Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-12-05
gas Augeles Aerald.
Judge Thempsea's Speech to the Changers,
at the Courthouse In Los Angeles,
on thursday, December Ah.

Patrons, Motrons, Ladies and Gen
Wemen:
Are there no dynamic antagonisms
in the inanimate world? Is perfect
harmony the universal law? Do all
the elements above, around and be-
3a.neath us act in platonic unity: The
lightnings that rend the cloud and
a play fantastically on the mountain top
leave death and desolation wherever
they strike! The storm that sweeps
along the earth in all the pomp and
q majesty of resistlelss power, levels
~ forests and breaks up the waters of the
great deep! The laundering of the
volcano as it belches forth its molten
! lava, IL but the battle shout Of warning
q a forces! The earthquake shakes the
foundations of the universe and di-
vides in twain the crust on which we
tread! The breath of the pestilence
poisons the pure air and carries with
\ 1t disease and death! In the animate
but irrational world we find also irrec-
Oncilable antagonisms. Descending
/, into the depths Of the sea, We behold
a ceaseless, exterminating tribal war
( Ibetween the races which inhabit its
deep waters! five enter the forest we
Z see the lion devouring the lamb; the
leopard the kid, and 80 on through q
&, thousand forms of animate and inani-
mate creation, this violent untamable
development Of opposing forces "holds
high carnival" ..
What must be said of the crowning
glory Of Gods handy-work? created q
little lower than the angels, endowed
with mind as immortal a. his Crea-
tor, and given dominion over the
beasts of the field, the fowls Of the air
, and the fishes of the sea. The sun, the
p moon and the stars, the air and the
earth with all its teeming wealth,
luxury and beauty, were all made to
minister to his mental and physical
3 wants. Verify his is a royal birth--a
princely heritage as vast and varied as
It ia grand, as it is snblime ini ts struct-
ure! s5.A-
u In the domain of actual want-in
all the realms of fancy, there is moth
ing to supply. All is generously
granted from the bread that serves
hunger and the plain fabric that
. shields the body from the blasts of
winter, to the silken tissue that robes
royalty and the sparkling jewel that
glitters in the coronet! What more
could be desired? What more is need
+ full to develop his manhood and guide
him on In his noble nilsson? And
vet, with all this wealth at his COM
mand, and with this kingly dominion,
he is not at peace with himself, or
with the world!
b. Ever since labor was imposed as a
condition of life, the earth has been
full of violence and oppression. From
the day when Cain was branded as a
murderer, the earth has been the theatre
of plunder, rapine and blOodshed.
Ambition and avarice have held high
court and their victims are counted by
millions.
What man would have been in the
2 absence ofithat hated decree-what he
would have been II the earth had
yielded her riches without his touch,
may not now be considered; but surely
the law Of labor has not been cheer
fully and loyalty obeyed. Never was
sovereign law 80 unpopular-nevero one
80 often, so skillfully and so persistent
ly evaded!
The curse, not alone of our people
but all Others is, an inordinate thirst
for wealth. And SO great Is that thirst
that men set at utter defiance every
we'll known and well established law
governing legitimate trades and voca-
tions. Reasonable gains in lawful en-
terprise, affording q just compensation
for skill, time and capital dc not satis-
~. The process is too slow. Specula-
rs tions are entered upon, schemes are
concocted and combinations formed
by which large wealth Is to be quickly
acquired without regard to public or
piivate rights and interests. The
sd manner Of its acquisition seems to be q
matter altogether subordinate to Its
attainment.
Ic The man is to be honored who accu-
mulates fortune, however large, by
honest industry and keen foresight.
That IL the lawful right Of every one.
And he is to be honored still more If
he use the wealth thus acquired not to
crafty his sensual appetites, but in
I 4 broad, generous benevolence that
=" reaches the poor, the ignorant and the
unfortunate. But how many such
have we? LEFf "a
7, II must be confessed that there is
Il charm about wealth which captivates
q and often enslaves. All races civilized
and uncivilized, have q morbid appe-
tite for display. The barbarian graft
fles his lofty ambition by ring In the
nose; his more elevated brother pre-
fers it on ilis finger. Wealth gratifes
the vanities for which we have q
} weakness. It dresses In purple and
tine linen--it fares sumptuously every
day--it is resplendent with jewels-it
rolls in princely equipages-it sits at
ease on velvet cushions-with stately
ain 1t strides marble halis-it Is gazed
atby the multitude-with its wand it
commands willing and servile
a obedience, and 1t causes many "a sigh
~ In vain for the luxuries and exemption
from toll, 1t affords. It rejects the
'fIl poor, however honest, faithful and
us~truv. spd draws to 1T the votaries of
fashion and pleasure however false
and unworthy! y.m
i01 JGo tocrowded cities and witness Its
gorgeous proportions, In the parks,
thoreughfares, theatres and other
"a public places; and you are enchanted.
Truly Il looks magnificent; but within
1t is q charnel house, filled with dead
mems bones. In long procession;
s march the Major General who earned
his commission by service In the po-
la litical field, and whose gallant exploits
amid shot and shell, the historian has
NJ failed to record; but who nevertheless
weakened the enemy by stealing his
cotton and sppropriating the proceeds