Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-06-26
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
ON SLANDER-NO. |.
&c Sharper than a serpent's tooth.'


''Sharper than serpent's tooth.''
AS young Rustic for reasons best
known to himself, has discontinued his
numbers on the evils attending our I'M
settled state of society, shall during the
rainy weather, in which my plough must
be idle, add a bundle of desultory obser-
vations on subject, perhaps not zuholiy
uninteresting to that cssayist--l mean
SLANDER.
Although this poison is the growth of
all countries where causes OF dissentions
occur, yet its production and diffusion
are so modified, increased, or diminish
ed by local circumstances, that every
section of the world exhibits fecnharitieS
worthy of notice and record. In new
and remote settlement it is engendercd
more readily, rendered more virulent,
and dil1'used more widely, by the very
heterogeneous materials of which such
settlements are composed: difference in
country-differenc in eligion--pecu-
mary intercst--pctty vanity, and petty
ambition, are sources of dissention here,
peculiarly favorable to SANDER. 1t is in
vain to disguise, that among the common
class in our newly settled states, differ
eHce in country Is very general cause
of dissention. The southern emigrants
consider the eastern to be all cheats; the
eastern man imagines the southern to be
all savages. The white man damns the
yank &C, and the yankee the white m an-
the one term SYNONYMOUS with rascal, and
the other with outlaw, with those who
reproachfully use them; and when they
come together, the one expects swind
ling-the other, personal abuse. Even
those Of each party higher in rank and
refinement, and apparently more liberal,
are not exempted from local or sectional
parlialities or prejudices. The one as
sociates with an eastern name, ideas OF
intelligence and industry; with south
ern, Ignorance and laziness. The other
considers avaricious meanness for the
former, and careless independence for
the latter, to be more appropriate terms.
Each, therefore, would almost involun-
tarily prefer his own countryman, where
other circumstances are nearly equal !;
and therefore, not merely the laborer or
mechanic to whom he has been accus
toned will now receive support from his
partially, but any person who comes
| from the same quarter, Or is recommend
ed by some friend, has feelings imme-
diately kindled in his favor which could
never have been excited towards COM
parative foreigner. If professional
man is desired in any place, there will
be almost as many parties as families
each knew one, or has heard of one, or
can hear of one in his original city, coun-
ty, or state, that will answer better than
from any other; and he dwells with
great deal of self-complacent pleasure
on the qualifications of some great man
of his acquaintance, or friends, or rela-
tons; on his opportunities-his recon-
mendations, and on every circumstance,
| which may, however, very likely be
found connected with the greet nun in
every neighborhood Ten lawyers, six
doctors, and three ministers may thus
be sent for to settle in district of coun-
try not able to maintain one comfortably;
a precious stock of materials to be sa-
criticed on the affairs Of disscntion! Their
arrival forms new era of sectional dis
cord--party partialities, preiudices, and
jealousies, blaze higher than ever, and
SANDER kindles her torch at the flame.
The greater parties founded on broad
sectional divisions are again divided and
snbdivided according to the particular
state or county, or even neighborhood, to
which the respective settlers originally
belonged. How extended tie field, then,
for the passions to rage in
If sectional partiali,ies and prejudices
rise to such violent height, it will Gre
ate 10 wonder that sectarianism should
under the same state of things bring BIZ
golry into allying action. A religious
cmigrant naturally seeks for similarity of
sentiment, and in the dearth Of kindred
feeling, or association, in many other re-
spects, will bind himself still stronger by
the strong cords OF his creed to such of
the same sect as come under the section
al farty to which he belongs. Having
in the place OF his early residence but
llilllc opportunity Of intercourse with pro-