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Description of Page: Speech by John Bell delivered in 1850, printed to demonstrate Bell's dedication to slavery, columns 4-6. Poem in support of Bell, column 7. Bottom right is illegible.
Dissolve the UnionSummary: Poem.We Work too Much and Play too LittleFull Text of Article:The intense devotion of Americans to"business" is proverbial. We are by far the hardest working people in the world. Though compelled by no such necessity as drives the inhabitants of the densely populated countries of the old world to their daily tasks for their bread, nevertheless the majority of us work more hours than they, with a more intense and perpetual strain upon brain and muscles, and with fewer intermissions from labors, for recreation and amusement. We are taught from childhood that work is the "chief end of man." The "dignity of labor" is among the earliest lessons we receive. With us, not merely is labor honorable, but most of us hold that it is about the only thing that is so. Even wealth and rank, while they are coveted and worshipped, borrow their respectability -- as we may see it we will look a little below the surface of our social philosophy -- from the idea that they are embodied expressions of labor. It is acquired rather than inherited wealth, which confers honor among us. While me may envy, we have at the same time a lurking contempt for the wearer of "ancestral purple and linen," unless he forswears the immunity from toil which they confer and becomes a worker.
Now all this would be very well, if our passion for labor, or rather ambition to secure its rewards, did not convert us into slaves. It is quite right that idleness should be disreputable, and industry held in high honor. But it is not right to brand all recreation and amusement as idleness. It is bad policy, as well as bad morality, to give all our time to work and none to play. -- Both body and mind are injured, and life is shortened thereby. What an army do we see in our streets of paralytics, dyspeptics, consumptives, and other victims of disease -- men not yet passed middle age, who have retired from active business with fortunes, only to drag out a few months or years of miserable existence -- all capacity for enjoying the fruits of their past toil destroyed by having made that toil a slavery. -- The sight is a melancholy one. A few hours spent daily in recreation, with the burden of business laid down and the mind unbent from its tension, would have preserved to them their health, without diminishing their gains.
We are a race of dyspeptics. A man with a perfectly sound digestion is the exception rather than the rule among us; and the principle reason is, that we scarcely do anything but work and eat. Even sleeping is regarded as time wasted -- "It is the early bird that catches the worm," and it is our motto that the "worm" we must have.
Now we entirely reject this doctrine, that work is the "chief end of man." Labor in and of itself has no "dignity." So far from it, it was imposed upon the race originally as a penalty for sin. and the best that can be said of it now is, that by a kind arrangement of Providence the penalty has been softened down into a means of redeeming us from other and more destructive consequences of the fall. By excess, it may be restored to all its characteristics of a curse. -- When it breaks down bodily health, and dwarfs the soul, instead of being dignified and honorable, it is vulgar and mean, unless it be imposed by a necessary from which there is no escape without guilt. Our first duty in this world is to grow a sound mind in a healthy body, and this is our truest dignity. Whatever impedes these ends, whether it be labour, "business," or anything thing else, should be condemned. -- Our highest obligation is to serve God. But who can serve him acceptably with a softened brain or a crick in the back? We are condemned to love our neighbor as ourselves. But with a "duodenum or an agitated pilorous," as Sidney Smith describes a dyspepsis, we can love neither ourselves nor our neighbor. Hence, sound bodily health is an indispensable condition, not merely of intellectual growth and vigor, but as well as of the normal harmony of the soul; just as indispensable conditions of sound bodily health are diversity of employments, and an alternation of labour and recreation.
It is not necessary to urge our readers to be industrious. There is not the slightest danger that they will not work hard enough. The danger is all on the other side. There is far greater necessity to urge them to spend more time in recreation, and we accordingly, seriously and earnestly do so. While you are "diligent in business," do not consider "business" the "whole duty of man." Look upon it rather as a necessity from which you have a perfect right to escape if you can. Esteem innocent diversions, sports, amusements and recreations as lawful, nay, as truly duties as hoeing potatoes or selling tape. And by all means to it, whatever may be the fancied demands of business, that you give to recreation all the time necessary to secure sound health.
