Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-09-26

A Warning to Fast Men"

warning 10 r ast mou
We have not always the good fortune to
agree with Mr.. Thomas Carlyle, but we can
not help thinking that there is more truth
than most people imagine in one OF his say
ings:-'In our wide world there is but one
altogether fatal pcrsonage-the Ounce: he
that sees not; and yet thinks he sees" 1t
is sad enough To see any man swaycd Tor
one moment from the right, and every one
believes that he has Il conscience which
would not, III like circumstances, let him
swerve from the path of rcctitude. But alter
all, guilt usually begins in something more
than mere weakness of principle; in nine
cases out of ten il takes an astounding want
of Judgment to help it on. Depend upon it
that, all the world over however. we may
distinguish between knaves and fools, the
distinction is naught. Both are one.
1t is not pleasant to chronicle such an IN
stance of infatuated knaycry a appears in
our columns this morning,-far less plea
SAINT to comment upon it i'll the manner 1t
demands. Were the Fulton Bank the only
party concerned, high Us that institution
stands, sympathy for the respectable friends
of the delinquent would require that the
matter should be hurried, with rs little no.
tice rs possible into oblivion. But all busl-
ness interests are involved: and it is betray-
ing not only commercial but public morality
to allow charity to persuade silence over
such offences. There should indeed be some
consideration for private gricts, and perhaps
the observance of certain degree Of reserve;
but the lessons and the warnings which
these cases are calculated to convey, can by
no means be withheld This case affords 4
signal illustration of the blindness and folly
of dishonest schemng. The unhappy young
man undoubtedly deemed that he had con-
trived very cunning and very secure way
of using other peoples money without dan
ger of discovery: md yet every right-mnded
man sees at glance that it was impossible
for this line of iniquity to be followed for
any great length without exposure and rum.
The management was somewhat novel, but
it was shallow and to the last degree pre-
sumptuous. Every faculty, mental and
moral, seem to have been alike infatuated.
Ii was almost Superi'uous for our report to
have specified the cause Of all this. What
Young man is there who falls into dishonesty
and disgrace, that owes it not to fast living,
This is, in almost every case, the Gree that
steals away their conscience and their brains.
The crime of this young person may not
perhaps shock the public mind to the same
degree rs if committed by man of extended
experience and long established reputation.
But, nevertheless, it is in reality the most
dangerous, for it occurs among that class
who are the most exposed to temptation.
The fall of advanced men is intreluent; the
fall Of young men is, alas, very common.
There is reason to fear that the growing cx-
travagancc of our city habits, is exercising Il
particularly bad influence over the more i'm
mature portion of the community. 1t makes
them impatient with the old methods OF slow
accumulation; it breeds schemlng and
specializing spirit; it weakens the moral
stamina, and while perhaps it may sharpen
certain faculties Of the understanding, 1t
tends to destroy the balance Of all, and to
supernduce all kinds of folly and rashness.
Even young men who are well disposed, are
too apt in the general prosperity, to expect
to have moral progress made not only easy
but pleasurablc and triumphant-tisniicd
with applause, and swcetened with indui-
gcnce They want royal road to improve
ment-a wide road, Il pleasant road, and not
very tedious. Too many of them do not ap-
preciatc that vicious nclinations cannot be
INDUCED i'll any form or 10 any extent with
impunity, and that strong and constant res
traint is necessary to keep them in safe sub
lection. AS our honest means Of acquiring
wealth multiply, it all the oftcner needs to
be impressed that good moral habits are the
very sinews of the frame, whether it be the
frame of one mind or Of all society.-M \.
Courier.