Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1852-09-02
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Philadelphia papers tell Of the suicide
ofa young man named John 8. Davis,
at the West Jersey Ferry Company's
wharf, on Monday iast. Among other
letters ioond on his table was ono as.
signing reasons for the commission Of
the fatal act ofa character 80 different
from that which ordinarily characteri-
zes this species Of literature, that il 10
worth whiIe copying it,
ut will be charged upon me by para
graph-moDgers, that mental allegation,
caused by pecuniary difficulties, has
led me 10. the act whose consequences
are now visible. Love- domestic af
fiction or any but the true cause, will
be assigned. To rerute all such char
yes, and TO set at rest, forever, all spec
nlations on the subject ! have written
these lines:
II have passed my life in the search
after happiness. Like other men,
i have tried and exhausted all the
springs of action: ambition, friendship
lsvs, have all moved me in their turn,
but yet they have not brought happi-
nese.
"Mine has indeed been u battle Of
life.' And as have kept my post
upon its field, have beheld ali that
makes lie happy pass forever away
Projects Of fame have failed turned to
gall in my breast, the wife OF my bosom
has deserted and denied me, wealth has
slipped from my grasp all has proved
but a dresry blank. And now, at the
end Of the strife, l stand alone upon tho
plain, my dead hopes strewm around in
mocke. y! and nothing iu the future but
despair and death.
"Why il has been thus with me
Why have never enjoyed the happi-
ness that other men have revelled in
around me, l stop now to inquire. Sui-
fec il that have not. As many anOtli-
CT, many letter, many a witcr man
has found il less terrible To meet death
than 10 brave the scorning finger Of the
world, and TO endure the knawings oi
his own bitter thoughts, so and from
"A life Of care and trouble, and more
sorrow than my proud nature can bear,
/ turn to the quiet and silence Of death.
And what comes after2 Eternity !!
dark, blank, mystei iOus, and uniath oIn-
ed eternity In n single hour ! shall
. have solved ils mystery.
ITO those who will be wrongcd by
my voluntary e1i, from the stage ofIiir,
lhave only to say that | have endeav-
ored to act honorably and Justly towards
them alto wrong no man--iO do en-
. tirely unto others that which l would
have others do unto me. Ihave set be-
fore me the words Of the poet
"Thoui jewel, Reputation F.!
Let me secure thee, bright and spotlsss, now,
i' And this weak, care-worn body's dissolution
l Will cheapl pay the purchase
"I have lnbOred for name white as
mountain snow, dazzling and specklesr
but the failure Of the hopes had built
upon has come upon me too crushingly
to be survived. III could have lived, |
e should have redeemed my honor,
q. 40 il now stands pledged to them as il
10, they must only pity and forgive,
while they condemn me-"
The unhappy author Of these lines
was evidently man Of education and
intelligence, in the worldly acceptation
OF the term; but alas! il is not less ev-
ident that he lacked that kind Of know
ledge which alone enables suffering hu-
manity to fight and win the "battle OF
life" Had he been blessed with some
thing Of Christian ior,itude, he never
could havesunk into the coward's grave,
the grave OF suicide. The air Of Athc'
ism or Infidelity pervsdes his letter from
beginning to end and that spirit OF
dependency which i. coniures up in
seasons Of misfortune, 10 frigh,en its
victims into eternity, il painfully promi-
nent throughout. Hope, Patience. Con-
tentment, Resignation, are weapons on
Iy the Christian can command in like
seasons Of trial.-Erprei.