The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-05-16
Character.

= Every man is bound TO aim at the
possession ofa good character ~ one oi
tho highest objects 10 life; snd. though
Shakespeare chooses a hypocri.icsl rogue
like Isgo to utter his sentiments upon
il, yet it is truo that - 80 -. ..
"GooJ name In man and woman, dear my
4. lord, ~ .i.. 20
Is the immediate jewel Of their souls. g..
Who steals my purse steals trash 'tis some.
thing, nothing; ) ,.s..,. q"
Twas mine, It's bis, and has been slave to
thousands;
But hs that flches from me my good name
Robs me Of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed: =, - ,..,,.,-.
Character is. the crown sad glory oi
lifo ; it is tho poblsst possession Of man,
constituting Z rank 10 itself, and an -.
tate 10 tho general good will, dis.ifyiDg
cvory station and exaItinE every posi-.
tioD 10 society. II 1901 Canning wrote:
" Ny road aust Do through character to
power; I will try 10 ether course; aad
I au sanguiOs enough to bslisvs that
this course, though not perhaps tho
quickest is the 1ursst W. may
admire men Of intellect, buEdo aot
necessarily trust them. Some Of tho
most brilliant men Of every comuusity
are 50 in6rm in principle, 80 ehaogsabls
and ill.balanced, thst no one can Iepots
confidence in them long enough to trust
them; vhils others who are slow and
methodical, but not Of ordinary ability
like the STEADY going tortoise ia the f..
bls-re,oh ths nountaiu top before the
bare. Lord John Russell onos observed:
ut 10 tho aaturs Of party in England
to sSk tho aisistaues Of men Of gsAius,
but'to follow The guidance Of men Of
character" W. Of the United States
NANTES. less apparent regard for char.
actsr 10 our pablo men, y. W think
careful examination Of the representa-.
tivss Of the people and the heads Of dc.
partment,, and othor Official positions Of
tho country, will disclose 4! much real
worth, moral and mental. as is to be fond
elsewhere. W. are 10 the bad habit Of
traducing public men for party purposes.
We assail each other With perfect sang
froid, and seem to think tho political end
justi6ss tho means. All nsa Who hold
positions are pl1esd, msasurabfy, in ths
power Of thsif Guberdiaates, who, uadsr
the .pss.ifsrou, System Of appointment
now prevailing all over the soustry, are
often tks crsltur.s of:looal politicians.
Abstracted bonds, purloissd letters,
stolen gold, false custom house iuvoisss,
60 oftea. TO the. ydapage Of innocent
chiefs, whom perpetratsd By subordinate'
forced upon thom as political appoint.
mshts. Yot, whoa We look at The snor.
nous amount Of Government trust dur.
Jog tho p,st four years, nad r.msnbst
tbtt over three thousand millions hsi
dollars have bcss haadled BY Cover Gent
oEcials, 10 forms 90 oosvsnisntsitr ab.
str,e.iou and fraud, vs came teSt won.
der that, il The midst of6sush great
ten ptation, 80 fev fell. Wdoubt very
much il ia Transactions oEliks amount
10 private .tf.ir,.a 4, littls sfwould 70 lost.
Integrity ia word aud decd is the
back bone Of character; and Frauklin
attributed his exalted position a.d long
oonsin uod inAusncS not SO much to biz
abilities as to tho confidence the people
had in his iussgrhy. The score: Of Sir
Robert Pesl'E is1Heles AID power uas
biz hishm:nds ltruthfulasss. Yelling.
tou observed okhir +" In al The course
Of my acquai Stanss vita hin, I never
knew |. mas S.Whoss truth and justice
had greater eqsfdenoeor or 10 whom saw
. more invara6ls desire to promote sh'
public service" Il -,
The ere is tsathfulness ofaotion as vel
as Of words which is ss,cntinl to up
righ.nsss ofschsracter Men must b.
what they scSm. Once CronWcllsaid t
Bsraard-a Slesr but soueuhat unscru
pulous lawyer" I understand thstJor
have lately been vastly wary 10 youI
conduct; dSsaot BE- too confident it
this s; sub.letysmay deceive you, iutsg
rity ne.sr wilL" Men whose sots ars
q. variance With their words c.mu.nt
no respect, and what they say has bu