The Blade and the Ear; Thoughts for a Young Man - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865. Excerpt: ... respect, our freedom and patriotism, would then be sunk in a selfish grasp for power; and, the national conscience extinct, honor would be gone; and God in his wrath might send us at last some Nebuchadnezzar, before whose golden image we should bow, and lick the dust from its feet. What can avert this awful doom? I believe, under God, but one thing; and that is, that we feel solemnly bound to carry the very same sense of obligation into our public relations as we do into our private ones. Undoubtedly, there is much to lament in the latter sphere. Still, let a person only determine before God and conscience, to do nothing as a citizen or politician, which he would not do as a man, and we have a mighty safeguard to the republic. And why should this not be? I see no reason,--except that poorest of all reasons, custom,--why he who holds a governmental office, should not be marked as a model of integrity, honest to the letter, scrupulous in the smallest transaction. Let the young man beware of those who, by word or example, would teach him to draw a line between the politician and the man. Think of the monstrous doctrine that "all is fair in politics;" that one must be of course a good brother, husband, and father, a kind neighbor, and a good citizen in general; but the moment he steps into his governmental relations, he may with impunity cast the truth to the winds, and intrigue, deceive, disregard the interests of his country, and care and labor for himself and his party alone! Think of the principle that he, who may not break a single law of God at home, may yet, for the sake of elevation and power, set aside every call of Christ and his gospel! Nor does the fact that one's opponents adopt such courses at all justify this wearing two characters. You may say...