Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-02-02
Conclusions from. Facts
and Circumstances.
For The Fayetteville Observer.


and Circumstances.
For the Fayetteville Observer
In the strict and rigid sense Of
Language, comparativelytew things
can be regarded as positively and
unerringly certain. The great
majority of matters pertaining to
the political or social interests Of
men and communities are d,pend
ent upon few facts, coupled with
many circumstances more or less
contingent. These circumstan-
ces are for the most part under
the control of men, and are avail.
able either for the promotion of
their general good, or for the in
Fiction, injury, at their own option.
Hence prudent men, when they
seek to insure q continuation of
their material prosperity in life,
or to effect an improvement of
their condition, in any respect,
look particularly and narrowly in
to these few general facts and their
attendant surroundings, and upon
their understanding of them they
found their conclusions as to the
best practical means of fortifying
the one, or of accomplishing the
other. There is no great Difficult
ty, upon given state of facts un-
der the operation of a particular
train of influencing circumstances,
in coming to logical conclusion
that certain results must necessari-
ly follow /; and a conclusion thus
arrived at may as confidently be
relied on as any fact communica-
ted to us by any of the natural
senses. But, as these circumstan-
ces are so much under the control
of other men, and, in fact, are made
up of the acts of others chiefly,
the great difficulty lies, not in de-
termining what would be the result
under a particular direction of
these agencies, but in conjectur-
ing how tar and how much a CIV
en- measure or object would be
aided by their cooperation. To
form anything like a correct opin-
ion on this point, we very proper
ly take into the consideration the
condition, character, means, inter
est, will, and many other qualities
of the parties whose conduct will
probably contribute to the defeat
or success Of the measure. All of
these items, together with the few
original facts, are but so many ar
guments uron which the mind
seizes in order to come to con-
clusion upon which it can rely
with confidence.
If, for instance, we want to de-
termine in mind whether a par
ticular place will probably become
prosperous and thrifty town or
city, we must look beyond those
few universal prerequisites of
earth, air and water. These of
themselves though indispensable
are not sufficient for the founda-
ton of a hope. But, if the at
mosphere is heaithful, the soil of
the surrounding country is pro-
ductive, the water pure and a.
bundant, building material plen-
tiful and of easy access, the locality
favorable for commerce, agricul-
ture and manufacture, or either,
then there are some strong indi-
cations in favor of the affirmative.
But even all these advantages are
not yet enough. They stand only
as SO many natural invitations to
other essential elements. Some
thing more 10 needed. There must
be a population that are not con-
tent with the natural fairness and
beauty of the land alone-not a
population that seek individual
ease or wealth to the exclusion
and at the expense of all others, but
a population made up of citizens
who are active and energetic in
their public as we'll as private en-
terprises, generous and social in
their intercourse, and who can APP
preciate the natural advantages
of their position, and will readily
take the necessary measures to
develop these natural gifts and
IT axe them contribute as largely
as possible to the general good,
and thus proportionably enhance
the welfare of every individual
member of the community. In
communities thus disposed, all
citizens, in their united capacity,
are ever ready to seize upon any
available opportunity that may
present itself to add to their gen.