Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-10-13
For the Daily Commercial. ]
fErIetFI I'm E'rn!a

No defect in individual character is 50 fatal rs
defect of truthtulness. George, the child may be
mischieyous but if he caHt tel q lie there is good
hope that he may to be the great and good
Washington. Given basis of solid sincerity and
you may build upon it whatever is substantial and
fair with the assurance that your labor is not lost
But effort expended upon character that lacks this
fundamental element is likely to be the effort TO
plant permanent structures upon quicksands or fens
the labor of pouring water into Il sieve with The
hope to fill it.
Scarcely is there another malady 50 hard to heal rs
the habit OF ialsehood Consumption is not so insid-
Gus nor Its ann 50 direct ut the vital part of being
Like consumption, and some other forlns of physical
disease this frequently seems to be hereditary and
where it is not brief practice suices to make il
second nature so that to falsify becomes much more
acle than to speak the truth, and deception is prac-
uecd, where not only is nothing to be gained but
much is sure to be lost by it. We have known
children whom neither coaxng nor logging could
avail to divest Of propensity that already seemed
as strong in them as the confirmed inebrates passion
for his cups.
Alas for the society wherein alsehood has usurped
the place of sincerity-where good faith is a lost
plciad, where promises are made only to be brokep
and men learn at last TO trust each others word ot
their peril This Is the vice that has riddled the
whole structure of Oriental character The father
Oh hes mas most numerous progeny in the ancient
lands. Thicker than barnacles on the Au of an old
brig do they cling to every profession and transac-
ton. Pleasant the process of bargain and barter
where you can rely upon nothing but the absolute
certainty that the tracker will cheat Won within an
inch ofyour life. any amount of COOL unconscion-
able lying succeed in that laudable not 10 saw re-
ligious object The proverb says Confidence in an
unaithtul man in time of trouble is like broken
tooth and foot out of joint" crying need is
there for moral dentists and surgeons along tn Medi
tcrranean lands.
But need we to go far in order to find prev
aence of this malady? To speak of its develop
ment In only quarter of our own society truth
iuines the law of trade? Perhaps we are very sim
pie to suggest that ought to be or can be proverb
used to be in vogue that Honesty is the best policy
hut some how seems to have been left behind by its
morenlmole-iooted competor-"Al is fair in trade"
raise labels affixed to goods studious crying up of
all articles for sale as Splendid elegant less than
cost crying down as studious on the part of the
huyer, who tomorrow. having changed places will
eNaggerate the merits of what before he deprecated
these are every day phenomena. But worst and most
inlscmevous Is that form of falsehoodtbe breskinp
OF promises Your landlord promises that the Ieoky
ROOF shail DE mended to morrow You keen honing
TIL the sun OF the morrow goes down that he meant
what he said. The third day you 20 to remind him
gently that you and your family are in danger of
drowning unless he puts on the patch before the
clouds fall.
You depart with the cheering assurance that the
matter will be attended to Immediately, The night
fall fiDds you sadder and wiser man. Happy if
your visit for the third fourth time repeated-at
great wear of temper well shoe leather-secures
the hours work that might easily have been done
when first promised OF had even been better not
vowed than vowed and not paid. You are to be mar.
ried on Wednesday, and your new suit is promised
for Wednesday night For such an occasion, one day
is margin enough that mistakes may. be remedied