Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-07-13
A FEW WORDS ABOUT IS POOR BUT
HONEST PEOPLE.'s


Republic, we find under the caption
above reclted. most excellent article
We commend it to the careful perusal of
all. Both rich and poor will alike derive
Instructions from it's wholesome truths
The Republican says:
We have just read. in a newspaper is
sued in minor town in IN adjoining, State,
very pathetic obituary notice of gen
tleman lately deceased, of whom it is said
that, "born of poor but honest parents" "
he ever regarded with kindness, even
in the midst of unusual prosperity" the
''humblest of the people In the communi-
ty around him." &c. We doubt not from
the description given, that he was very
kind and worthy old gentleman. ard we
trust he Is now happy in the society of
his eccentric parents, who SO strangely
blended, AS the panegyrlst assures US, the
attribute of honesty with the circumstance
of poverty.
But we hear somewhat too much of this
thing, and it is exceedingly Ill-timed in
this nineteenth century, and out OF place
in this republican country. 1t is time we
had learned better things-that poor men
should very readily be deemed honest.
and working men respectable.
Poverty is an accident or incident that
we would advise all to get the better of
as soon as they can; but rich or poor, he
who is not in a proper sense a working
man is burden upon the community anda
disgrace to society. All good men are
either working men. invalids or superanu-
ated. Some labor barber than others: the
task of some is of a rougher character than
IN nf 1fI .IrS nd ,rslth huft
than others. But just IS rational men mold
all alike in their esteem, except as the in
dividual honors or dishonors the calling
he purSues. Distinction based upon artl-
icial rules of European countries. but
more especially the Celestial Empire,
(where work is fortunately becoming We
ry pressing Just now are contemplate
abSurdities in this country. A greater
degree of prosperity may he:e attend one
pursuit than is realized in another, or a
greater amolnt of information may be es-
sentIal to the practice of one occupation
than another; but all these things are not
hereditary and perpetual. the idea of the
recognition of castes Can only hnger in
the crania OF fools.
1t is great thing to be an eminent
lawyer, physician, divine, or merchant,
but it would be a very little thing to de-
spISed in consequence one 'sOwn Kindred in
the pursuit of less profitable duties. The
relatives now among US of Washington,
Greene and Sherman, are no doubtJuSLly
proud of the fame of these men; but unless
some of them, of whom we never have
heard, are tenauts of mad houses or can
didates for admission, We presume there
would be no atfront in telling them that
Washington was county surveyor,
Franklin printer, Sherman shoemaker,
and Green IL blacksmith. If it were other
wise, it would but prove the tendency OF
families to degeueracy in moral and intel
lectual stature under the influence of world
ly prosperity.
Who is he. no matter how exalted his
position, who has no relatives in the hum
blest The writer has himself seen mem
bers of the immediate families of two Presl-
dents of the Republic toiling for their sup
port in the severest of emPluyments; aud
it is probable that no man has occupied
the White House, who has not been aware
that many of his kindred, unless relieved
by himself, were reckoned among the poor,
If not the honest of the land The only
brother of the great Clay was cabinet
maker;W giant the of statesmen, and
the ornament ofhis country. had brother
In-lawwho never learned to readuntil after
completing the period of three score and
and ten; and majority of the first states
men of the present time are the energetic
and ambitious sons of poor but honest
parents" Everett (who will never blush
TO hear it) was discovered in his younger
days in the pursuit of knowledge under
difficulties difficulties of poverty,
though they presented to him but slight
impediments on the road to reRowu.
The web of social life in this country SO
infallibly binds together in sympathy and
interest the whole people, that he who
fancies the possibility OF other distinctions
than those arising from the possession o
wealth. intelligence. and moral worth, bu
betrays the FOLLY and ignorance tina
darken his own perceptions, and expose
him to the contempt and derlsion of RATION
al beings.
Whether in a rough scramble of those
who are over-zealous for the accumulation
Oh wealth, or the far more happy and tran
gun pathway of such as are content witt
aprompt and liberal response to the pc
tltlon OF ''our daily bread" the upright
the independent, and he noble spirited
rich and poor alike, disdain to think of tn,
existence of puerile partitions in society
manifested either by the exhibition o
pride and hauteur on the one side, or o