Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1850-02-12

We are often induced to pause and turn away
with sorrow, il not Indignation, at the cold, selfish,
and cruel spirit, which Is generally manifested by
mankind at the downfall &c fellow creat"rc. =
Let an Individual engage in an enterprise, how
ever wild, hazardous, unjust and immoral-ald
let cmincn: success crown his efforts, and he VIII
Immediately find Thousands Of parasites and Gu
logsts. "'Fhe cnd,'' with them, '' sanctities the
means" The success renders them !orgetfu OF
immortality, and lIenceit so frequently happens
that q rich man, who may have attained lis
wealth by system utterly vile and Protiigate, is
regarded by the thouglhless many with lar more
favor and respect, than Poorman who has tollcd
in an honest, honorable calling, but who has ever
been among the unfortunate in a pecuniary sense.
Success is thus made TO sanctify vice, and the m
famous doctrine is endorsed" Make money,
my son, honestly if you can, but BY all means
make money!" The worship of hammon is a
prevailing passion in this county. The deslte
to attain wealth is so strong, that purity and In
tegrity often disregarded or lost sight OIL
How frequently, when young lady is spoken ot
as possessing all the qualifications that are cal
cuIatcd grace and adorn the female sex, do we
hear the question put by some anxious mercenary
inquirer-"Is SHE RICH 90 And so again with
a gentleman under similar circumstances. The
anxiety is not as TO worth, virtue, proolty or IN
teIligence, bnt as TO worldly means false
system is thus inculcated, and our sons and
daughters grow mp with the impression that mo.
uey is the great object, the all powerful lever;
and that withmoney every thing else must follow.
The consequences of such doctrine are truly
deplorablc. Society is rendered selfish, corrupt
and mercenary-tbc greater virtues are overlook
ed and undervalued, while the nobler impulses
of our nature, command little respect, compare
lively speaking. Only few days since we were
panied and shocked by an expression from the
lips of youth, whose education and sense OF
propriety should have taught him better. Aliud.
ing to an individual, he said" he is quite
tbu apH TUE hiohfyy HE ~
But this was possibly the creed inculcated by his
mental and moral advisers, and he was unCon-
scious, or appeared to be, of having committed an
error. Let us uotsbe misunderstood. The man
who by long life and toll, who by fair, honora.
BILE and successful enterprise becomes enriched,
even 10 the anount'of hundreds of thousands,
should not be less respected on that account
Far from il. The rewards of findustry are every
ayhonorable. Our children should be directed
to such asRn example and the prudence OF such
a citizen-his integrity, his activity and his sue
cess should be held upin every way worthy of
emulation md imitation. But we mean to say
that if the successful merchant, mechanic or
manufacturer, have Deighbor every way his
equal in intelligence. in integrity, and in althat
is calculated to ennoble and brighten humanna-
ture-and who nevertheless is mserably poor
he-ihe poor, the Just, the good. .but the unfortu-
nate, is not entitled TO less consideration, than
the rich and the prosperous. On the contrary,
because of his misfortune, we should deal with:
him more kiadly, more generously. We should.
travel out Of the ordinary way TO manifest our
respect and regard for him. We should prove
that the man, his character and his principles,
are the real objects of esteem and consideration,
without the slightest reference TO his FPecuniary
condition. s. 80
As Coop as N rrsvERg ESsoP "A monse rang
ing about a brewery. happened toifalE into vat
of,beer;w in imminent danger of being dFhwn-
ed, aud appealed to acat to help him out: The
cat replied
Z .sIt is a.'fnalish request for as soon as get
YOU out shall eat you. t
The mouse Tepiied, that fate would be better
than 10 De tirowaed in beer. The cat lifted him
ont but the f,iine of the beer caused ppss to
ssneeze, and the mouse took refuge in his holes
The cat called 90 the mouse 10 come out=-
You, sr, did YOU moi olpise that should eat
Ah 2 repiiedthe mouse, & but yor. know Issas