Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-08-14
THE SIMPLE TRUTH.


particulars mentioned is effected. S@s -
THE SIMPLE TRUTH. "a. ~
What power there is in the simple truth s!
What solid respectability invests the char
acter of man whose wordsareS Sknownsto be-
the literal transcript Of his mind How
small and despicable in his calm presence
appear the articles of the Jesuit, the hum
bug the non committalism of the politicianf
The simple truth---without exaggeration,
without concealment-how beautiful it is,s
and how strong! = = 81
There is a prevalent feeling in tbesworfd I
that the simple truth is not to be spoken. ~,
"Children and fools speak truth, ]" says acur.
rent proverb. We attribute this feeling to
the corruption of the ruling classes through.
out Christendom for the last century They
have held a false position in the void, and
have tried to maintain themselves il their
places by diplomacy and lies. Napoleon
Bonaparte was an unscrupulous liar. His
bulletins were almost-always an, issue of the
atrical semi-falsehoods and his minister
Talleyrand, was and is, another name for.
polished subterfuge. In our own country
what is politics but wire pulling 2 and What:
is wire pulling but the art Of PLAUSIBLE mis-:
representation Thus the simple truth has
fallen into disrepute. 8 Thus the successful
liar has come to be applauded for his inges
nuity, instead of being execrated for his
baseness and despised for his littleness
Thus the dignity and power Of perfect SIN /,
cerity have been obscured and forgotten:
We have been reading the Washington
Papers lately, and any one who wishes toun-
derstand the character Of George Washing:
ton must read those papers His character
is therein depicted dunconsciously by himself,
and no putting biographer comes in with his
windy paragraphs to disturb the reader'ssre-
Elections. The impression they leave on the
readers mind is, that the secret Of Wash.
ington's power lay in his simple, absolute
and impregnable integrity. His mental OPP
erations were slow. He was no talkef, ,5no
'sthinkcr," no wliter: He was not man Of
books, nor of ideas He never said great
word, nor even what is called "good thing. ~
He wasa plain, methodical, prudent, paiis-
taking man, without brilliancy of any kind.
But he was known to be perfectly reliable,
incapable of artifce, incorrnptibly honest;
and unfalteringly faithful to every tfust -
His words were the words of simple truth:
His acts were the acts of an honest man
He feared death not at all, but he feared dis
honor with an infinite fear. He had nota
milliouth part of Napoleon's talent; but by
virtue of his single mindedness and instinct.
i've love Of truth, he was "a million times SUI
perior to Napoleon. His life was triumph.
Napoleon 8 was failure His careertwas
like the career Of the sun, beautiful in the
morning, powerful at noon, glorious and se-
rene in the evening, sinking majestiealy 10
repose, followed by the admiration Of q CON
tinent. Napoleon's career was volcanic and
at the end there was merely the fume and.
glare of a voloanoswhich is spent -
These are all trite sayings But the best
truths are trite, and therefore aresthe less.
likely to be uttered. But our young men
need to be reminded that honesty Is power,
and that sincerity is safe and wise Hum
bug does not pay. Humbug is not necessary.
Appearances, We know, are against these as
sertions, butappearanees are deceptive. That
man alone has sure ground of prosperity
who is in way to render the public ser
vice which is genuine, and whose word-neyer
create expectations which his actions do not
satisfy. If any one replies, that most busi.s
ness men practice some deception, sour m
swer is, that most business men fall We
believe they fail because they practice de-
ceptiop, and thata general return tofruth
and honesty would give, to business that sta
bility and safety the want Of which now
causes such agonies of anxiety.
We believe in the might of the simple
truth, It is the strongest thing under the
sun. It outdoes TALENT and onslssts,h It
is precious, il is beautiful, tits high, it's
great Nothing can atone folthe Eantofit.
Nothing is powerful enough to oyerthrow:it.
1t makes the lowliest man heroic. The;abs
sence of it renders the most richly endowed.
man despicable, Happily for mankind, few
men can be brilliant. Happily for mankind,
all men can be honest in word and deed.