Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1855-01-24
CHARACTER.


4
| A trial took place some time since in
neighboring city, in which an individual Eas
charged with serious fraud. The testino-
ms against him was strong, bnt it was not
conclusive, and the fact, that he had, mp 10
that time, borne an irreprcachableIc haracter,
exercised so much influence upon the minds
of the jury, that verdict of acquital was
rendered. The decision, as it seems to Us,
was right under the circumstances. Vnsul-
lied character in such case should exl Use
due influence 1t should protect against I'M
just suspicion, and constitute palladium and
a safeguard in tie hour of difficulty and dan
ger. A few years ago aud during the ex-
istence Of monetary crisis, q citizen of New
York waited upon one o. the Banks and as
ked assistance. The times were stight,' IN
the language Of the day, and hence hesitation
was manifested, But the case was pressing
and in reply to some remark, the applicant
said that he had been engaged for f,rty
years in business, had never been charged
with dishooorable transaction, and bad new
err failed to make his obligations good The
Bank officer paused moment longer, 40
knowledged the truth OF what had been said,
and then conceded that ssueh plea was ir-
resistable.' The loan was secured, business
affairs Frightened soon after. and all went
merry as marriage bell In this case, as
in the former, character was depended upon
as last resort, and it did not fail in the
hour of emergency. Doubtless there are
many readers who could cite similar instances,
and hence, as general rule, the priceless
value of character.
On the other hand, how numerous are tie
eases in which the tricky, the mercenary, the
plausible and the unprincipled, iud that they
have lived but to little purpose, that the guile
and hypocricy which they supposed, had full
ly concealed their principles from the world,
were seen through as hollow mask, and all
the deformity beneath was made distinct and
apparent. How Often, in the hour of adver-
sty, do the base by nature, the selfish in
disposition, and the niggardly in spirit, dis
cover that they are without character, and
that falsehood and evil will not servo their
purpose in the hour Of peril An instance
of this kind recently passed under our OBJ
servation An individual who had accumu-
latad considerable property BY trick and
management, who was regarded as smart ia
business affairs, who cared but little for the
means, SO that the end was accomplished,
and who thus was di strustod as well as dis
pissed, suddenly discovered that he had VEN
tured too far in the field Of speculation, and
that unless assisted he must be Destroyed
He called first upon one acquaintance and
then upon another, tried one expedient and
then another, resorted to every device in his
power, but all in vain. The fact, was he had
impaired his character and no one would
trust him. He had been guilty Of dishonor-
able practices, had violated bis word ,peat-
edly before, and the penalty was doubt, dis
credit, and in the end utter bankruptcy
He, in fact, had overreached himself. His
little schemes Of vlliany ha succeeded. and
such success only tempted him on from step
to step, until at last he found himself beyo nd
bis depth, and then deserted because no ono
could or would rely upon him.
Wshaye somewhere read story of young
man, who was arrested aud tried for murder,
and again IT whom the circumstautial evidence
was very strong, but who was saved at last
by the testimony of his schoolmaster. He
had been good boy, ever truthful, trust
worthy and reliable, and the jury could not
believe that Que whose early years were so
bright and unsulied, could so soon after at
tanning the age of manhood, sink into guilt
and crime. Train up child in the way he
should 90, and when he is old he will not de-
part from it, is an adage full of practical
wisdom. The importance Of character in eT-
cry relation of life, can scarcely be conceived
ny tue nasty anu lhSOusiuSAatO' A'OthAuS
should be guarded with more care, or walsh
ed with more unsleeping vigilance. The
young cannot become too earnestly Impress
ed with these truths, Let them start in life
with an unsulied name, and an irreproacha-
bic character, and the prospect before them
will be full of promise. Bat let them pur-
} sue another course, and at the beginning pol
lutte their lips with falsehood, and darken
thsir fair fame with dishonor, and they will
thereafter toll on with difficulty, for the
ghosts Of their early misconduct will track
them step by step, aud whisper bitter and
! hooking memories of their early career. In
the hour of trial, too. there will be few to
stand by them, for he who reeklessly and
wantonly sports with his own character,
, strikes at and destroys his best friend.