The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1851-04-26
Integrity Of Character.

of trade and commercial intercourse, and bu-
sincss transactions of every kind. A COM
munity of known swindlers and knaves would
try, i'll vain, to avail themselves Of the adj
vantaSes Of traffic, or to gain access to those
circles where honor and honesty are indis-
pensablc passports. The reason why savage
horaes are suspected and Stunned, is because
they are deceitful and trc:lcherous. We
have no faith in their professions, no conf
dence in their promises. il they manifest
kindness and friendship, we apprchcnd it is
| Tor the sake of more successfully accomplish.
ing their selfish and malicious purposes. So
of cheats and knavcs, under whatever cir
cumstances we may meet them. However
fair may be their exterior, we know they are
black at heart, and VIC shrink from them as
from the most deadly poison. Hence the
value which is attached by all right minded
men, to purity Of purpose and integrity of
character. man may he unfortunate, he
may be poor and penniless, but if he is
known to possess unLending integrity, an
unwavcring purpose to do what is honest
and just, he will have friends and patrons,
whatever may be the embarrassments and
exigencies into which he is thrown.
The poor man may thus possess capital,
OF which none of the misfortunes and calam-
tiles of life can deprive him. We have
known men who have suddenly been re-
duced from afflu-nce to penury, by some dis
pensation of Providence, which thcy could
neither foresee nor prevent. A fire has
swept away the accumulation of years; or
misplaced confidence or flood, or some of
the Thousand casualties to which we are ex,
posed, has stripped them of their posses
sions. To-day they are prosperous to-mur-
row, every earthly prospect is blighted, and
everything in its aspect is dark and dismal
Their business is gone, their property is gone
and they feel that all is gone But they
have rich treasure which the fire cannot
consume, which the floods cannot carry away.
They have integrity of character, and this
gives them influence, and raises up friends
and furnishes them with pecuniary aid.
Young men, especially, should be deeply
impressed with the vast Importance of cher
ishing those principles, and of cultivating
those habits which will secure for them the
confidence and the esteem of the wise and
the good. Let it be borne in mind, that no
brllliancy of genius, no tact or talent in bu-
siness, and no amount of success will COM
pensate for duplicity, shuffiing and trickery.
There may be apparent advantage in tile art
OF dlssimulation and in violating those great
principles which lie at the foundation of
truth and duty. But it will at length be
seen, that q pound was lost where n penny
was gained; that present successes are out
weig he'd, thousand fold, by the pains and
penalties which result from loss of confidence
and loss of character. 1t cannot be too
strongly impressed upon our young men to
abstain from every course, from every act,
which shocks their moral sensiLilities, wounds
their consciences, and has tendency to
weaken that nice sense of honor and imter.
rity SO Indispensable to character. The habit
OF conccalInent, or dissimulation, of telling
white lies,' as Mrs. Opie calls them, is most
disastrous in all its influences and ,ssucs.-
How many have become confirmed liars.
and been consigned to dishonor and infa,ny.
who began their career in this way! Lan-
gnage is utterly inadequate to describe the
amazing, the infinite importance to our younp
men, of forming their characters by the RIGHT
models, and in accordance with the ullcl,anp-
ing principles of truth. Who has not read
with deep interest the incident in the life of
Washington, who, when he had Injured n ia
vorite tree of his father, frankly confessed
his offence, because he ''couId not tell "a lie.n
Here was manifest one of those essential ele.
ments OF character which made Washington
first in war, first in peace, and first in the
hearts Of his countryInen"
Integrity of Character! who ever possess.
cd it, that did not rive untold advnntagcs
from 'ta ltis better than tho gold of Ophir;
1t is OF more value than diamonds land all
precious stones" And yet, every man may
possess it. The poorest may have it, and no
power can wrest it from them. To Young
men, we say with earlestness and emphasis
look at integrity Of character with the bless.
ings it confers, and imbibe such principles
and pursue such course, that its benefits
may he yours. 1t is prize so rich, that it
relays every sacrifice and every toll, neces.
sary to secure it. Suppose mercantile com.
munity could be found, whose every individ.
ual was known and acknowledged to possess
strict and unco'npromising integrity; the
representations of each one were in strict nc.
cordanee with truth "I,is word as uood as
his bund" Such a community would have
a monopoly Of the trAde. 60 far as they had
The tHeans Of supplying the demand. "The
tricks of trade" whatever may be their ap
parent advantages, impair confidence, and in
the end, injure those who practice them far
more than they benefit them. 1t is short.
sighted. rs well as a guilty policy. TO swerve.
under any circumstances. from those great
principles which are of universal and ever.
lasting obligation. Let'a man maintain bis
integrity ut all times, and he, will be satisfied
there is a blessing in it, and q blessing fow-
ing from 1t, aud q blessing all around it.
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y q 5CERTyis CURE FOB THE WHoopIse
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