The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-08-08
MISCELLANEOUS.
What Folks Will Saw.

IL, on the one hand people are too NOR
bidly sensitive to the opinions of others,
we cannot but acknowledge on the other,
that the sentiment proI ely restrained. is
the foundation Of social aud moral cleva-
ton. a man is sadly dcpravcd when he
is content TO forego the god will of the
wise and the good-when he can fold his
arms in perfect Indifference to what folks
will say of him. The chances are, not
that he has overcome the fear of the world
by II superior devotion to the dictates of
the still small voice within him, but that
his mind is besotted-that he is self
wiIled, obstinate, bigoted, and morally
vicious.
Even that bubble Of reputation which
is so often a lie, and which is seldom or
never the true exponent of the mans char
acter, keeps many good man good, and
many bad one from becoming worse.
Public opinion is the compass 10y which
they steer their bark. They wait for lis
favoring gales, they float upon It's incon-
slant tide, and had rather die than sin
gainst its behcsts. They are honest, vir.
tuous and patriotic, because public senti.
m"nt demands these things rather than
because they are good and worthy in them.
selves.
Men who need such motives to keep
them in the straight line of duty, are kept
out of the mire of vice bv the terrors Of
what people will say of them. They
have no conscientious scruplcs against
cheating their ncighhorS, against rohbing
the widow and the orphan; but nature
has planted sentiment in their bosoms
which keeps them fearful of what their
neighhors will say about them. Peo.
pie 90 to Church on Sunday in obedience
| to this sentiment, sit with covered faces i'm
prayer time, put their siXpcnce in the con-
tribution box, and even make long prayers
themselves, though the devil himself NAV
have dwelling place within their hearts.
"Woe unto YOU, hypocrites! Woe unto
you when men shall speak well of you !"
This is the morbid sile OF the question;
but reputation is not always lie, and he
who honestly strives to win the good will
OF his fellow men-not TO cheat them into
favorable opinion of him: who are will
ling to pay the full price of good name
has done a noble work. Such man
has the courage to resist the bic of
popular opinion when it conflicts the
higher law in the human soul. He dares
to do right first, and loving his fellow be-
ings, he hath faith to believe that they
will do him justice however the present
act may war against opinions ard preju.
dices.
Perhaps it would he an exceedingly
difficult matter for every man to sustain
his proper relation to what folks say. Il
is worthy of serious attention, and proha-
bly would more nearly affect the forma-
ton Of the character than almost any
other matter in the whole range Of ethics.
If a man would ask himself why he does
any given activity he is whig. dem
ocrat, or know nothing, why he puts
his money in the contribution box for ex.
ampIe-he would undoubtedly often find
that it was done in reference to what folks
will say about him.
Vox populi, vox Del! We are fully
of the opinion that the majority Of the
people are in the right-tliat no great
wrong can be tolerated in slcnce-tbat
the general voice is for what is true, Just
and noble. Even rich robber is despised
tbongh weak men take off their hats to
him. The meanness Of John Jacob Aslor,
the mousing littleness Of Stephen Girard,
the yileness Of any wealthy sinner, receives
the contempt Of society. Deeds of chari
ty, the Astor Library, Girard College,and
score of Orphan AsyIums cannot save
them from the merited infamy which the
vox populi awards to a small soul.
A man, to be apopular man--popular,
we mean, in no narrow sense---mpst be
good man. If ho is mean, deceitful,
liar and scoundrel, men will find it cut,
and they will say SO. And this makes
bad men hyrocrilical Folks say il is in.
famous 10 rob tic widow and the orphan
and il takes good deal Of yarnisL, a
great deal church going and psalm-sing-
ing to cover upthe deeds. ~
After all, this isspot half SO bad world
es many wotil make us believe. Villains
haye TO go 70 church 10 hide their sins,
while the great physiognosny Of the peo;