Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-09-29
VOL. 5. No. 46.
THE DEsPoTs oF DOMESTIC LIFE
"It is excellent

''It is excellent
To have giants strength, but it is tyrsnuous
To use it like giant" EEEIETV
There are few human beings who do not
covet power 1t appears TO be one 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 find the multi
| tude constantly engaged in an effort to secure
position, place, fortune and power. And
strange as it may appear, the eases are.rare
in which, when acquired, these are not mis-
usodsor abuseds We are ala more or less
disposed to play the despot. How frequent
! ly does ii happen that an individual who IN
his early years was poor, dependent, meek
| aud humble, becomes changed being as
step by step he acquire wealth, aud with it
influence and power-so chaaged, indeed,
that he cannot recognize has former friends.
and even his own original character Is lost In
the metamorphosis. We can conceive OF
| nothing more narrow selfish aud paltry.
Another foible of erring human nature. and
it is one that is frequently indulged. is to
disown and deny parentage, associations and
origin, however honest and honorable, because
connected with poverty. The poor fool who
Ethus fancies that he elevates himself ut the
expense of truth and integrity. is only cor
| temned aud despised by the Intelligent and
high minded The abuse of power in every
case, should be regarded as crime. In the
first place it indicates ingratitude to Divine
Providence, for the blessings and immunitles
conferred; and in the second, it exhibits
selfshness, vanity, and tyranny that are
every way culpable and deplorable. We can
imagine nothing more despicable than do
mestic or social despot-an individual who
\ III. oh 10 SIyor tv
because he is In a condition to DO so with
certain degree of impunity The slave dri-
yer who scourges his victim for every trlfing
offence, is scarcely more culpable, for wounds
may sometimes be inflicted as well by the
tongue or the manner, as by the lash or the
whip. Hearts, too, may be lacerated by
words, far more readily than bodies by blows.
E The temper is sometimes more scatbing and
fatal than a double-edged sword. We be-
, lieye that many a spirit has Teen broken
through its agency, that mauy Efe has
been made wretched, and that many gentle
being has been semitic premature grave.
s The abuse Of power in such cases IS not only
! cruel. but it is criminal Aud. Though il
, is natural for US to turn with horror from
detailed accounts of the execution of some
convicted homicide, we fear that there are
f many domestic dcspots who, by cool, wan
ton, and systematic mode of torture, gradu-
f ally break down the constitution, sap the
: strength and shorten the lives of the very
, beings they are bound to watch over aud
e protect. Can anything be more terrible than
t this description of tyranny? Can anything
a be more awful than this fearful manifestation
n os temper? In some of the earlier ages.
r. poisons were administered stealthily and grad
d ually. with the object of putting away some
O relative, friend. associate, who had become
n trou blesome, or whose estates were coveted
Y The mode was deliberate, moDstrous, and
. murderous. and yet the victims suffered with
out knowing the hand that prepared the IA
r. tai draught But the despots of domestic
in life are not only seen and known, but thoil
$ blows upon the mind and heart are felt hour
"A ly and daily, and are often borne in SORROW
ct and in suffering, rather than resort to ar
r open rupture or worldly exposure. Suct
a miscreants and tyrants deserve to be secuted
m scorned and execrated wherever discovered
,e for they abuse the position and pcrvert the
,v privileges that have been confded to then
f. for benificeD: purposes. How happy is III,
o. contrast, when power, however great, is en-
,h ployed wisely, kindly, courteously, and bo
n nevolently; when it is regarded as gift from
a the Almighty, trust or boon, and is use,
lie a(cordingly. 1t then, indeed, becomes
at blessing, and is the source of many othe
n blessings. So too, in relation to wealth -
nd The individual who. having accumulated s.
d immense fortune, boards, worships, aud fail
n to employ it judiciopsly, is false to his trus
$ Instead of making the means thus acquires
A. subservient to useful and benevolent purpC
nd ses, he becomes the slave of his own resour
nv ces, a curse instead of blessing to his fello
cir creatures, aud miserable victim to avarict
n Those upon whom high power has been col
ad ferred, or great riches, are also surround
ere by corresponding responsibilities They ha,
w. in some sense been elevated above their 70
led low beings, and have had an e1traordlnaI
The mission conhded to them; and as they a
he faithful or faithless, so will they enjoy syn
ow pathy, respect. confdenc and friendshi
,ls. among their. fellow creatures. and so vi
the they be adjudged IN the world beyond 81
to | grave, H.r