Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1856-07-03
The Simple Truth.


What solid respectabilty invests the charac-
ter of man whose words are known to be the
literal transcript Of his mind How small and
despicable in his calm presence appear the arti-
fees of the Jesuit, the tricks of the humbue,
the non-committalism of the politician The
simple truth-without exaggeration, without
concealment-how beautiful it is, and how
strong
There is a prevalent feeling in the world that
the simple truth is not to be spoken "Child-
rem and fools speak TRUTH" says current pro-
verb. We attribute this feeling to the corrap-
ton of the ruling classes throughout Christen-
dom for the last century. They have held
false position in the world and have tried to
maintain themselves in their places by diploma
cy and lies. Napoleon Bona parte was an un-
scrupulous liar. His bulletins We're almost al
ways tissue of theatrical semi-falsehood and
bis minister Talleyrand was, and is, another
name for polished subterfuge. In our own coun-
try what is politics but wire pulling and what
is wire pulling but the art of plausible misrep-
resentatIon! Thus the simple truth has fallen
into dlsrepute. Thus the successful liar has
come to be aprlanded for his ingenuity, instead
OF beng execrated for his baseness and despised
Tor his bitterness. Thus the dignity and power
OF perfect sincerity have been obscl a aud for
gotten.
We have been reading the Washington pa
pers lately, aud any one who wishes to under
stand the character of George Washington
must read those papers. His character is there
In depicted unconsciousy by himself, and no
putting biographer comes in with his windy
paragraphs to disturb the readers reflections
The impression they leave on the readers mind
is, that the secret Of Washingtons power lay
In his simple, absolute, aud impregnable integri-
ty. His mental operations were slow. He
was no talker, no thinker" no writer.
tie was not man of books, nor of ideas. He
never said great word nor even what is cali
ed good thing" He was plain, method.
cal prudent, panstaking man, without brillancy
OF any kind. But he was known to be perfectly
reliable Incapable of artifice, incorruptibly hou-
est, and unfalteringly faithful to every ust.-|
Ills 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 dshonor
with an infinite fear. He had not a millionth
part OF Napoleon's talent but by virtue of his
single-mlndedness and instructive love of truth, |
he was million times superior to Napoleon.
His life was triumph. Napolcons was fail
ure. His career was like the career of the sun.
beautiful in the morning powerful at noon, glo-
rious and serene in the evening, sinking males
tically to repose followed by the admiration of |
continent. Napoleon's career was volcanic and
destructive, and at the end there was merely !
tue fume and glare of volcano which is spent. |
These are all trite sayings But the best |
truths are trte, and therefore are the less like
ly to be uttered. But our young men need to
be reminded that honesty is power, aud that
sincerity is safe and wise lIumbuy does not
pay. Humbug is not necessary Appearances,
we know, are against these assertions, but ap-
pearauces are deceptive That man alone has
a sure ground of prosperity who is in way to
render the public a service which is genuine,
and whose words never create expectations
which his actions do not satisfy If any one
replies, that most business men practice some
deception, our answer is, that most business
men fail We believe they fail because they
practice deception, and that general return
to truth and honestly would give to business
that stability and safety the want of which now
causes such agonies Of anxiety.
We believe in the might Of the simple truth
1t is the strongest thing under the sun. 1t out
does talent, and outasts it. 1t is precicus it is
beautiful, it is high, it is great Nothing can
atone for the want of it. Nothing is powerful
enough to overthrow it 1t makes the lcwliest
man heroic. The absence of it rcuders the most
richly man despicable. Happily for mankind,
few men can he brilliant. Happily for man.
kind, all men can be honest in word and deed.
Life Illustrated.