Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1881 — Good Advice. [ARTICLE]

Good Advice.

Hon. Alexander If. Stephens was recently at Augusta, Ga., where he was waited upo| by the members of a Hose Company which had changed its name from “Biunuerliasset” to ■‘Stephens Hose Company.” The Company presented to Mr. Stephens an address and a series of resolutions setting forth their change of name and their impelling motive. Mr Stephens availed himself of the opportunity to say a few words to the young men composing the Company. He told them “the buttle of life was opening for them,” and “that it was a terrible battle to fight;” that “they sho’d fix their aspirations high.” He advised them to be “tr ithful, honorable, honest, willing to do right to others, governed by integrity; these were private virtues. In public life let virtue, intelligence and patriotism be their guide. With all its troubles and errors, this is the greatest country in the world. There is nothing like it under the sun, for it gives liberty to all and an opportunity to young men to advance to any position. When he was a prisoner in a Federal Fort something was said about a proposition to be made to prisoners of State that if they wou d promise to leave the country and never return they snould be al jowed to do so. An officer mentioned this to him, and asked him what he would do. He said he for one wo’d not acaept such a proposition; he would rather be hanged in the United States than live in any other country Never strive for an office for the hon or it will confer. He would as soon have stolen goods as to seek for an office for the honor of it. Strive rather to confer honor upon the office. He impressed upon them the necessity of study. With ten hours for labor and eight for sleep, there would be six left. What would they do with these? Did they know how much could be learned in those six hours? Richard Henry Wilde, who becam e one of the greatest of poets and orators, was a clerk in a store, and had to study between times. William H Crawford was a school teacher, and from small beginnings rose to the highest positions. He was a eandi date at one time for the Presidency It was said that Napoleon said of him. at St. Cloud, that lie was the only man he taking off his hut to. He himself had commenced the study of law on the 28tL of May, 1831. and was admitted tcithe Bar in the following July. And it wat said he passed a very creditable examination. He bad studied Black-toue, Starke on Evidence, Chitty on Pleading, and the statutes of the State. He had also prepared his first speech, which he delivered on the Fourth of July. The great maxim which he learned when a boy was: Honor and nhamc from no condition rise. Act well your part, there all the honor lies.” Certainly such advice to young men, coming from a man like Alex-, ander H. Stephens, is worthy of wide reading, North and South, for none know better than the great Southern statesman himself the value of high aspirations and tireless industry.