Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-07-21
For the Register.
CORRECT PRINCIPLES OF A C.TION

'unprincipled, but who nevertheless have
no Just title to the term 'principled.' No
man has any claim to the latter term, un-
less he pursues an upright mode of life
from the force of great internal govern
ing power OF right. Some individuals
who are known to have no settled feelings
OF right and wrong, are yet, from the re-
stralnts OF fear, or love of applause, enti-
tied to measure Of confidence: But in
the crisis of fate-in that hour which
comes in many lives, laden, with happi-
ness and success, or frowning with mis-
fortune, black with anguish, in whom
would we contidc? Which should we
choose as the umpire of our doom, as the
Hrbitur of our fOrtuncS--the man who had
generally acted honorably because the
world most approved an honorable course,
or him who had asked only to know the
right to pursue it-with whom it is
right, was sufficient cause for any conduct?
No matter how gifted the mind, how
benignont the heart, or how generous the
impulses, without correct rules of action
the man is nOt man g. for a that'-wc
may contidc in him to II degree, we may
trust him to an extent, but that degree
and that extend, make neither true conf
dcncc nor trust.
To do right for praise or present populari-
ty, instead of for conscience and the rights
sake, is both foolish Il mistaken course.
One may follow an honorable career for
unsound, Fictitious reasons but he is sure
TO unmask and bctray himself at one
stage or another of his life And then
indeed his guiding stars leave his horizon-
then indeed for him" Vertitur intcrca
r,1l hot ;,,
hccdful of the fables moral
"rhc faults Of our ncighhors with frc cdom we
"And tax not ourselves though we practice
the same"
will be sure to punish him in most unjust
disproportion to his error, The world al
ways revcngcs deception, and though he
prove himself guiltless of as many sins as
self-righteous Jobe, that which he has
committed will suffice to lash him to his
dying day He may be considered fortu-
nate il on the above mentioned occasion
his disappointed friends do not bear sullenly
in their breasts, sentiment sufficiently
we'll expressed by Mark Anthony's words:
"I come to bury Caesar, not to praise
him." The appreciation of others is but
a feeble staff to lean upon, the love Of
he who conforms to Just line of conduct,
only to please his friends and to get
praise, not only loses that mighty con-
seriousness of spiritual power, which
makes the man of sterling principle natu-
raj leader to his fellows, but he must also
be prepared to meet with frequent dis
appointments, He will not be always
abic to make conflicting interests agree.
I ~, Et,,l -,
acknowledged. Thus too often he has
placed himself under obligations to the
Prince of Darkness for the loan of his ar
tillcry of deceit.
Not one of the least benefits derived from
an habitually high standard of opinion,
is the proud feeling of worthiness, hover
ing over the soul, guardian, ready to
rush down to the rescue when ingratitude
strikes, or oppression tramples, enabling
one even after he knows that where he has
poured out his deepest, most treasured
emotions, where the souls wanderings in
gorgeous and in sombre plume, have been
revealed in every real of thought-cven
after he knows that there, he has been
most misreprcsented, most derided, most
injured, to smile with an inborn consola-
tion, with high superiority.
Stuuleu, sound, acknowledged princi-
pies, not only record the sweet rewards
of an approving conscience, but they
stamp the very exterior man with noble
ness and grandeur. They add to him
however admirable before, the great light
OF genuine rasttoorthiWcsS, ever-sentient,
tane'kIndled, love-inspiring Trustwor-
thiness' which shows like beac on light
in the noble eye-which is written ON the
brow as on monument trustworthiness
speaking in the tones of the manly voice.
and saying to poor humanity as it strup-
giles along the benighted road of life. scome
unto me--into the Businesses, over the Wild
ernesn through the waye--I will not forsake
thee, neirhar will betrayP AS Hamlet,
Prince of Dei~aark spake of his sire, VIC
may see in the tale-ted man ofprinciple,
W A combination and RSorm. ;ndoed.
Where every god did sccitao set his seal
70 give the world assurance a. man"
Any man, woman, or Mild. can
learn or be learned to act always I,ompt-
ly Alright according to the minds jGtq-
ment Of rights and wrongs. We have
the authority Of Horace for saying /" dim
idiumfacti, qui Orepit habet,'' and from
our little efforts to do right, the souls
linked impulses arise, enlargingqn taking
shape, until the character like Ghe eiant
from the enchanted mist of the Arabian
story, ascend great and high, ad puri-
fed and glorious. A,M,