The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-12-21
Violent yet Weak.

"Violent words are always weak
words was one of The wise sayings Of
Thomas Jefferson. And let man
read his compositions thoughtfully
and he will be impressed with the man
rer in which this far-seeing statesman
observed his own axiom. The "Dec-
laration of Independence i'm
mortal instrument of his-is mag
nificent illustration of the power of
calm and dignifed language in setting
forth the details of the most fagrant
and provoking injuries.
There is vast deal of rel hot rbet
oYic in these days which defeats its
own purpose. We don't like to have
boiling oil poured down our throats,
nor to have white hot handles put up
on our palms, with the injunction to
use these as essential remedies and in
dispensable instruments.
False as large proportion of man
kind become. yet there is, in almost
every breast, an instinct of protesta-
non against forms OF over-statement
and exageration, The recois from
the chronic superlative, as the stom-
ach rejects a huge overdose Of medi-
cine or even of digestable food.
The soul feels that violent words
are seldom or never justitiable, and
that on two accounts. Thee is al
most always i'll the use of violent Ian
guage an offence against the truth,
and for another thing, we recoil from
one whose passions easily leap into
red-faced intensity when the occasion
do not justify it. And even when
the OCCASION is unspeakably aygrava
ting, we are more impressed by that
equipoise which does not suffer itself
to foam over, although it might be
pardonable to. open the gateway OF
the lips when the spirit is aroused like
a laging lion.
That is not the strong and well
based engine which makes the most
noise, and causes its toundation-bed TO
shake and quiver. Much steam on
the outside, with its inseparable hiss
ing and scalding, adver,ises weakness
not strength. He is not the strong
man who raves and roars, nj on all
occasions deals in violent utterances
or III protane ordinations. He is
the man of weak and contemptlble
parts, and words, and there is no
energy lett for dee ds.
The strong man is he who Is best
self ontained-whose words are mod
crate and few, whose feelings work
within and not OH the outside. One |
would think that the world is slow to |
learn these simple principles. Ihe
swearer thinks to add force to his Ian
guage by interlarding his sentences
with oaths and blasphemies, and we
have heard men who were stationed
over others coolly maintain that Ia
oorers, under their direction, could
lot be well managed without plenty
If hard swearing.
Now we do not believe word of
his. On the contrary, the bosses and
masters we have known, who have
gotten the most work out
If their hands, were men ofteW words
ind of gentle and respectful express
on, but, withal, men who knew how to
their authority with calm
less and dignity.
Teachers, professors, and parents
Who scold and rave, threaten and
wear, never govern well and never
mould for good the character Of
children and young people to their
are. A man can never govern 9TH
rs until he governs himself.
The locomotive does not begin to
,ull the train uutil it's silent at the
'atety-valve.
We are never influenced by q man
or whom we cannot have due respect,
md we cannot have proper respecl
or man whohabitually So much loses
elf control as to speak out from his
'assions and prejudices, rather than
rom his reason and Judgment
If violent language is used about I
arty. or system of belief with 8
ihich we are not acquainted, 1T bears (
1ore or less faisity on its very face, I
nd tends to arouse our sympathy and !
ense of justice in respect to the par /
= or system we think is falsely repre- ]
ented and viilified. Il
l mere Is tidl CptuiiIeuuduiO bidit liz
uman nature which tends to take the c
de of the party which IS weak, or 4
as no representative or advocate a
resent.
: And we are sorry to see how often I
lis principle is violated by both
riters and speakers. This violent {
invades the press, the plat J
,rm, and even the pulpit does not
;cape.
The opponent in argument is made v
ut liar and "a rascal, and all his ar v
nments and utterances are laid to
le account of hypocracy or designing
llainy.
Yhe opposite party is represented l
COMPOSED of iguorant and malicious