Summary: Criticizes Americans' devotion to work at the complete expense of recreation. Urges Americans to take more time in recreation for the benefit of their health.Bell and Everett Club in Waynesboro'Trailer: George A. Bruce, President; F. Burns, SecretarySummary: Report of a meeting at the Waynesboro Academy that organized a Bell/Everett club in that area.The Captured Slaver at NorfolkSummary: Story about a slave ship captured in Norfolk.War of the FactionsOrigin of Article: Examiner (Frederick, Md.)Summary: Editorial highly critical of the battling factions of the Democratic Party, who prevent any attempt at a national ticket.
Description of Page: Page has miscellaneous political rumors, articles, etc.
The Grand Union Rally!Summary: Reminder that the Union rally will be on October 19. Exhorts all citizens to attend and support Bell and Everett.Speech of Col. John B. BaldwinSummary: John Baldwin spoke to the Bell/Everett club at the Court House. Baldwin argued for the importance of maintaining the Union and against the folly of disbanding it simply for slavery. It is every citizen's duty, he claimed, to vote for the Constitutional Union party.Speech of Hon. Wm. L. YanceySummary: Editorial about the speech delivered by William Yancey in Staunton. Spectator is critical of Yancey and argues that he attempted to mislead the people with a disingenuous appraisal of Bell's political stance, especially on slavery. Spectator also accuses Yancey of being a disunionist and of concealing that from the people.More Bell ClubsSummary: New Bell clubs were formed in Mt. Solon and Middlebrook, bringing the total in the area to fourteen.Delicious GrapesSummary: Spectator received a basket of grapes from one of the children in town, who claimed that they were "Bell and Everett grapes," and hence were so good.Breckinridge ClubSummary: Report of meeting of Breckinridge Club of Staunton.Mr. Yancey InterrogatedSummary: Spectator reports that Yancey received a number of questions from citizens after his speech, but he answered none of them. According to the Spectator, this was so he would not have to acknowledge that he is a disunionist.Federal CourtSummary: Summary of proceedings at the closing of the session of the District Court.ChurchvilleSummary: Bolivar Christian will address the Bell/Everett Club of Churchville.For the SpectatorTrailer: J.M. McCue, President, E.L. Curtis, SecretarySummary: Meeting of the Union Party held to form a Bell/Everett Club in Mt. Solon.For the SpectatorTrailer: James M. Lewis, President, J.S. Myers, SecretarySummary: Report of proceedings at the Bell/Everett Club meeting in Sherando.For the SpectatorTrailer: Wm. Wilson, Sr., President; G.R. Young, W.J. Larew, SecretariesSummary: Meeting of the Bell/Everett Club at Mint Spring.Alleged Negro InsurrectionSummary: Story about the Norfolk papers and how they are trying to play up the discovery of an "insurrectionary plot" supposedly uncovered.Spring Hill and Mt. SolonSummary: Bolivar Christian will address political meetings in Spring Hill and Mt. Solon.Bell and Everett Club at ChurchvilleTrailer: N.H. Hotchkiss, Chairman, S.A. Cochran, SecretarySummary: Report of Union Party meeting held in Churchville to create a Bell/Everett Club.For the SpectatorTrailer: "S"Summary: Account of a pole raising in support of the Union Party, held in Sherando.For the SpectatorTrailer: Eli Watkins, Chairman, T.S. Hogshead, SecretarySummary: Meeting held in Parnaseus for the purpose of creating a Bell/Everett Club.Bell and Everett Meeting at Hamilton's School HouseTrailer: Wm. Hamilton, Chairman; Jas. H. Hamilton, SecretarySummary: Meeting held at Hamilton's School House for the purpose of creating a Union Club.Questions for the Breckinridgers?Summary: Set of questions posed to supporters of Breckinridge that imply that he has not been a vocal supporter of slavery.
Description of Page: Article on Gen. Walker, column 1. Page is mostly land sales, ads, etc.
MarriedSummary: Rev. Gilbert of the United Brethren Church and Miss Ellen Clark were married on September 13.MarriedSummary: Married on August 30 in Dayton, Rockingham County. Capt. Kiracofe is from Augusta County.DiedTrailer: W.W.T.Summary: Jinnie Dunlap, daughter of William Dunlap of Augusta, died in Brownsburg on October 2 at age 16.
Description of Page: Advertisements; bottom left illegible.
