The Progress., 1898-08-13


one, there's no need of talking against
bribery by promise or by dollars, because
every man has his price" l do not believe
1t. Even heathenism and the dark ages
have furnished specimens of incorruptibil-
ity. A cadi Of Smyrna had case brought
before him on trial A man gave him 500
ducnts In bribery The case came on. The
briber had many witnesses. The poor
man on the other side had no witnesses.
At the close of the case the cadi said:
This poor man has no witnesses, he
thinks. shall produce in his behalf 500
witnesses against the other side" Then
pulling out the bag Of dacats from under
the ottoman he dashed it down ut the feet
OF the briber, saying, 81 give my decision
against you Epaminondas, offered
brihe, said, Il will do this thing If 1t be
right, and If it be wrong all your goods
cannot persuade me. ."
"A Poor Compliment.
| The president of the American congress
during the American Revolution, General
Reed, was offered 10000 guineas by for
eign commissioners If he would betray
this country He replied, "Gentlemcn,
am very poor man, but tell your king he
Is not rich enough to buy me-" But why
60 so fur when yon and I, if We move in
honorable society, know men and women
who by all the forces Of earth and hell
could not be bribed. They would no more
be bribed than you would think of tempt
ing al angel Of light to exchange heaven
for the pit. TO offer bride is villainy,
but it Is a very poor compliment to the
man to whom it Is offered.
have not much hith In those people
who 60 about Dragging how much they
could get If they would only sell out.
Those women who complain that they are
very often insulted need to understand
that there is something in their carriage
to invite insult There are men at AL
bany and at Harrisburg and at Washing
ton who would no more be approached by
a bride than pirate boat with few cut
lasses would dare to attack a British man,
of-war with two banks Of guns on each
side loaded to the touchhole They are
incorruptible men, and they are the few
men who are to save the city and save the
land.
Meanwhile my advice is keep out Of
politics unless you nre invulnerable to this
style of temptation. Indeed If even you
are naturally strong you need religious
buttressing. Nothing but the grace of
God can sustain our public men and make
them what we wish. wish that there
might come an old fashioned revival OF
religion that 1t might break out In con-
gress and the legislatures and bring many
of the leading Republicans and Democrats
down On the anxious seat Of repentance
That day will come, or something better
for the Bible declares that kings ant
queens shall become nursing fathers ant
mothers to the church, and II the greate
in authority then certainly tho less.
A Moral Bankrupt.
My charge also to parents Is, remembe
that this evil Of bribery often begins II
the home circle and In the nursery. d
not br.be your children. Teach them +
do that which is right. and not because o
: the 10 cents or the orange which you will
give them. There is great difference be
!, tween rewarding virtue and making tn
profits thereof the impelling motive Tha
: man who is honest merely because "hon
esty is the best policy" is already mora
. bankrupt.
y My charge is to you in oil department
of life, steer clear Of bribery, all ofyou. E1
> cry man and woman at some time will b
). tempted to do wrong for compensation
The bribe may not be offered In money
;, 1t may DO offered In social position. Il
. us remember that there Is day comm
y when the most secret transaction OF nn
vate life and of public life will come
for public apprehension.
We cannot bride death, we cannot bril-
> sickness, we cannot bride the grave, v
= cannot bride the judgments Of that &c
. who thunders against this sin. "Fie!
!. said Cardinal Beaufort, "fleI Can t deaf
~ be bribedi Is money nothingP Must
=, u die, and so richs If the owning OF IL
- whole realm would save me. l could get