The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-06-27

pect of me the championship of its dog
mas in return. I would not be bound,
even by the silken ligaments of graft
tude, to what seems to me the truth of
today, If l were thereby to be rendered
even disinclined to accept and welcome
the deeper truth that may dawn on my
apprehension tomorrow.
The prevalent laxity Of fiber on this
point is one Of our gravest perils. 1t
indicates 4 serious. and fear growing,
defect of national character Everyone
wishes to rise-which is natural, and
perhaps laudable; but the great majori-
ty aspire to rise, not by natural elastici-
! ty, nor yet by arduous personal effort,
but by clinging to the skirts of some
one else. Some rich uncle or generous
brother, some wealthy friend or free
handed philanthropist. is expected, or at
f! least desired, to initiate the balloon
whereby the fond aspirant hopes to be
| 6oated over the heads of the multitude
into an elysium of wealth or power
| Our youth are generally ambitious; but
the crown Of simple leaves which so
richly rewarded the long preparation,
the abstinence and thorough training, of
the victor in the Grecian games, would
have little attraction in their eyes. They
aspire ather to clutch quickly and east
ly those material advantages which are
blessings to those only who have worth
lily, laboriously achieved them. They
covet the sudden though doubtful gains
of speculation, rather than the slow but
sure reward of useful industry They
aspire to be wealthy first, aud useful (if
ever) afterward; they mistakenly fancy
that, if an unearned fortune were some
how showered upon them, they would
excite Gods astonished admiration by
devoting a tithe of it to some unselfish,
beneficent use. Give them the fortune
to day, and they would soon conclude
that tithe cf a 1.-THE is all they could
spare for any philanthropic aim; and
they would grudge even that.
We all know men who .'began the
world with nothing" and have now all
that heart could wish. We know sons
of such who, beginning with everything
1--WE say, soon ran it down to nothing. |
But we harshly misjudge them. They |
did not begin with everything. The |
mainsprin Of noble career was want |
ing. Their youthful experiences were |
directly calculated to Undue them with |
the false notion that it is the sum of life
TO eat and drink luxuriously, dress sump
tuously, and ride, sail, or dance abun-
dainty that it is a mans chief end to
crafty his physical appetites and revei
in sensual delights. Thus blinded and
they were from childhood
impelled on the road to ruin, and many
largely blamed their infatuated parents
or guardians for their swift descent to
perdition.
The great first truth to be impressed
on every unfolding mind, is the inexora
bility of retribution. Drive out nature
with pitchfork, they say, and she will
surely come in again; but retribution
will not be driven out. Like to like; SO
much for much pain and woe the in
evitable shadow OF evil-doing--such is
the elemental law Of the universe, as
vital and operative to day, on this earth,
in our homes, as ever on any planet that |
There are sutferings which result from
other sins than those of the present suf !
ferer; but no one ever did a wrong, and |
escaped or evadcd the penalty. I'm the
dos thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely |
die" which does not, by any means,
imply that you shall be alive and well on |
the morrow.
But may no one ever seek aid from
others ?"
Yea, verify. If you are ignorant seek
knowledge if unskilled and inefficient, |!
seek ability and dexterity in what ever
sphere of useful effort shall seem to you
most inviting. But seek these, with eve |
ry other good, as equivalents for service |
rendered, not as aims. Say to the teach
er, the craftsman, You have wisdom
that need; but have young elastic
sinews, that may be made useful to you.
1 propose to give on and take on terms
of mutual advantage; what shall they
be p What you need is not Charity, but
Opportunity and, If this is not afforded
on terms of reciprocal benefit in one di-
rection, resolve to seek it in another
Better live and die an independent cob
bier than any great mans satellite.
The darkest day in any mans earthly
career, is that wherein he first fancies
that there is some easier way of gaining
dollar than by squarely earning it. No
matter whether he acquire it by beggary
or theft, or any fashion of gambling.
that man is fearfully demoralized, who,
looking at the dollar in his hands, says,
kAA