Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-09-07
PLYMOUTH INDIANA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER :. 1854
Beauty of American Institutions.

III European countries, Whatever may
BE tho social condition in which q man is
born, in tha, condition he must remain
through, life. There are occasional excep-
tions 10 this rule, but they nre no. numer-
Gus enough 10 invalidute lis general cor
rectness. il. this country, the case is diff
terent. No matter how lowly may be O
persons birth, he is not de barred thereby
from aspiring - the highesi social and pc
litical honors;a ;and these aspirations ore fre
quently crowned with success. A very
large proportion of the prominent, men oil
tho United States are persons of lowlv ori-
gin, who, By means of talent, OF industry,
, and OF merit, have worked their way up
to their present position 'If the nan his il
in him. (as the phrase goes. )there is no,
the slIgh,es, reason why he should not rise
There is no hereditary upper class. rs in
Europe, who use their utmost exer:ians 20
keep him down. On the contrary, the
institutions ofour country IRE ofsuch m.
turo rs 20 aff,rd him every faculty for as
ceniig.
We have been led to these remarks by
n Perusal Of the following article in the
Nashville (Tenn.) Union:
During the last session OF the legislature,
Judge Pepper, ofthe seventh judicial dis
trict, presented to Governor Johnson n
FIRE shovel, The workmanship of his own
hands. Tho Juige is a blacksmith bv
trade. We presume he was good one
is he makas an excellent iudga, to which
Office he was re-oIected by heavy major
ity at the lnte election of judicial officers
by the people. The shovel was accept
ed by Governor Johnson, and is KEEP, for
use in the executive Office nj tho capi-
,o,.
Governor Johnson who was n good
tailor before he became distinguished
statesman and politician, returned the CON-
p!iment BY cu.ting-aud making with his
own hands coat, which he presented to
Judge Pepper.
The correspondence which accompanied
those presents is published below. The
correspondence will bo eagerly read by
tho mechaics and working men ofihe State
One such practical demonstration Of the
fact that horrors and Offices in this coun-
try n re within the reach of all, rs is aiTor-
ded in the histories Of the two gentlemen
who write these letters, is worth in the way
OF announcement To others, world Of
lourih fully oloquenco 10 the same point.
There is no affectaton III the letter of
Judge Pepper, or the longer and more phi
reply Of Governor Johnson
-bof I ho L. 81 -.
look with moro pride upon tho fact that
they started in liio as mechanics, and wor-
ked to their presen. position by unai ded
perseverance, and energy, than upon any
thing in those positions. As Judge Pep
per is rs decided in his lrhig politics as
Governor Johnson is in his dcmocrctic,
no pol itcnl feeling Gun mar the pride with
which this correspondence will be read by
the mechanics of the State. II is publish
ed nj the request of the gentleman through
whom the presents were conveyed, and
without the procurement of the writers.
Tho correspondence above referred to
we have not space TO insert. We give,
however. the closing paragraphs of Gov.
JoHNsoN's letter.
The motto Ofevery genuine republican
is individual merit-and that aione--as
being the only thing which creates distinc-
ton between man and man. Let all men
stand upon their own intrinsic merit, not
upon their money-merit, not ancestral
honors. No other standard can he recog-
nised in q REPUBLICAN form of government
liko ours. BY this standard am now,
as have always been willing 10 stand or
fall.
IN conclusion, will repeat, you will
please accept Of the coat in the same spirit
il has been rendered, and with it assurance
OF my high esteem for you as n man and
mec hanic, who is not ashamed of his pro.
fession.