY Dr. Goldsmith, and other We
racious witnesses, that the Irish tenaniry, to
whom the luxury of flesh has been so forbidden
by their fates, that they instinctiyely regard il
almost as sin, have a practice of suspending
a shoulder of bacon over the board which holds
their vegetable meal" and touching it with
their potatoes 10 give them favor.
But for eating rasher of what they take pride IN,
They'd as soon think OF eating the pan that IT'S
fried in
The principal of this proceeding Is perhaps
not confined TO the peasantry OF Ireland
Many in other countries, we think, are In the
the habit OF hanging up religion like the, rasher,
and using II In similar way 10 give daimler
and more delicate relish TO their vices. To
make il the substantial support of existence,
and ''chief nourisher in life's feast" would
shock them as a kind of irreverence; they en-
poy it accordingly only TO whet their appe-
tites for the hoinely and carnal viends OF earth.
Ii seems 10 us also, that in our society the men
Of businessman when we have named them,
have we not included all America?-treat life
itself with the same superstitious veneration !:
they sometimes employ its pleasantness TO III
fuse zest into their more meagre fare; but as
for indulging in the free delight OF lining, they
would as soon think of dining out OF the salt
cellar, or sitting habitually in their best par
lors. Nay, they look upon a man who con-
siders that enjoyment is the nominal condition
of being. and that labor is but a subsidiary ne
cessity, aud OF no value but as il contributes
10 it, as person of dangerous principles and
irregular habits. Mr.. Webster observed some
years ago in celebrated speech in Faneuil
Hall, In regard 10 certain class OF politicians
that they appeared TO be looking forward to
some future period of ideal success, in which
the utmost possibilities of Hope were to be
completely realized, and that they were deter
mined TO accept nothing until they could thus
possess everything. So il seems TO be with
our merchants, our mechanics, our brokers, our
lawyers. They seem 10 say, for the present.
we will become the devoted bond-slaves OF
toll; We will suspend every pleasure and post
pone every wish, we will cOnsecrate every
thought of the mind, every energy OF the body,
every moment oil time, 10 the service of pro-
fessional labor; and when we have acquired a
fortune. we will begin 10 live; till we can thus
live perfectly, and dedicate onr entire abilities
TO the task of enjoying existence. we will not
take pains TO snatch from the passing day, what
treasures of moderate felicity ii might we'll al
ford. Alas that anticipated future never ar
rives. That morning never dawns which is to
strike off the letters Of The thrall OF business
the good which Nature so bountifully yields.
Make your way into the tangled crowd oil
Wall street, and ask each individual for whst
end he thus, day after day, wrestling in the
| fierce and weary contest oil gain-why he en-
counters and endures that hot strife of the pas
sions which is there hourly wasting the very
lives Of those whom ii involves-lhe pressing
solicitudes, the burning expectations, the
crushing disapPOiniments which succeed IN
ceaseless round for those who wait upon that
fearful service. He will tell you, to be sure
| that he is only waiting until he has acquired d
competency ia order to give himself up to he
enjoyment of that calm and elevated delight
which refined society offer to those who are
capable ofappreciating its pleasures. But The
hour never comes in which the satiable desire
for the means OF life yields 10 reasonable con-
ception of the value of the end for which these
tolls are endured: or if the slave in the inter
nal mill OF business comes al last TO the peri
cd when every hope of acquisition is satisfied,
the capacity 10 avail OF the resources OF large
accumulation is gone forever.
| In the preparation to live, life itself, and
its energies, have been consumed This sep
aration of the pursuit of wealth from
i its use, we condemn as Irrational and in
] furious. When competency has been attain
ed, and solicitude for ia mily support is no long
er pressing, every man ought 10 make point
of proliIing of all the sources OF intellectual
/ and harmless qualification that come within
his range. The exclusive and intense exercise
i of single set of faculties-;hose employed IL
! acqusition-is of bdneful influence upon the
moral character. To pass at times from the
i stern temper and concentrated attitude of the
gadatoriaI strife TO yield 10 the genial indul
1 eence of the tastes aud sentiments and at
i fections opens and refreshes the various sym
pathies of our nature, aud enlarges and liberal
i lies the consciousness. If our men of com
merce and finance were 10 make system oil
devoting every day portion OF time and at.
i tention 10 intellectual and literary society
TO the cultivation OF art-to the active promo
ton Of some public ends, or the discharge oil
some public duties, can i. be doubted that our
national character would become a wiser and
healthier and stronger than tits? Nor do we
Il believe that under such practice, the pursuit
RI of wealth would become less successful than i,
now is The minds of earnest money-getters,
by brooding uninterruptedly over single class
Il of passions, become heated and disturbed; and
II the judgement is often bewildered BY the sui
len intensity of unvarying feeling. A pause
in the daily dedication TO the interests of the
counting room, which should invigorate and
!, cool the spirit by thoughts and interests of an
opposite kind, would send the Speculation bach
to his labors with a clearer vision and calr1el
heart, which would tell proflably upon the
operations OF the day. Men should learn &c
: live as they go-to enjoy while they acquire
TO temper the impotence of ambition and thC