The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1858-09-11
HUE" " :
passions which exist IN the

dominant. Sfnost pre-
n'slnterested motives, acifAgs ,,.o,.,, u
ses''ons Of pure beuasolence, M aasasyan ~ Il
common ssa.non good Of all mankind. $500 ssSs -. -
az &C.. I few and far between H.
1tI0ns Y s.unsn Ioossssssdts. ss1f naS i
tas sfalSua AasinR ef human action. sAs
"e.uo. not wish to inculcate the idea that
pecpniA's .no1lYes coftntitute the basis Of every
human action, II oppostlon Il this ~positioaS
there are many henoxahlsy exceptions, II soc1
was not the case, Val would we end tks
honest and benevole minister Of glad tidipaSs
10 tallel man Y s@ald we place him III tlfss
category Of sordld shness and monied az
grandizementl <zS (,
This would 49, unjust imputation. But
while We yield purity u psssiasssad disinter-
cs'ed action to the m~essenger-of t6N6 el, we
must admit that even his mission can not be
performed without pecuniary considerations /:
that is, while the paramount motive with him
is. the good of immortal souls, d secondary ID.
Auence is, the acquisition Of an earthly CON-
potency. AID
again, ever among this class Of people, we
see many luxuriating in massive wealth and
mammoth opulence, who still cling to their ex.
~travant salaries and cry out more mnmmon
more maInmor aud if they had all the gold
and silver which has been taken out Of the
mines in South America and California, the
cry would still be more! Such is the nature
Of man., and God only knows when a lini,
will be put to his cnpidity.
Look at man in a national c~apacity and we
see the same principle. animating him. us the
polar star Of his hopes, and the beacon light
10. direct hin, into the sea of a~f1ueuce and
prosperity.
Conquest upon conquest by the nations ol
the earth only sharpens the appetite for still
greater latitude of possession.
England, upon whose territory the sun Of
Heaven never sets, would girdle the whole
world with her iron grasp, if time aud fortune,
and fate, would permit her.
The United States, the second, most potent
power in the forest Of nations, will doubtless
spread her EGIS over The kingdoms Of the
Western Continent, aud unfnrl the banner of
freedom on every Isle in the Gnlf Of Mexico
and the Pacific Ocean, GRE the lapse Of q centu
ry.
This mania for conquest, for acquisition, for
power, for influence, FOR MONEY, vegetates
spontaneously 10 the heart Of every son and
daughter of Adam. s-5
We have been led to these reflections by two
signal illustrations on our own continent
within the last ten years. Look at the gold
fever an epidemic which prevailed in Cali
MIA a few years ago. Upon its first dawn,
thousands upon thousands Of American ciii-
zens, as well as denizens of the old world
Hooked to the new FL Dorado. Many parted
with their last earthly possessions to obtain
the funds to transport them thither, many
carried comfortable fortunes with them, as
facilities for still greater gains.
In this mighty rush for sudden wealth, nine
tenths of the one hundred thousand expectants
reared misfortune and disaster,-they fell vic
Tins to the prevailing maniu. and either died
on the field of their operations, or are still
lingering out a miserable existence, away from
their friends aud companions, without any fu-
ture hope of ever seeing them again this side
of death.
Again, see what madness seized the citizens
of California lately in regard to the reported
discovery of Gold on Frazer and Thomson
rivers. In the short space of two mouths
California was nearly depopulat.d d. Fifty
Of her inhabitants nocked to the
new El Dorado, and what a spectacle is now
presented in the limits of the gold region.
All the provisions of the country have been
consumed, and hundreds, at this time are feeding
upon horse flesh and berries Hundreds still
are at the point of starvation, waiting for
provisions to prolong their existence, the hope
of which in time to alleviate their sufferings is
gloomy indeed. Not p~rofiting by their sad
experience in a former campaign, many, very
many will fall victims to their rashness and
precipitation. Most of them were doubtless
aolhg well at nome, they wished to do better,
have done worse, and now afford a fresh illus
of human c%apidity, and the world
spread desire for the accumulation of sudden
wealth. " Sic transit Gloria Muadi."
A SWIMMING MATCH Young Lady Rescued
by a " Popping Tom" That even so mean u
as that of" Peeping Tom may turn
out happily, the following, from The Pittsburg
Dispatch, proves
AT MnrdecksviIle, some young ladies had sell
ected a shady nook and were enjoying a river
bath. when two young fellows. s~trclling in the
woods, heard an unusual FLASHING in the water,
aud, "iollowing their eyes We're amazed and
shall we say itS-delighied. on turning a sharp
bend in the river, to behold the water nymphs
in the ripping current, flares than the
moro enchanting than syrens. Conceal
ing themselves, one of the rascals Warered tbir.