Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-09-07
"Fhe world owe. me a living,


/
The world owes me living and I'll have
It, says some blaekles. as he finishes luxu.
rious repast, here, landlord another L,ttle af
Madeirar'
Half dozen empty headed iopa who sit ga.
zing on him BY stealth in silent admiration
hail the seatimsnt with raplurous applause
That's il; the world owes u. living, and
ven, have III Landlord, more wine here! We
won't 60 home TIL morning Let's 90 il while
We are young. Who cares for expense?'
The consequences Of this is, the pilfering o.
money drawers. the ignominlous loss OF employ
ment, genteel lOafersm, &c, dc, until one
enterprising gentleman, in eager pursuit Of the
good living the world owes him, puts .he
wrong man's name to his check, or in some
way gets ticket for the marble palace at Sing
Sing. where the State provides living for
those il considers deserving, but not such an
one as consorts with their own estimate Of their
exalted merits.
The great error in this case, is in the origi-
nal maxim. L IS false and detestable. The
world owes you liyingl How owes? Have
you earned i By good service? If you have
whether on The anvil, or in the pulpit or as a
teacher, you have required just livelihood
But if you have earned nothing, or, worse still
done little or no good, the world owes yoa no.
thing. You may be worth millions and able to
ENJOY every imaginable luxury without care or
effort, but if yon have done nothing 10 increase
the sum of human comforts, instead OF the
world owing you anything, as fools have bab-
bled. you are morally bankrupt and beg
gar.
Mankind are just awakening to consciousness
of duty resting on every man 10 be active and
usefulin every day atmosphere. All are called
to dig, or hew, or plough, or plane-but every
man has sphere of usefulness allotted to him
by Providence, an ID is unfaithiul TO his trust if
he deserts it for idle pomp and needless luxu-
ry. ..E
One may be fitted by nature and inclination
for an artisan, another for sailor, bu; no one
ever born is fitted for an ider and drone.-
Those who become so are the victims Of per.
verse circumstances and deplorably false ed
ucation.
But has not the rich man the right to enjoy
his wealth? Most certainly Wecould be The
last to deprive him of it. He has a natural
and legal night to possess 1t and enjoy it in any
manner not injurious to others; but he has no
moral right to be useless, because be has su-
periOr means of being useful. Let him sur
round himself with all the true comforts and
luxuries of life; let the master pieces of art
smile upon him in his galleries, and the NIGH
ty minds of all ages speak to him from his IL
brary. Let plenty deck his board and the ia
ces of those he loves gather joyOusly around.
Let him possess in abundance the means of
satisfying every pure and just desire of bis ma
ture, and become wiser, no5ler, larger in soul, /
han his less fortunate neighbor. But let him
never forget, anG if he is properly trained he
lever can, that it is solemn duty to be useful
o his fellow creatures, especially to the de-
PRESSED and sufering-to labor for their bene-
it, and suffer, if need be, for their elevation
The seTvile idolatry with which ignor1nce
md vulgarity have looked to power and wealth
le hossannahs which the trampled millions
lave sung before the cars of conquerors and
ther scourges of the earth-are fading, fitting
Orever. In the twilight which succeeds this
ross darkness, there comes a season of moral
narcby, Why men, having lost faith in the
uggles which one blinded and bound them,
esoIves to believe nothing--io iecry and pros !
rate all that rises above its lowest level