Smyrna times., 1868-08-05

SINCE lSjf-I%tD,nn'S Monthly takes a ret
respective view in which it sees number of
the notable men of the land preparing, under
the hands of destiny, for the struggles of the
future. In lSj4, says the writer, Buch
anan WAS minister to England. Capt. George
b. Mcclellan was detailed on secret service in
the harbor of Cuba, under instructions from
the Secretary of War. Gen Quitman, Lieut..
Beauregard and others were plotting iilibu>tcr-
ing raids against the island for which the Gov
ernment soon after madeian offer OFFS ,0oO,o 900.
ParSOn BrOwnlow had written savage work IN
defense of Slavery, and was challenging North
ern cleTgymcn to dispute Its divine authority.
Gerret Smith, DR.. Howe, Henry Ward Beech
cr and a few hundred others We're doing a quiet
and limited business over the underground
railway. John Brown had not yet left his farm
in the Northern wild. All obscure individual,
remembered hy few as having represented
SangamOn district, Illinois, III the House, and
opposed the Mexican war in an awkward, IN
genlous and extremely unpopular argument,
received Il few complimentary votes for \ ice
President, in competition with Mr.. Dayton, the
nominee. Capt. l.. 5. Grant, hardly suspcc
ted of being an CX-army officer by those who
bought molasacs or cord-Wood Of him, was
generally taken as a steamboat captain, tempo
rarily stranded by stress Of i'll luck, or who
had hardly the energy and pluck to succeed IN
IA business calling, and therefore collapsed into
speculator in sundricS W. L. Sherman was
teaching school in Louisiana. Gems. Sicklcs,
! Butler, and Logan were rough and tumble
! Democratic lawyers Of some notOrlcty. Two
of the most prominent and promising officers
of our little army were Col. Albert Sidney
Johnston and Lieut.. Col. Robert f. Lee Brief
as is the period since then, we have but two
men in official lilc-Mr. Seward and Mr. Chase
whose prominence has either been created
or oycrthrown during this eventiul epoch.
| THE PROPENSITY To FIB.-Ts there any such
thing as an inherent di>tastc for the truth
Judging from the dogged preference for false
hood which some folks manifest even ON occa-
! sions when reason must tell them that yeracty
would serve their purpose best, it really seems
! 50. That propensity to fih sometimes runs
in families is beyond dispute. The sins ofparents
are not only visited upon their children, but,
in many instances, appear to be inherited by
! them from generation to generation. An evil
twist in the moral nature of a parent Is, We
fear, more apt to be inherited than virtue !;
just as physical uglincSs is more frequently
transmitted by descent than physical beauty.
We do not believe, however that tendency to
lie is, und r any circumstances, incradlcable
| if taken III time.
| Hereditary diseases of the flesh were once
! thought to be incuraLle: but we know better
now and charitable Christians, also, believe
that hereditary moral intirmiteS are notLeyond
the reach Of moral medication. But mendacity
must be dealt with in the gri>tie. \ mature
falslrr is a hard subject. 1t is next to i'm
possible to school his vile iGiosyncracy out OF
him. Wjth children it is otherwise. The
value and Importance of truth may be impressed
upon them by counsel, by illustration, by diSci-
plinc, that they will never depart from it in
after life The most untruthiul child, we are
inclined to othink, may he reformed by proper
course OF treatment. Much hosging, however,
which is the usual prescription, will not affect
a cure Its only result, in nine cases out oI
ten, will be to render the recipient more eau
tous and luethodical in hi, iabrcatonS. Con
vince an untruthtul boys reason that honesty
of speech is the best policy; that lying is moi
only an offence against God, but leads inevita
bly, to temporal degradation and ruin; and you
will have his Sell-intcrest, pride, and couscicnc,
all on your side, and may safely count on lii
reformation.