Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-04-27

whole world to see. Many statements
that are perfectly proper and rightly
understood by those who know US will
not be rightly construed II placed be-
fore the eyes OF the world ut large
There are many thoughts that might
write TO n friend or q brother which
would be entirely misinterpreted II
read by an enemy or q stranger. 1t
Is very Important that one should new
or write a letter which would be capa-
BILE OF misconstruction II that letter
should ever fall into the hands OF
bitter foe.
An Admiral's Mistake.
Pertinent illustration: Some years
ago an admiral of the United States
navy was being bitterly assailed by
his enemies, who took from the private
war files a certain letter. In that let
ter he had discussed the principles
which. I'm his opinion, should govern
promotion in the navy and had insisted
that courage alone did not qualify a
man to be a commanding officer. Re
minding the government how often, as
in the case OF the Franco-Prussian war
of 1870, an act OF discourtesy had pre-
cipated conflict, he pointed out
that brave officer lacking education,
training and diplomatic tact might In
volve the nation In serious difficulties.
1t was therefore wise in making pro-
motions to consider the character and
antecedents OF the man. The admi-
rails advice was sound but his letter
vhnv
were other questions relating to his
own record under discussion, and 1t
created a prejudice against him which
conduced to the premature termination
of brilliant career.
Our political history furnishes a still
more impressive illustration. series
Of letters written by a prominent
statesman were secretly copied from
the business files of the man who re-
ceived them and were published to the
world at a crisis of that statesman's
career. Just at the moment when his
rivals were interested in having the
public put the worst construction upon
them. They were miscOnstrued and
misrepresented and resulted, twenty
years ago, In the humiliation Of the
writer's political aspirations. PERTH
nent illustration the third: The impul-
sive letter written by George Washing
toms most intimate personal friend in
the army, Colonel Joseph Reed, to Gen.
eral Charles Lee That letter practical
" destroyed Joseph Reeds whole fu-
ture career. My brother, with such
! a-ounIao hafora Won ocE vnurGQlf III
you can afford to write any letter which
will not bear the test Of wholesale pub
licity. However sure you may be of
your letters being safely delivered to
your correspondent, who will rightly
understand them, do not forget that in
the changes of life they may fall into
the hands of malicious and hostile per
sons.
Furthermore, you should not write @
letter which cannot be rightly read by
the whole world at large, because yoJ
do not know how soon the friend t.
whom you have written may become
your enemy. oh, how easy it is tt
snap the ties of friendship which bin(
human heart to human heart. Broth
ers who once slept in the same cradle
and played in the same nursery ant
were the subjects of the same prayer
; can become so bitter in their hatret
; that they will even fight a mortal com
: bat over their parents graves. Friend
? who once loved as a Jonathan and
Z David may come to hate each other a
2 Cain hated his brother Abel. Then tn
q friend who has now become the enem
Z will nearly always try to destroy 20
q by the evidence of the unguarded lie
Z tiers which you have written in time
o of love.
= When Friend Turns Upon Friend.
/ My father used to impress tn
q thought upon me by the recollection
! of an awful night which he passed
q an ordeal of indescribable horrors.
r. very near and dear relative of his wa
his intimate associate for many year
They were to each other as intimate ,
4 brothers. They confded in each 9th
= everything Time passed on, and the
: was a rupture. The friendship W;
a broken. What did that relative d.
q He Immediately took all the lette
n which my father had written and han
:, ed them over to the newspapers f
% publication. The night that my faith
:. heard of the despicable act, as he b
~ often told rue, was the most awf
~ night of his whole life. He knew tn
"a he had done no wrong, but he W
~ afraid that in a confidential corr
Ia spondence of many years he mig
"a have written something which in t
>. eyes of the world might be imprude
" All that night he tramped the f1o
n When the first ray of daylight told ii
O.. the dawn was near, he went out to b
+ the morning which contain
ia the published private correspondent
O. He read these published letters in
or street. When he returned, the first VOL
ba he said to mother We're: Thank G,
or there Is nothing compromising that
80 THANH GpHf Tha