The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-12-15
THINK BEFORE SPEAKING.

In times like the present, when pecuniary pres.
sure il seriously felt and panic seems to pervade
all classes; when confidence is lost and money
held so fast that the very eagles on coin show
symptoms of uneasiness 1t becomes every person
to use the utmost discretion in giving heed idle ru.
mors, and above all to beware of assisting In their
circulation. We have heard reports in regard to
some OF first business houses which in fact had
not the shadow of a foundation, but which were
nevertheless calculated to do material injury. It
would not be difficult to illustrate these remarks,
for we hear of instances of the sort daily. The
best suggestion we can make, however is to advise
every person to think before he utters syllable
against the credit of abusiness man. We have Just
perused an article in the New York Merchants,
Ledger which touches the point so effectually that
give it to readers entire in the hope that 1t
may set every man to thinking upon a subject
which at this time is allimportant:
There is an old proyerb that a man should think
twice before he speaks once. and truer one was
never framed or issued. Ninety nine people out of
a hundred, we regret to say, speak first and think
afterwards. Hence the troubles that visit many of
their neiehbors and themselves also. Talking is
science, and but limited portion of the commun.
ty know how to practice II properly and eectually
Yet Il is easily learned THINK The art is centred
10 that one word. Many mans hopes and char
acter have been wrecked by his speaking upon
impulse Even after you have thought, 1t is neces
sary that you should be careful not to say too
much. What you say incautiously about fellow
citizen may be repeated until it swells into a set
tied rumor, the injury Of which almost prostrates
him before he knows what the nature of the blow is
The effect of the rumor, otentimes set afloaiby per-
sons who have no idea ofdoing wrong, 10 systemati
cally and almost invariably destructive. If all
Individuals would say only ia few brief sentences
what they could srear to, characters and fortunes
would not be sacrificed at the shrine of scandal
Rumor does as much as Rum to keep lawyers busy
and render prisons necessary Talk like man /;
that is be positive that what you utter cannot be
centroverted The following card, which is rather
"on the square" as they say in the modern classics
shows one of the effects of rumor.
AcARD.
We are informed there is q rumor that we have
"failed." As we are not aware of yourselves, and
have no apprehensions on the subject we deem it q
duty to our friends that the rumor is entirely
and unqualfedly false.
Some foolish remark, hastily dropped, has no
doubt coet the advertisers of that card Thousands of
dollars and any quantity of sleepiess nights.
THE CHILDs DIVORCE CAsE--In the case OF
Childs rs Childs, which has been going for some
time in New York, affording infinite delight to the
lovers of vulgar scandal the counsel for the plain
tiff concluded the summing up on Tuesday last.
contending that the identity OF Solomon Childs the
defendant, az having been In a house OF III fame
kept by Bell Forrest. las been irlly proved. The
jury then received the charge of the Court, and
retired. Aficr consulting some two hours, they
returned verdict that defendant committed adui'
terry at the house OF Bell Forrest In Cincinnati
also that plaintiff BEFORE and at the commencement
of this action, was resident Of ihe State Of New
York To questions as TO whether he had been