The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-10-16
.Rsuudiation VS.. Honesty"
from ihs Unionuiue IS. ~ Times

From The UHt0HcWe -. C.) IWteS.
Ma EDITOR: \ writer over the signature OF
Randolph, in the Times OF the Zoth uit., mas ma
ventilated some very startling opinions upon the
al owe subject The writer has been particularly
| unfortunate in the selection OF his 'n0nnne qe
ptvn,e" That remarkable man, Alr. Randolph
once startled the House by eIclalming, MT
speaker | have discovered the philosophers
stone-it is, pay as you CO." very large proper
ton of those worthy gentlemen, honest debtors,
who have been robbed OF their nard earnings,
sWlndled bv Confederate bonds and all that, who
| are now clamorng for repudiatiCn belong to that
| class who never would pay debt as long as they
| could stave it off and borrowed OF Shylocks most
bcseechingly, thanking them for the accommoda-
| ton and vowing that it saved them from ruin.
They held on to their property to the last, and
would not even sell or pay their debts when they
| could. have done it with Confederate money.
There are many, doubtless, very much TO DO
pitiod; but put the question to every candid man
| to look around him and answer how many OF the
'pay-as- -you-go" people are camorlng for repudia-
| tion?
He ia poor sailor who will not reef his sails,
examine the wards, pumps and long boat when he
sees a storm coming down upon him. No man IN
the late struggle could Shut his eyes to the dangers
impending; and he has 10 ono to blame but hlm-
SELF if he did not prepare himself for the worst.
1t is all twaddle, bosh and fustian to try to
saddle ones Own shortcomings upon Shyocks,
banks. Confederate bonds and the lawyers.
1t is very hard to run away from ones sell. COLI
science is very troublesome companion when not
quiet and don't wonder that gentlemen who talk
Of reputation always getting out OF temper and
saving hard words. They don't feel satisfied with
their own position and aro trying to work OIL the
steam. The whole drift Of Randolphs advice is to
ineugurate general dishonesty. "Old things are
done away with, all things have become new. 1t
will not be right to open up the dead law OF the
past" Never was there q more Radical, ultra
aprarian sentence penned. 1t is true he tells you
'that all honest men will pay according 10 ability"
but he SAYS moreover with sneer, "1ak ABOUT
honor when the whole people and Government are
corrupt and dcmoralized."
Randolph seems to have adopted honest Jack
Fallstaff's notion OF honor. Can honor set leg
No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief OF
woundP No. Honor hath no skill in surgery,
then? No. What is honor? word What is
in that word, honor? Ara trim reckoning
Who hath it? He that died O. Wednesday. Doth
he feel il No. Doth he hear it No. Is it in
sensible then9 Yea to the dead. But will it not
live with the living? No. Why? Detraction will
not suffer it.
Right and wroEe are not metaphysical subtleueS
most persons have little internal monitor which
is apt to be suggestive.
1t is the duty OF every good citizen, every lover
of order, every man OF intelligence to use his In
huence against the propaSandlsm OF all heresleS
that tend to the subvorson of all the old fashion
ed notions of honesty and fair-dealing between
man and man. Whenever people begin to parley
and chatter over principle their liberties are gone,
and they may as well inscrbe upon their banner
Robin Hoods maxim,
The good old rule sufficeth me. the simple pau
That lie shall take who has the power aud keep VINO
..bJD TJMFS"