Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-07-17
$tammtott Spectator.
RATES OF ADvERTIaxe.

|
ADyERrIsElEENrs will be inserted at the rat
rst insertion. and SO cents for ssSh eoa
insertion.
AeA liberal discount will be made on .dvsr.
tisements published for 8, 6, or U months.
~ SPECIAL NOTICES will be inserted NJ dom,
BILE the advertising rates.
Obituaries, ,AnnouncementsofCa Of Candidates
for Office, and all communications of persona
or private character, will be charged for as ad.
vertisements, u ~ -
AddressNs.Staunte. Spectator" stsuntoa, Va.
t by good men is, men who have the fear
of God before their eyes, men who would
scorn to de- mean act, regardless of the
wealth that act would purchase; mon
who respect and obey the laws OF God,
and would not willingly violate any
OF his commands; in short, men who
regulate all their actions and dealings
with their fellow men by the golden
rule. Ifsuch men were found in all the
offices Of our Government, ours would
be country of which honest men might
boast, and we of the present generation
would have some guarantee for the hap.
piness Of posterity.
| But why talk of results that never can
be reached, of reform that is impossible?
For just so long as wealth is the stand.
ard of wisdom and respectability, and
dollars mark the grades of society,
selfishness is sure to rule the hearts OF
the people; for every one knows, who
desires distinction, that wealth will pro.
cure it, regardless of what are nou con-
| sidered the minor qualifications of q
gentleman, and so long as selfishness Is
the ruling passion, bribery and eorrup-
tion will be the leading characteristics
in every department of our Govern.
ment. What is the present condition of
our country? Are we free people p
What have we of which we can boast;
or can we boast at all :? Yes, we can
boast Of our millionaires, our merchant
princes, and our railroad kings. We'con
boast Of our fertile fields and our
abundant crops our thriving cities and
extensive manufactures, our railroads
and canals, our shipping, and our foreign
and domestic commerce, our schools.
But OF what can our Government
boast? Our Government can boast of a
great national debt with laboring mil
lions striving to pay the interest; debt
which according to the present prospect,
is entailed upon many generations to
come. 1t can boast of Oppressive revenue
laws, and the vast amount of money IL
cost the people to enact them. It can
boast of more public officers than any
other nation on the face of the earth, all
of whom must be paid, and well paid,
from the public Treasury. 1t can boast
of the millions that have been lost to the
Treasury by Defaulters, by maladminis-
tration and misrule. It can boast of q
continue! party strife kept up all over
the land by Office seekers and office.
hOldQra Wha ovpoofinu fo bo ,,o;A
from the public chest.
l have said that party strife was one
of the leading characteristics of our Ma
tional Legislature, and so it Is, but there
is one subject on which they nearly all
agree, land believe the State Legis-
latures are nearly unanimous on the
same subject) and this subject is one of
vast concern to the future of our Repub-
lie. They consider it their bounden
duty as good citizens, as wise and patri-
otic legislators and learned statesmen of
the modern school, to solve the follow
ing question. What course shall we
sary, to raise the greatest amount of
revenue that can be raised from the
people without danger ofan immediate
rebellion ? and whoever will frame
bill that will accomplish the desired
end, will not only be considered a
Hero! but he will also be the greatest
financier of the age, and stand q very
good chance to be the next President of
the United States. Is there any doubt
about the selfshness of our rulers? Are
they trying to pay the National debt?
Did they not raise the Presidents salary
from twenty five to fifty thousand dol
from five to seven thousand five hum
dred? And this just at time of all
others in the history of our country,
when retrenchment was necessary, to
save oppression. And have they not been
lavish in expenditures ever since, and
has it not caused salaries to increase in
all departments, and consequent in
crease of Taxation? And who amongst
all our rulers have raised their voices
against it and If any have raised their
voices against it, who have refused to
receive the money? Who among all
our rulers are willing to make personal
sacrifices for the good of the country p
Not one. Selfishness is the ruling prin-
ciple. 1 am stating facts, of which
there is ample proof, and this state of af-
fairs is not confined to the general Gov
ernment, but is seen and felt in nearly
every State in the Union. How many
States have we that cannot boast of
State debt, of failures, of bankruptcies,
frauds, corruption, bribery and heavy
taxation? And where are the States that
can boast of honest and patriotic legisla-
lures, free from fraud and corruption,
from dissipation and impiety, free from
and industriously and steadi-
ly laboring for the welfare Of the mass
es, and to promote the future prosperity
of the Commonwealth. I say-where
are they ?-and echo answers-where
are they? And even time.honored Vir-
ginia, who can boast of being the moth
er of States, and the mother of patriotic
statesmen, can zO,D boast of a heavy
public debt, of failures, and bankruptcies,
of dissipation and impiety in her legis-
latiye halls, and legislature that would
repudiate the State debt rather than
abate one dime of their pay to enable the
State to pay it. The aboveis my opinion.
charge nothing for it.
A CITIZEN.
How TO SUCCEED.-Hon. E. G.. East
man, of Poughkeepsie, lately gave this
terse advice to the students of Eastman's
Business College: "My students, you
are the architects of your own fortunes.
Rely upon your own strength of body
and soul. Select some specially for
your life's work, and adhere to Pauls
precept: This one thing I do.' Let
your star be Industry, Self-Relianee,
Faith and Honesty, and inscribe on your
banner: Luck is a fool, Pluck is hero.
Earnest effort in one direction is the
surest read to wealth and high position.
Don't take too much advice. Keep at
the helm, steer your own ship, and re-
member that the great art of command
ing is to take upon yourself the largest
share of the work. Don't practice too
much humility. Think well of your
self; strike out; assume your position.
tits the JOS things and joltings of life that
bring great men to the surface. Put po-
tatoes in cart over a rough road, and the
small potatoes go to the bottom. Turn
a raft of logs down a mill.race, and the
enyious ss and T Jealous 40 p Fire s' above Dove the the
mark you intend to hit. Energy, invin-