Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-07-30
Forgive and Forget"

Forgive and Forget
This is an old adagc. but not too old to
be remembered. There Is more comprehen-
ded in these three words than every one I'm.
AGNES. The religion Of the Bible everywhere
teaches the great doctrines to be deduced
from thi. proverb. The great Author OF
our holy religion when on earth very plain
ly taught that men should be forgi,ing and
not yindictiye towards each other. When
enquired OF upon certain occasion, slow
Of, shall my brother sin again., me and
forgive him. till seven timesY' he answered,
" saw no, unto thee until seven time, but
until seventy times seven" All human
beiug. are to certain extent dependent up
on each other. and this very dependence, II
rightly viewed and understood, instead OF
being source OF unhappincS, would add
to our enjoynenr. As soo,al being, every
thing that bcgcls yindlctiys, clnbiiiered
feelings between individuals, serves directly
to destroy their happiness. This is the OK
psriencc of every man. Revenge may for
time seem to have its sweets; but in the
end il j. gall and bitterness.
We can with great propriciy apply these
prinSiplcs TO the relations which should cI-
i.t between men entertaining different pOlit.
ieal opinions. In our Judgment difference
m political matters should never make enc.
mics Of those who would otherwise be per-
sonal friends. Every man in this country
has an undoubted right to his own peculiar
political sentiments. Wemsy honestly be-
lieye our neishbor to DO in error; we may
think him all wrong, and We, abuse will eel.
dom or never cause him 10 abandon his
opinions and embrace ours. Some men
seem to entertain strange notions upon these
matters. With them a political opponent
is a, once set down rs an enemy, and treat
cl as such. All social intercourse must BE-
broken OF This must be followed by slan.
der, yituperaiion and calumny. Now this
i. entirely unnecessary The Official acts Of
public men arc public property. and proper
subject. Tor criticism. Sometime, i, is right
to speak in severe terms, and employ strong
language when SnimAdSerting upon the pub
lie act. Of our rulers. The occasion may
demand n. but assaults upon yrirdi, char
a5i.r, hunting up private matters, to feel
mAlacc OF crafty revenge, no, only exhibits
bad taste, but worse manners.
Our attention has been recently called 10
certain articles Of thi. character watch have
appeared in one or two prO.slavery demo-
cratic papers in ,hi. PAR, Of the State. Thee
articles, some Of them. are lame attempts at
,rii. bat the writers have fallen long dis
lance behind their mark. \ want Of trains
and not wan, Of disposition, was the cause
Of the failure.
The mean attacks Of the Eastern Arcu.
uron the Hon. John VI Wood. and Others +,
Of the Norway Advertiser upon some Of the
most respectable ci,irrn. in oxford County,
are only worthy Of the low sources from
which they came.
There j, no. man Of any resPcctAbiliiy
in the pro-sla,sry democracy, but will hang
hi, head 10 shame. when he read. them.
We seldom make any illusions To the two
pro-.laycry party organs above named, or
ALLOW even their names 10 be mentioned in
our paper, and we ask pardon Of our read
crs for doing 1t now.
Our own opinion is, thu, our self.',yled
democratic friends have domestic trouble.
enough Of their own TO claim their undi,i-
del attention. Some OF them own "cl,,c'"
about ihi. time, and are not exactly in a
condition to poke sticks" at other people.
Were We disposed u retAlia,c, we could DO
it, withou, rendering US obnoHiou, to the
charge Of SANDER.
While we shall speak with great p'dirno'
Of the public act. Of public men, we never
shall 10 drawn into dissraceful warfare
upon private character even Of our political
opponents. High minded, honorable men
Of any party can never look upon such a
course with any degree Of appreciation.