Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-06-20
Public Spirit.

Many people think, if their practice is any
index to their opinions, that the phrase public
spirit, is a mere synonym for extravag ance and
nattention to ones Own interests. They re-
gard its active exercise as suicidal to man $
pecuniary existence, and hence take especial
care, not to possess, or at all events, not to
manifest any Of it, should they be so uufor,u-
nate as to have little by inheritance or other
wise Scch people never gire, for any pur.
pose whichever, unless they see an immediate
prospect of return. All the hold OF the 50 evil
root they have got they use every exertion 10
keep. The scrip,ural Injunction, "cast thy
bread upon the waters" &C., has strange and
foolish sound in their ears, for TO their literal
and mat,cr-of-fact understandings it appears
exceedingly probable that, in such an event
the bread would be spoiled and neither do them
selves good nor anybody else. Thus they are
extremely cautious too keep their charitable
Tenderness well in check, seldom permitting tie
kite Of their benevolence TO soar much above
the house-tops, for fear of accidents unless the
1t is almost needless to say tina, a community
containing many such men can never make
much advance in permanent prosperity. They
individually may prosper and attain to great
wealth, but this only serves to render more ap-
parent the bighting nature Of their influence
upon everything calculated to benefit their
neighbors as well as themselves. On the con-
rary, men of an opposite character, men Of en-
arged minds and liberal views, who while they
have an eye to their own private interests, are
yet willing TO exercise comprehensive bene-
violence, and lend aid and countenance to any
project tending TO promote the general prospect
ty of the place in which they live, exercise an
entirely different influence. Under their
guidance and direction, for such men always
lead, town or city however unimportant at
first rapidly rises and soon acquires an enviable
and conspicuous position. good illustration
of this, which occurred within our own know-
edge, we give for the benefit Of those who read
and think.
Ina small town, in the eastern part OF his State,
some twenty-five or thirty years ago, two broth,
ers commenced business together. They were
unfortunate at first They had hardly got well
bugun when their entire establishment was
consumed by fire. Nothing daunted, they built
again and commenced anew. A short time
elapsed and they were second time burned
out. Still they persevered, and were determin-
ed to succeed They did succeed. How 2
Not by any close-hsted, little-souled system of
operations. Not by boarding every cent OF
their earnings, and resolutely setting their ia
ces against all charities. BY no means. Their
business system, while it was well calculated
TO ensure success, was liberal in the extreme
They were, and are now, public spirited men
in the most comprehensive sense of that term.
What has been The resut2 Their town, which
was comparatively unimportant before, has
come to be place of the first rank in all that
section. 1t is the present terminus of one of
our Railroad, which fact in connection with its
rapid increase in wealth and influence, has in
duced its envious and less fortunate neighbors
10 nickname it North Boston. Its whole growth
10 u"c W INC ""a'ueu eHo''' VI t"e e'eoho auoEe
named. They have brought into the place
some two hundred voters with their families,
they have founded an Academy and supported
it themselves, and the old Westinghouse not
suling them, they forthwith purchased it, made
it over into boarding house for their school,
and gave a thousand dollars towards cree
ting a new Church. They have laid out
new streets through their own lands, ana built
houses thereon for their workmen, and in add
ton 10 all these Efforts for their own town. they
have, and still continue t. Contribute meet In