The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-02-08
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FIAT yUSrIfIA.


spsks with = iirm voice ARD . steass
eye
-crime is often committed under
the pressure Of great temptation. In
moment Of weakness. the unhappy
subject &c evil alluremrnt falls" said
the person with whom the gentleman
Was in conversation.
An true" replied Mr.. Ellington ;
all very true. But every act has its
legitimate consequence; and We wrong
soelety. and the individual wrong.doer
himself, whenever We seek to inter
rupt SO wisely ordained relation. II
4 man steals from me. he is a thief.
Far theft the law ordains punishment
and | hold il to be every mans duty
to give up the thief 10 justice. il in his
power to do So. The progress of crime
hIs arrested thereby, aud society guar
ded from future depredations."
THAI is stating the case very gene.
rally. but general principle. are ne.
yer Of equal application. There are
collateral considerations in every case,
which may NOT be d,sregar,led without
wrong to the individual. And We may
assume il as an undsubted truth. that
in dong wrong To an individual. we
wrong the body of which that lndisi.
dual Is 4 member"
There is q great deal Of false phi.
lanthropy, as we'll as false Judgment
creased by this argument based 90 ex'
ceptIons to general rules" said Mr..
EIkingt =, with an air Of self satisfac.
tion. "For nv part. believe that
more harm is done in the end by ad.
hitting the exceptions. than could pos
sibly arise lruln an invariably stringent
application Of the rule. The man. whu
steals, knows that he is violating a
law Of both God aud his fellow. The
statute Of his country says. that for
such an evil act be must suffer the pc
nalty of imprisonment Let, then. the
penalty be made 50 sure, that escape
comes next to moral impossibillty.
Let every one who becomes cognizanl
of an act Of stealing, give up the ouen.
der to speedy justice. For my part.
painful as the necessity might be,
would not stand between justice and
nv own son, we're he to become an Of
fender. The stern old Roman father
has lef, an example Of answering JUS
tlce that CristIans would DO well Il
initiate"
"The time may come when you will
think a little ditlerenuv,' said the
friend; "when collateral influence,
will have sufficient weight to Interpose
an exception TO your stringent general
rule"
"We'll see." returned Mr.. EIking>
ton. confidently. as the two men sepa.
rated.
| A few DAYS after this conversation
took place, Mr.. Ellington. who was a
merchant, was rather surprised to re.
ceive n notification that he had over.
drawn his bank account nore than two
thousand dollars.
Altogether mistake" said he Ia
himself, as he opened his desk, in or.
der to take therefrom his bank book
But the bank book was not in the usual
place. After tumbling over some pa.
pers hurriedly, to see IL it were not
concealed beneath them, he turned to
one Of his clerks and said:
Where is Jamesss
"He hasn't been to the store this
morning, sir"
why! IA he sick !"
"l cannot tell. sir. He made no
complaint Of indisposition on leaving
the store last evening"
1t was on the lip of Mr.. Ellington
to say, in doubtful tone of voice:
There's something wrong;" but
checking the utterance thereof, he took
his hat and left the store. A little
while afterwards he presented himself
at the counter of the bank where hs
kept his deposits. and asked the book,
keeper to oblige him BY turning to hi.
account.
al see no credit here for two thou,
sand dollars. deposited Yesterday
said Mr.. Ellington.
"Did you make such 4 deposit 2
asked the book keeper.
"Ieertainly did dj or. at least. intend
, cd to make it."
The blotter Of the receiving tellel
, was referred to, but no credit Of ths
, sum mentinned was found thereon.
! aWhat does your bank book say z
, inquired the teller.
81 can't fnd it," said Mr.. Elking'
I ton. in some confusion and perplexity
! Of manner. 1T has been overlaid, il
! ar upon my desk. But I know tn
Ideposit was made"
" The bank buck will settle the mat
. ter at once" remarked the teller.
. al don't like the look Of this at all
said M. Ellington to himself. IS h
!; went hurriedls back to the store
! flames absent; the bank book not =