The Nevada journal., 1855-10-12
Honesty.


Many people sum up their notions OF
honesty into brief and compact little
creed. Pay your debts and don't steal, is
about the sum total of their meaning of
the term. If this were indeed, all, the
world might be said to be indifferent
honest" But honesty comprises inf
nitely more than this, and there is rea-
son to apprehend that of those who en-
tertain no loftier sense of this great vir-
tue, few would retain much of it, ever" at
their very narrow estimate, if exposed to
privation, temptation and opportunity
There are multitudes who have proper
and just sense of the comprehensive signi6-
cance and application of this term ''hon-
esty," and with whom it is the governing
principle in all they do. And it is to these
that the world owes all that it has of good
in possession, whether in religion, politics,
society, or business affairs.
Religion is, of itself, a spiritual thing,
but understood to exert an important in
fuence upon mans character. But
there are multitudes of religious men who
are by no means strictly honest. For in
stance, they may be convinced of an err
ror, yet hesitate about abandoning it, be-
cause it is an error of sect, and they may
not assail the error without reproach
they will not encounter, CIR cannot endure
Moreover, there are things innume,able
which d religious man will grant to his
prejudices, his pique and his pride, that
his honesty could not allow.
1t has been said that General Wash
ington could as easily have been king as
president of the United States at the time
of his election. 1t is highly probable that
he might have been president for life Ad
NIT either statement, what prevented him
from securing such exaltation' His hon
esty, and nothing else. Not an honesty
measured by dollars and cents, but homes
ty to principle. Some may say that Gen.
Washington had no desire of such distinc-
tion-that he did not seek to crafty his
personal ambition-his temperament was
not of that sort. But this bcgs the ques-
ton, Gen. Washington was ambitious.
He desired retirement, yet when he found
his popularity as a great military chieftain
had SO endeared him to the people that
| they wished him to serve ther as presi-
dent of the nation, his ambition forbade a
refusal 1t was an ambition, however,
altogether outside of his personal gratif-
cation; an ambition to serve the cause of
humanity in any sphere to which his phys
zeal and moral powers adapted him an
ambition in all things re gulated by strict
honesty.
is such honesty as this, more or less
natured, upon which the welfare of man
Kind intimately depends Compare the
honesty and ambition of Louis Napoleon
With that of Washington, and the Empc-
FOR of France degencrates into Robert
Nacairc-"a cut-throat of the Empire"-
'r of the Republic rather traitor to hu-
nan rights. He has served only his
'wn interests, at the instance Of a rcmorse-
es ambition, yet all the while affecting to
serve the interests of Franco. He has
Used power as fast as he could gather it
nto his hands, utterly regardless of the
lights Of the people.
Now, If there is any country in the
world in which honesty to princi pie is pc
;ullarly national virtue, it is ours; and
lere, by contrast, dishonesty to principle
must become sooner or later proportion
Itely infamous. Loyalty in Europe is a
thing that may pertain to an individual, to
family, to mere fiction of government
With Us, loyalty and disloyalty relate to
principles, and to institutions based upon
those principles. And as our loyalty or
ilsioyalty may not take a shape obnoxious
to law, under the broad policy of our sys-
'em OF government, it resolves itself into q
matter ef personal honesty,
The obligation is upon US to be true to
the vital principles of our republican in
ettu'lons. Our prcjudces, our predelic
ions, our opinions and sentiments may be
strongly affected; we may invent, or 9th
ers may invent for us, all sorts of reasons,
Excuses and palliations for departure
from those principles but if we do depart
rom them, we sacrifice the honesty of our
citizenship to the passing qualification of
ourselves. And such sacrifice. however
we may design that it should only affect
others, cannot possibly be made but at
our own cost.
1t requires sometimes much vigilance,
some selt-denial, and great irmnes, to be
honest IN this sense of the term. But we
may rest assured that we can i'll afford to
be dishonest to ourselves in this respect,
as man of business to commit to an oc-
caslonal pilferer the charge of his finan-
ces. We cannot lay our fingers upon any
vital principle of the nation with the de-
sign to impair it without suffering for our
dishonesty: If successful in our purpose,
we must ultimately suffer in common with
others If unsuccessful the penalty will
justly fall upon the offender alone.
NEW PAPER.-J. II. Mcdonald has issued
prospectus for the publication of weekly
newspaper at Volcano, Amador county, to be
named the polcdno Observer. 1t is to he an