Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-08-05

complexion, but not often one more nth,
than the following, which | give verbatim
except the name:
LANCASTER, Feb 9TH. 1865.
Rev. HENRY W BEEcHER. SIR =
hardly know how to address so great man.
ou said IN a sermon, some time ago, that
honesty ought to be rewarded. am hon.
est with my fellow men, ,n,ys~ir, 49,, God.
Can get recommendations (the best) from
Lawyers, Doctors, Preachers, &c. Get me
an easy (Sic) situation, that honesty may
be rewarded
To which | append my reply:
My DEAR FRIEND: The proper way to
address great man is the way in which
YOU would address any man who has good
cmmon sense Never begin by telling him
that he is great man. If he is one, he
probably found it out before you did and
of he is not one, you will not be apt to make
much by tickling his vanity by so cheap a
compliment.
Surely a man ar honest as you are has
been rewarded already. What! honest
with your fellow-men, Yourself and your
God - There are f." men who can say as
much Honest with your fellow-men? Is
vour conduct without knots, winosAakes or
cracks? How long has it been 50? u
YOUR neighbors all think so? Have you
come to it gradually, as a winter apple RI
pens, or has it always been 50? Excuse
these questions, for really | am deeply in
terested. You have few fellows on earth.
Ind ed, when you add that you are honest
with yourself, | cannot keep your company
l. III, L. IL
honest with your God takes you entire y
out of my sight. Why do you come to me
| ought to sit at your feet. You are my
master.
No doubt you can get recommendations
from lawyers, doctors, and preachers.
Y ou place those gentlemen, doubtless in the
order of their honesty, ending in a climax
Lawyers are proverbially honest. Doctors
never deceive, preachers always practice
what they preach. Any recommendations
! from these would smack of self-laudation
Every one praise their own virtues. Ge
some one not so inevitably good to commend
YOU. Are there no editors, no members o
congress in your neighborhood
But | come now to the most importan
part of your letter. Get mo an easy situa
! ton that honesty may be rewarded. | an
ready to do all in my power for you. HaC
YOU signified the sort of easy place yol
would prefer l should have been less per
picked. Let me see.
How would good farm suit you-witl
fifty head of neat stock in the barns, AM
twenty horses, one hundred head of hogs
cribs full of corn, and twenty stacks o
good timothy hay, besides all that the cat
tie can eat slowed away in the barn?
propose giving you this But, on retlectlo
/ am sure it wonld not be easy enough TO
you Hired men must be looked after
fences, tools and buildings want continue
repair. Summers are very hot; winter
. are very cold, and farming requires ma
to be UP and about it in all seasons. NJ
l | am sure that a good farm will not be a
easy place -.
. / give up this project more willingl ly bt
cause l thought of manufacturing. Woul
| YOU like to own large cotton or woole
: mills? A great deal of money has bee
e made land some losD during the last tt
: wears in manufacturing But, just now'
e am afraid there is some embarrassment
s the business. The place is not easy enoug
r | would not if | were you, 60 into manufa
: turing, nor merchandising, nor speculatio
2 There is too much agitation just now;
: could send you to congress. Ever
g thing is easy enough there! But the sing
S lar honesty which you possess would 4 ma
e YOU lonesome. Congressman are ALL
|, most all, honest; but not SO honest a
a you might find yourself an object OF Je'
It ousy and envy, which would take from
s. ease of your position all the more oecau
e it would bring you so near to the VIII
IS House.