The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-10-08
THE DRCEITFULNEss, OF RICHES

THE DECEITFULNESS'O OF hiCHES'
A desire for riches, if not innate, is
at least one of the earliest and easiest
developed, and difficult to be repressed.
of all human passions. 1t is often FORE
sbadowed among the first signs of in
telligence in the infant mind. It grows
too, with its growth, and strengthens
with its strength. With very few ex,
ceptions, this is the great motive power
in all the busy pursuit of life. This it
is, more than anything else that drives
all the machinery of trade, of art and
commerce, and OF every industrial pur-
suit. II mere sustenance was the OBJ
ject pursued, then as witt the savage,
supply Of present want would relax
all energy, till hunger again aroused us
to action. We should see nothing of
enterprise-notbing of that severe, pa
tient, protracted toll that now marks
the industry of the age. IL fr.r..-.t.
1t is not sustenance, then, but COM
petence, that men seek. And by COM
petence is meant wealth. That which
will lift its posessor above the necessity
of daily toll, and give him something
like an assured support-it not without
labor, at least with only moderate
exertion. The amount necessary to Sc.
cure this, will of course depend upon
the varied tastes, habits and cTrcum-
stances of individuals. What would
make one man independent for life,
would not furnish, much less build q
house for another. The phantom, then,
that men everywhere pursue, and which
is renewed in an endless. Gle from age
to age, is that fancied condition that
will place them not only above present
want, but assure them against its la.
bility in the future. AS well might we
attempt to grasp the rainbow, or the
fitting shadow, as to attain point ut
which the mind will rest satisfied with
earthly possessions. As riches increase
not osiy are they increased that eat
them, but usually our habits and tastes
and aspirations change even faster than
means increase TO CRAFTY them. The
style that quite satisfied us with an in
come of twenty dollars month, will
not at all comport with thirty or fifty,
much less with five hundred or thous.
and Nor is this all--the desire to &C.
cunulate almost invariably grows with
success. Unlike every other appetite,
the more it is fed the more insatiate it
becomes. And this is not in the ardent,
hopeful, and impatient season of youth
merely, but in the more mature and
cautious period of manly vigor; and
even down to tottering old age, when
almost every other desire is borne.
down under the bnrden of years and
groping intirmities, this desire for gain
maintains its throne in the heart In un>
abated vigor. ..,.. ...E ,.u.. ar ,..lr
Within proper limits, and under
proper restraints, this principle is both
proper and rational. Such is onr cons
stitution, and such are the relations we
sustain to the present life, Some pro,
vision must be made for our constantly
recurring wants. Allowing that many
of these are imaginary, many of them
are also real. 1t is also true that no
one can foresee the contingencies that
lie hid in the future. Hence, reason
able provision for these contingencies
isrot only proper, but even obligatory
when practical. The point of difficulty
is to decide between the claims Of pres
sent duty to others, and our own pos
sible and probable necessities in the
future.