The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-11
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
CORBETTs LETTER
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 The happiness of America arise chiefly mot from the great learnin. possessed by any part of her citizena but from the enlightened state of tn. minds of the whole population. Thi!
 has arisen from the means of educa> ton which all possess. These lmeanF
 arise not so much from the superio1 industry of Americans (for they Iaboa
 less, far less, than the people of Eng land as from the eheapness of theiI! government, which may safely bs4
 cheap, because it is strong in tht; good sense, the information, freedom, and happiness of the people.
 Next to your enlightened state oT mind comes, as a cause of your happia ness, that moderation in the desire tta amass wealth. which is the natura1 consequence of an absence of tftleI' and family distinctions. All the money of Peru would not place either oI your sons above the son of your poor est neighbor. Since, therefore, nc great end is to be obtained by the pos session of wealth, men are less likely to use unjustifiable means in obtain ing it, as well as less likely to use unjustifiable means in obtaining it, as well likely to apply it to a corrupt use, or to heap it on one child to the ruin of all the rest. Hence that equal sdistribution of property; hence that stubborn spirit which makes the la borerl refuse to call his employer master; hence that consciousness of sef-worth which makes neann ess and crime so rare; and hence, in the Americans. that fidelity to their coun- try and their co1ors, and that con tempt for their enemies, which natur- ally must produce, and which already hare produced, such wonderful ef- fects.
 Introduce family distinctions and primogenitureship, and aIDthese bless ings vanish at once. It would not take ten years after that to fill your country with sinecure placemen, and pensioners, political spies and inform CTS, hired writers, fraudulent and ser vile domestics and laborers and pau pers too base to be numbered amongst them. If you want an instance of the lengths to which a thirst after titles and family distinctions will lead men, look at Napoleon. See that wonder full man; that matchless soldier: that wise law-giver; the, brave. the gener- ouss the acute, the experienced Napo- leon; see him, even to the very last moment of his power; and when he knew that that power was departing, in all human probability, forever from his grasp. still clinging to his unfor-, tunate desire to have ROYAL DES-, CENDANTS.
 There can be no question that it was his desire, and the acts which IL produced, that finally have led the Kings and their subsidized armies to Paris When the French people had been used to an EMPEROR for some years. they were no longer ashamed to think of receiving "a King.
 The Emperor. by moulding the Re- puBIic into an empire, prepared it to become a. kingdom. This he manifest 1y did for the sake of the FAMILY; from that accursed motive of VAN TY, which has, ruined the reputation of so many really great mena and has plunged so many nations into misery. Guard against the indulgence of it in your country, I beseech you--Y ou are happily, free, free from title and ca nni1y distinctions. Most it rule to look upon everyone as an enemy of the country who makes the small est attempt to introduce then; and thus will you. keep the scourge from amongst you
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