The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-05-28
ALEXANDRIA, la, WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 1873:
Lying

which he was ever Betrayed. Viewed
in tile light Of day, it stamps him as a
feeble minded old togy. Could he take
out his naturalization papers, as Il citi-
zen of this great republic, to-day, he
would see that the world not only does
get on without tla'tlifnlness, bnt would
apparently come to a dead halt whit.
He conld see a STA e"f society in which
lying is the fixed habit Of men, their
normal mode of ntterance, their first
thohaht, and in which truth telling is
u" dissipation reserved for rare mo
ments, involving an exercise of the
will and tie reversal of the ordinary
machinery of morals. The old express
siye' insult, "you lie ~ laa lost its force
land passed ont of use: II would be the
mere expression OF truism. OF course
you lie. Everybody lies. "Yon speak
! the truth y would be a remark mucl,
more calculated 70 attract inviduous
attention and tisag reeable notice.
Why is this So, and how long since I?
Lying was originally regarded as a
cIildrcn's vice, and his come to he
the adults virtue. We expect chill
lren to lie, and teach them to speak
the tvutE hy lloggiig. 1t is a woman's
vice.. too. 1t is necessary TO the easy
movement of snciety. The house mis-
tress is "not in," or ''not WE'LL" when
tie uuweleome guest is at The door,
This kind Of lying is called tibbiny,
and is necessary ingredient OF polite
ness. 1t is when hbhinS is ensrafted
from p"llteness into politics and bnsi-
hess that it hecomes-we will not say
wicked, but disturbing element. 1t
is no worse than SOME other national
sins we lave had. '.'''
Men no longer cane each others
brain ont OF the floor of Congress-
Under the poets philosophy, we sup.
pose 1t is better for them to have lived
and lied than never to have lived at
all. The North and South now lie in
harmony. The lion and tie lamb lie
together. AS hate went out, lying
came in. Tt was a war staple. Like
emancipation, it was military neces-
sity. Tile unparalleled activity Of in
ttrrnal and external diplomacy, which
is lying politely expressed. and Of cor
ruption, which is the profit of. lying,
fixed upon us this sin as habit, grow
ing like intemperance with its hold
npOn the system, disease. thorough
going epidemic. Men who once told
'fibs, halt truths, indulge in unneressa
Try denials of truth, fair to tie ear, but
frail under cross examination, fabricate
4 diplomatic letters of nicely j"inted fall
sites in the hope they will pass for
truth, and rather than see their work
fail, boldly utter perjuries Of the grav-
est character. We see business firms
of the highest character swearing to
false invoices, pnblic officers, local,
State and Federal, placing their signa-
lures to vouchers they themselves have
)falsiGed; newspapers hoasting of false
! circnlations 70 cheat advertisers
| judges and lawyers eSerting their higl
functions and abilities to bolster thu
cause of untruth; respectable attor
: I'neys lying to committees of Congress
with the utmost freedom and witllou
i; ,he' slightest callse thereto. . 90 ''.;la
: 1t is live issue. "GNl is the con
q >titutinnn or among the people is n vail
i Reinforcement, till we secure, tue recog
= nition OF the. decal"sne. .'rl'on shaI
: not lie" is tile first plank to he lai'
0 down in the platform of our politic;,
purtles. We doubt il it would secnre
y show of hands. What section Of tn
q country would he interested to '.put i
,n.", or what statesman t" have hi
- name linked with it's adopti"n2 Ho,
1, ,ol,g shall we ''get on without truth
eI'ulness e-[spriug6eld Mass.) Re