The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-09-13

speech ~ Mee- wiu Cunnaek.
We make the following extracts
from the speech of Hon WIN Cum !
back, at the Harvest Home eelebra-
ton in Hamilton county, Ohio. the
other day:
It has often struck me with won
der that the American people do
not have many such holidays as this.
There are no people in the world
who can better afford to devote
their time to this sort of social en-
joyment than the people Of these
United States We live in . land
of plenty. Labor is well reward
ed, and all classes have the comforts
of life within their reach We
ought 20 be the happiest people in
the world, and we would be, il we
would only take time to be.
As 3 people we work too hard,
and place too high an eitimats on
the acquisition of wealth. It is .
good thing to be rich, If we do not
pay too much for it. But if we
sacrifice our social natures and de
stroy all the kinder and finer feel
ings of the soul-if we become so
absorbed in the pursuit of gain as
to forget the claims of our neigh.
Dor upon us, and become entirely
selfish, then, in the acquisition of
wealth on these terms, we hnve lost
much more than we have gained.
| # the farmer would oftener leave
his farm, the mechanic his shop,
and the professional man his Office,
and all come together to cultivate
their social natures, and learn that
there is sweeter and better life
than that of living solely for selfish
ends, it seems manifest to me that
not only would their lives be hap
pier, but the moral effect would be
good.
The more man loves his neigh
bors and is loved by them, the more
will he strive to deserve their good
opinion, the less apt will he be to do
evil and forfeit their confidence and
regard.
The good opinion of others
is a powerful lever to lift
man to higher and better life, and
a strong aud substantial prop to
hold him from falling into immoral
and vicious habits
Let US oftener call halt in the
hot pursuit after wealth. Let not
the fame for riches be famed until
it shall have consumed all those
nobler traits that make man god
like. Let us give the physical and
mental powers more relaxation, and
let the heart with the sweet perfume
of unselfsh affection be permitted
oftener to drive away the weariness
Of more selfish pursuits.
God made man Q social being.
This characteristic of his nature is
as marked as any other. The de-
mands OF this part of his being
must be met and its wants gratified,
or the man will not fill the place in
the universe that it was intended
he should, as his development and
and growth will be imperfect But
as I said before. ns q people we are
making haste to be rich, and we are
in o hurry about it that we not only
forget e,,ch other, but ignore the
God that made us and His laws fol
our guidance.
If the fountain is pure, the stream
flowing therefrom will be like it
but if the fountain be corrupt, thu
stream can not be otherwise.
The Savior, in the sermon ON tht
mount, stated the whole truth il
plain language when he said, "a
good tree can not bring forth evi
fruit, neither can a corrupt tre'
bring forth good fruit"
The laws, and the law makers
and the administration of publi
affairs, will fairly and honestly re
feet the state of popular morals
The character of bur public incl
. will not rise much above the aver
age morality Of the constituent. an,
it is not apt to fall much below il
In this country all power is wit
the people, to make and repeal laws
and pull down old constitutions an
, construct new ones. So from tn
i same source flow the influences tha
Y are mightier than the law and Civ
tone and character to our religio
and civilization. I say this Unfit
|. ence is mightier than the law, b,
cause no law that is not in accor
with the popular will has any vits
i force. The history of the worl
proves the fact that even where th
: power was in the hands of the MOI
: arch it was exceedingly difficult I
enforce unpopular laws. In thi
J country it is impossible. It is man
: fest then that the work of the pre-
ent is to purify and enlighten th
source of power and influence j
n this land Of ours. I concede th
t magnitude and difficulty of th
a work. The BLACK Fridays' o
y Wall street, New York, its eco,
] ners,' and gigantic swindles, whel
: robbery and rascality appear
open day, and, if successful, recei,
/, the cheers and applause of Il
crowd, the open robbery Of the e
press trains through the land, Il
: lefalcation of public officers an
= the embezzlement of the Gust
n dians of the funded private corpo
q ations-- the Credit Mobilier swi
h die, and the salary grab are not Il