The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-08-29

""'eo, out " uoeS not atone Tor fault
A man, in the heat Of temper, strikes hi
frlend-maims him, perhaps, but his sor
row for the act, while il may alleviate th,
anguish, does not do away with, the ef
Jects Of the blow. They are visible II
the wound itself, which, when healeI. Netil
leaves a-scar! Worse--in the breas
ot him who gave it, lives the memory O
an hour when he relinquished his self.re
spect and his claims to the character Of ,
thinking being, to the brutal hands of hi,
rioious blood. How much nobler TO bay,
sustained his moral manhood in that try
ing hour, than to sacrifice it on so low AT
altarp
"The stranger could not help admirinn
tho moral grandeur of this sentiment. bnI
he was too much Of a man of the world
to permit his real thoughts to be mirror.
ed by his features aud as his proud spir.
II revolted at even the shadow of defeat,
he replied, in tone tinged with certain
degree Of irony
" You think, then, sir, that a man
should pass over the grave results Of his
rasbness without so much rs q regret T..
:" No, sir. | would have him avoid
them altogether
90 But If he be hot bloodedP
"'p Does 1t follow that he should be
hot-minded rs WE'LL Children are some.
times the creatures Of impulse; but some
thing better is looked for in full.grown
men. Brutes are the subjects Of instinct :;
man, cast in n higher aud more glorious
mould, the subject Of reason"
90 Not always, returned the man of
the world, dryIy. He is more frequent
iy the fettered vasal Of society and its ab.
surd coDvcntionalisms. Society SAYS to
him, Do as We do. think rs we do, com
port yourself rs we comport ourselves :"
and lie meekly, or rather servilely, obeys.
A" reasoning being!" Why, sir, he is
the bondsinau Of his tailor, Of his batter,
his newspaper, his minister, his party, his
" set' His opinions are made by the
circle that he moves in, and he clings to
them according rs they humor his own
peculiar ,0hims, which I've inUoceptly ilat.
ters himself are genuine rHoronrs, and
as they subserve his various ignoble inte
rests. A reasoning" being! He rea-
sons as his position" lets him, and not
like free, unbiased mind. IL he be
sordid, grasping money. .getter, he reasons
As the love Of money will permit him; il
a fashion-follower, as fashion will allow
him; If drawing-room hanger on, as
the drawing room dictates; if a partisan,
as his leaders prescribe; If soldier, as
ll'e department orders; il in any one
rank Of society, according TO the usages
Of that rank. A reasoning being" in
Iced! Lei him but dare D. show him
'elf being Of that exalted order, and So
,iety will ostracize him rs If he were a
elon; nay, every man, woman, and child
will rise up in virtuous indignation aud
hunt him like wild beast-happily for
The poor daring wretch, il they do not
run him down! True, now and then, a
brave spirit rises, who sunders and throws
10 tho winds the fetters that had been
imposed upon his youth, and, strong in
The consciousness Of his genius aud his
bold, energetic will, startles the world
with the grandeur, the brightness, and
he dignity Of his great manhood. His
mighty mind detects and laughs TO scorn
Lhe paltry fallacies which hold society to-
yether; he sifts, riddles, and holds them
up to the ridicule of mankind--aud then
iares the combined efforts of society to
10 their worst, and to move him il they
IAN. Society surveys him first with as
then with doubt, then f.3r-
or In him il has found It's master. The
conflict is brief; for where is the modern
David that will grapple with giant
From 'bat moment society quietly yields
Ibis intelligence, whose power is greater
han its own; II catesses him, fiatters
him, calls him sweet names; terms with
queer" original" " sagacious," q bold"
quietly biding its time in the mean.
while, for faltering, careless, or unguard-
I'd moment when it can turn, Ike an
avenging WOLF upon the poor wretch,
rend him, and slake its wild thirst in the
blood OF his DOWNFALL And yet you are
pleased 20 call this monster, man, q rea-
,oning be,cg! Lord, help usp
"sLord, help us, indeedr answered
Samuel, when a .otty intelligence like
yours, sir, can find foot! for laughter, for
at 90 sad q pictufa OF humani.
ly as that which you have draSni All ]
ffiend--may l not call you soi-tbas Is
not kind, no. generous, not noble There
is higher summit IN the human mind
than sarcasm -magnanimity ! The pfl,a
whose songs are als Of bitterness, dreams
not Of the Joys Of the harp whose strings
are touched by angels fngsn! Hu-
mainly, be Il In rags or satin, whether on
the side Of truth or oD that Of errer,
whether noble or ignobie, is still our bro
ther. Il be Be cast down, what Joy 10
reiae him; Il ~. what Joy 10 nourisl
him; II s,suggliag ia the waters Of want,
sorrow, eaDami.y, o. Of efros--what q
pleasure TO fescus himi Say We slsosld
zee brother Who = crxssd IN raind,
standingfunconscions upon the br;ak q
q precipics; ws would no. laugh 4
ncckery At iis peril. but lead hins gent.
" back 70 safety, soothing him the while !
The rnan Of ths world shook bi'
head.
- All se,y fns 10 talk II, be sid