The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-11-29
A BurbIe on the Ocean.

The Hon. Harvey Hamilton, of
Mendoza, who at times in the argu-
men4 of criminal cases wakes clio
qaent and brilliant, in one of his
flights of fancy,in the Necessary case
at GateCity, made use of the following
language: "Truth is but heck Of
foam upon the ocean; seen for an
instant and then seen no more. )" lie
was illustrating the value Of mans
evidence when testifying for himself.
Judge Morrison, when he concluded
the case for the defence, charactcriz-
ed it as a libel upon truth, and said
struth crushed to earth will rise
again"
Mr. Hamilton doubtless had in
mind the old saying Of Voltaire upon
the subject, and whether OF not he
was aware of the full import of his
language the PosT does not take up
on itself to say. What is truth?
Has there ever been a correct detinl-
ton of it given? In the abstract 1t
is undoubtedly nature uncolored and
unadulterated. 1t is the voice OF the
Great Almighty speaking through
His works. 1t is something as rare
as its valuable, and something that
in many instances is wocfully abns
ed. Truth in man is what God
made him, which in his life is eXcm-
plifcd by his acts. 1t is the con-
SCIENCE implanted in his heart which,
if he abides by, must necessarily
be right. When he violates the die
tates of his conscience he is undoubt-
edly violating the law of nature. Men
are born with certain characteristics,
distinguishing traits in their make
up. SO are the lower order of animals.
The characteristic of the race horse
lis to run, the trotter to trot, and the
mule to be an ass. So it is with the
various types of dogs. 1t is born in
the pointers to point game in the
collie, to drive sheep; in the bull dog
to fight, and so ON down the list to
the very lowest order of animals.
Now the point the PosT desires to
make is it wrong for the dog to
point, for the race horse to run, for
the bull dog to fight. If it is, then
it is wrong for man to act and to live
as it was intended he should. He is
but exemplifying one phase of truth.
When he runs counter to 1t ne is
violating truth, and consequently he
is living lie.
Every mans conscience is what
God directly gave him, and conse-
quently he and his God are alone
responsible for it.
However, we agree withJudgeMorl-
SON. S statement that twas libel up
on truth, but don't think truth can ever
be crushed to earth. It is always
permanent, ever visible and always
will be. If it is meant that a lie will
be found out, which is the ordinary
acceptation of the opposite to truth,
then, we are agreed, but truth, has a
much greater significance, than the
term known, as the opposite of a
falsehood. Can it be imagined for
an instant that all the preaching; all
the eloquence Of the most eloquent
men who ever played with the fancy
and imagination could make the
race horse trotter or vice versa?
Can it be imagined BY the most sus-
ceptible minds that it would be right
TO do so? Would there be any BEN
eft to be derived? So it is with the
highest order Of animals, man. And
there are various kinds and degrees
of that variety Some Of them are
borne with liking and instinct for the
performance Of certain duties in life.
They obey the dictates Of truth, ina
planted there by an unseen Hand
and a Hand that 'saoes all things for
the best When they followed their
instincts, as does the pointer in the