Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-09-08
WHOLE NUMBER 327
THE PERILS OF SUSPICION.
The Vicfims


The Victims.
"And shall we all condemn and all distrnst.
Because some men are false, and some unjust
Forbid, Heaven far better twere TO be,
Duped of the fond impossibiity
OF light and radiance, which sleeps visions grave,
Than thus to live, SUsPIcloN's better slave.i'
We cannot we'll conceive nIore cruel
case, than that Of an individual who is made
to suffer In character, in feelings or in for
tune, through an anfoundsd suspicion.
A suspicion TOO, that has some apparent
ground, from the force of circumstances.
And yet, how prone are mos, Of persons TO
indulge tboughtlesslv and recklessly, if not
wantonly, in this species Of accusation ard
injustice There is scarcely an individual
OF mature years, who has mingled with
the world with any degree of activity, who
cannot remember circumstances in which
he himself was unjustly md improperly
suspected of some unkind or ungenerous
act, and thus made 10 suffer.--or who is
not able to recall some period oflile, when
he for months, nay perhaps for ears, dealt
with like injustice toward others. II is so
easy for poor human nature to be deceived
or mistaken. Our preudices are so strong,
apt to believe according TO our wishes,
rather thon the facts, and thus TO ex-
anime und decide, not in conformity
with truth, equity and justice. but Of false
hood, bigoiry, and prejudice. II Sometimes
happens, too, that even when individuals
know thai they are error eously suspected
OF some d:scouresy or ill-will, circumsien-
ces exist which render an explanation
painlul or improper; and hence they arc
compelled TO suffer on even at the expense
Of peace of mind, loss of chsruc,ef, nav.
of henl,h itself. The sensitive, the timid
aid The conscientious, are especially odapt-
ed TO become victims under such circnsn-
stances. Alas! how much wrong, injos-
tice, and Outrage have been perpelrated
through the influence Of un(ounded Saspt>
cions! How many hearts have been Are-
ken2 How often has jealousy thus been
kindled into madness, and love converted
into hate?
How word, look, may sometimes
strengthen dislrusl in the minds OF the NOR
} bid, the walchful and suspecling, ond give
a false, yet vivid coloring TO innocent acts
J Let suspicion or dislrusi once ex St in g
family circle, between husband and wife,
, the lover and his affianced, and what a
world of anxiety and anguish may be pro-
duced. There are, moreover, demons in
human shape, who take delight in fomen'-
J ing such feelings, who watch for opportu-
, mites when they may whisper words of
doubt, ard thus excite in the susceptible or
The sensitive thoughts and emotions of the
; most painful character. We not long
since heard of an instance, where an unoE-
: ymous letter carefully and plnusibly writ
: ten, WINS add.essed to q distinguished CHI,
} zen Of a neighboring State, the object be-
ing to create distrust and discord between
man and wife. just enough facts were
mentioned, to give an air Of probability to
the story, aid for time, the effect was
truly unpleasant. Fortunately, the SLAM
) dered was fully able to exonerate himself,
) and to prove that the malignant and das-
taslard!y author was prompted, either by
mistaken folly or wnnton malice, md thus
the evil was but temporary. Conduct like
this deserves the keenesl censure. He
who waptonly sports with feelings or affec.
tions, who delights in sowing the seeds of
distrust and suspicion, who takes pleasure
in hunting out the infrmities and short
comm gs Of his friends and neighbors, is
very apt, not only to forget his own err
rors and nisdoings, but in The absence Of
facts, to resort to fiction, and thus in the
qualification Of a perverted taste to manu-
facture slander and !ibels Of the worst de-
scription. The habit is pernicious one.
and it is likely to increase with years and
with practice. There are certain suspi.
cious people who are perpetually on the
waleh for some mishap, error or false step,
on the part OF those with whom they asso-
ciate, or indeed, anywhere in the QUITO door
work-and, the moment they get an ink.
ling of any untoward circumstances, they
vividly imagine train of incidents -calcu.
lated to make out dark story, and not sat-
isfed with fancying it, they speedily give
it currency.-Philadslphia Inquirer.