Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-10-30
WAROE nv.
The Desp OTIS of Domestic Life

"Itis excellent
To havea giants strength, but tits tyrrannous
To use it Ikea giant
There are few human beings who do not
covet power. 1t appears to be enc of the
great desires of the mind and heart. Men
toll for it day by day and year by year, and
not few waste health, risk reputation, and
even peril life in its acquisition. If We
look into the busy world, we shall fnd the
multitude constantly engaged in an effort
to secure position, place, fortune and pow
cr And strange as it may appear, the cas-
es are rare in which, when acquired, these
arc not misuscd and abused. We are all
more or less disposed to play the despot.-
How frequently does it happen that an in
dividual who in his early years was poor
dependent, meek, and humble, becomes a
changed being as step by step he acquires
wealth, and with it influence and power
so changed, indeed, that he cannot rccog
nize his former friends, and even his own
original character is lost in the metamor-
phosis. We can conceive of no5hing more
narrow, selfish and paltry Another foiblc
of errlng human nature, and it is one that
is frequently indulgcd, is to disown and
n,
however honest and honorable, because
connected with poverty. The poor fool
who thus fancies that he elevates himself
at the expense of truth and dintegrity, is on
ly contcmnod and despiscd by the intolli-
gent and high-minded. Theabusc of pow
cr in every case, should be regarded as a
crime. In the first place, it indicates in
gratitude to Divine Providence, for the
blessings and immunitics conferred; and
in the second, it exhibits a selfishness, a
vanity, and a tyranny that are every way
culpable and dcplorablc. We can imagine
nothing more despicable than domestic
or social despot-an individual who de-
lights in making others miserable, simply
oeertain degree of impunity. The slave
driver who scourges his victim for every
trilling offence, is scarcely more culpable,
for wounds may sometimes be inflicted rs
well by the tongue or the manner, as bv the
lash, or the whip. Hearts, too, may be
lacerated by words, far more readily than
bodies by blows. The temper is sometimes
more scathing and fatal than double-edgcd
saord. We believe that many spirit has
been broken through its agency, that many
life has been made wretchcd, and that
many gentle being has been sent to a
premature grave. The abuse of power in
such cases is not only cruel, but it is Grim
inal. And, although It is natural for us
to turn with horror from detailed accounts
of the execution of some convicted hom-
eide, we fear that there are many domestic
despots, who, by a COOL wanton and system
attic mode of torture, gradually break down
the constitution, sap the strength and short
EN- the lives of the very beings they are
bound to watch over and protect. Can
anything be moro terrible than this des-
crption of tyranny? Can anything be
more awful than this fearful manifestation
of temper? In some of the earlier ages,
poisons were administered stealthily and
gradually, with the object of putting away
some relative, friend or associate, who had
become troublesome, or whose estates were
coveted The mode was deliberate, mon
strous, and murderous, and yet the victims
suffered without knowing the hand that
prepared the fatal draught But the dcs-
pots of domestic life arc not only seen and
known, burt their blows upon the mind and
heart are felt hourly and daily, and are of
ten borne in sorrow and in saffering, rath-
er than resort toan open rupture or world
ly exposure. Such miscreamts and y .nts
deserve to be secuted, scorncd, and execrat-
cd wherever discovered, for they abuse the
position and pervcrt the privileges that
have been confded to them for benefcent
purposes. How happy is the contrast,
when power however great, is employed
wisely, kindly, courtoeusly and benevolent
Iy; when it is regarded as gift from she
Almighty, trust or boon, and Is used
accordingly? 1t then, indeed, becomes a
blessing, and it is the source of manyother
blessings. So, too, in relation to wealth.
The individual who, having Accumulated
an immense fortune, boards, worships. and
fails to employ itiudiciously, is false to his
trust. Instead ofmaking the means thus
acquired, subseryient to useful and beney-
client purposes, he becomes the slave ofhis
own resources, curse instead Of blessing
to. his fcllov-ereaturcs and miserable vic.
tim to ayarice. Those upon whom higK
power has boon eon8arrod, or great riches,