Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-06-30
NO. 80.

1t may be a new field to many of
you. Denied, as you have been,
/ by the blind selfshness and fanati-
cism Of a people, who ought rather
to have encouraged the cultivation
Of intelligence and the acquisition
lof knowledge, it may be difficult
for You at once 10 understand and
appreciate fully the advantages re-
sulting therefrom, and the import
ance and necessity Of so much at
tention thereto. But believe and
aver that it is the sacred duty Of
every citizen 10 bis country to make
Of himself (and indeed all others,
as far as in him lies, the very best
citizen possible; and for that, the
intelligence and morality of the cit
izen is the surest safeguard, as well
as the very foundation stone Of the
Republic, your new position
brings with its privileges and dig
mites this common duty upon each
and all Of you.
/ Facilities are now afforded by the
| State, which if seconded by your
own individual efforts, will be am
pie and adequate for the proper in
| tellectual and moral Development
of your people.
Let it be one Of your standing
and invariable rules, that no oppor-
tunity of education shall pass un-
appropriated. And you ought,and
no doubt will, in this respect, be
encouraged by all good citizens to
do your whole duty to yourselves,
your children, and your country
LIT it be your boast that every
voter among you can read and
write, and then you will have si-
lenced all reasonable opposition to
/ your exercise of the right to vote.
/ To be an honest and sober peo-
pie, renounce at once, and forever,
/ the use Of all Intoxicating liquors.
Neither make, buy, sell, nor use
| the same, nor congregate about
places where such business is car.
ricd on. Avoid all quarrels, riots,
( disturbances, unlawful assemblies
and bad company. Ifthose irregular
titles must be indulged in, leave |
them exclusively to "white folks"
You can if YOU will, during the
current year, keep your names clear
of the Jail registry and Mayors
Court docket, and yourselves clear
of courts and jails.
But bear in mind that to do this
y T9a- gu must be temperate and sober
avoiding that enemy wien taken
into the mouth steals away TIE !
brains" 1 need not argue to you
that by so doing you will be much
better off, have more money to
employ in more useful and profita
bile ways, be enabled to deal hon
estly, pay your debts, or what is
better, get along without going in
debt at all, and be infinitely more
respected.
Be an industrious and frugal peo-
pie; always be engaged in some
useful employment. There is plen
ty of work to do, and for men who
will pay. The honest and indus
trious mechanic or laborer need
never lack for employment.
Industry will keep you out of all
the difficulties l have named and
by frugality you will be enabled to
lay up competency. Let me ad-
wise youto take pride and interest
in acquiring and holding real es-
tate. Every man is much more in
dependent, and feels more the dig
nifty of his manhood, if he has a
home of his own, however small or
humble.
What / have said has been from
no fault finding feeling, or spirit
of criticism, but because | desire to
see you and all others advanced; for
it is so ordered in communities like
ours that no good can come to
one member thereof without in
some degree extending to all. l
drsire to stir up your ambition
prove by your lives and conduct
that instead Of being an ignorant,
dishonest, disso ute and irrespon-
sible people, wherewithal you are
charged by your enemies, that these
are unfounded aspersions and ca
lumnies upon you. On the con
trary, extort the acknowledgment
from an unwilling world that you
are intelligent, moral, honest, So
ber, industrious and thrifty; and in
all these particulars a distinctive
people. Aim high, and run with
patience and alacrity the race be-
fore you, and you will accomplish
more, much more, than you other
wise would. The world moves, land
YOU with all else must move on
ward with it; else the predictions
of your enemies may prove true,
and the. hopes and expectations of
your friends be disappointed,
do not wish to engender or
cultivate any mere partisan preju
dice; nor would I have you in your /
future action, adhere blindly or
fanatically to any party organiza-
ton which does not command your
and respect, and accord
with your judgment and principles I
But l would have you remember c
that the Democratic party, with a
blindness and stupidity, almost in
credible arrayed itself against the /
of your country dur r
ing its struggle against rebelliop'
because it involved the destruction