The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-08-27
ToR TIE rIRGIsIAs.


| 10 Wc fsuhifs ~ fHf fOiH " iHHfHOHTE.
am fully aware, that communication
intended for the Justly esteemed class of
persons ! am now addressing, should be
chaste and respectful II has been said that
| the character oftbe individual with whom
We correspond, will tend very much to
| give character to our communications 10
| them. lfthis be correct, | shall not be La
| BILE 10 err much in this address for, tho
my subject may direct my attention 10
| scenes, at once degrading to humanity,
and ungrateinl TO refined morality, vet
hope the exalted personagcs before me,
will deter me from the use Of terms which
IShall be the least offensive to the most deli
cate scnsibiity. know of no earthly OBJ
Iect SO interesting in itself, sand at the same
time so valuable To society, as what is i'm
piled in the best sense Of the term, female
character; "A term, thus understood, which
comprises in itself the various ideas of re-
t,ring modssty, ailectionate sympathy, diff
6dencc, assduity, hospitality, domestic eco
Monty, and, to accompany the whole,
scrupulous morality. ! believe i,owcvcr,
that the male part of the community, Is not
sufficiently sensible of the value OF thslncs-
tlmable gem; which shall not hesitate 10
denominatc the neutrality-suspicious. TO which
the world is indebted for the greatest part
OIL the virtues in their own sex The proof
of this assertion is attended With no difficult
ty. View those communities where the
indignant glance Of female virtue looks at
once out OF existence the first approach Of
lbldinous cftrontry there virtue reigns
in all her amiable characteristics. Reverse
the picture, and you have before YOU every
thing calculated to disgust sensibility, and
shock humanity.
It's my irra opinion that the ladies' Of
this country would suffer nothing by com
parison with those of any other country, on
the scale Of virtue, in the most extended
sense. | beg leave, at the same time, To
say, that il is not fondness for fulsome adu-
ation that leads me TO make this remark
but wish to pay tribute to that better
order Of things, under which we have been
brought into existence; and which we
ought TO transfer to the next generation,
scrupulously preserved, and greatly improy-
ed. And do you ask if it is susceptible of
Improvement answer, though with re-
luctsnce, that | think it is for altho' the
pleasing dcneation will admitcf general,
yet It viii moi admit OF a universal appica-
ton. We need not seek in foreign clmes
for Instances of female degradation. w.
havea sullIciency fit, and that of the worst
kind, AT our own doors This subject has
hitherto passed too much unnoticed, and II
may he said With truth that we have bcea
in the habit of excusng such feelings to-
wards certain vices as the Children of Israel
i,,it III, p,rlt ,T ,,lnutad Nth
the leprosy This is undoubtedly right,
SO far as it regards the vicious persons
themselves +; but there are others connect
ed with them that ought to command our
smCercst commlsscratlon. ! have been
told by those whose official duties lead
them to certain sections of this town, that
thereare number of female children be-
longing to particular families, for whom
there rs not the least hope but that they
will inherit the crime, the Disgrace and the
ruin of their mothers. Indeed this Is ine-
yitable for tho best feelings of decent So
cety are IN battle array against them for,
should any of them ever have disposition
to mingle in better company, they are inn
medately repulsed; and doubtless, very
properly, by the self-respect of virtuons
oVtiNty bIit'OithSC NNtHS Sits
contcmplatcs so melancholy scene =
Methinks hear her ask, what have these
little innocents done that they are doomed
to inherit such a ruinous fate? The pa
| rents have eat sour grapes, it is true, but
why are the children's teeth set on edge
TIE genius of every thing that is yirtuous
may well brood impressive melancholy over
such a scene And is it all TO no purpose Z
Shall bencnevolcnce weep in vain? Has
| pity no resource? We have heard of Or
phan Asyums, of Founding Hospitals,
Magdaen Societies, and other valuable III
stitutons without number. Has charity
exhausted all her resources, and leftno ex-
pedient that would be likely to meet the
case that now claims our attention. |
hope the beueyolence of the good ladies' OF
this tewn will forbid it. ] know of bet two
ways by which this evil can be remedied ;
the oncis, by the interpositiop of the Free
School which it is expected will soon go
into operation the other by the friendly
cxertions of the ladies'. 1t is feared that
want OF funds will prevent the school insti-
tuition from doing all, or nearly all that
ought to be done in this way for it would
1 take considerable sum of money TO board,
| clothe, and educate the number of children
required, and nothing short of removing
them entirely from the scenes of vice in
j which they now are, would do them any
good. hope, therefore, that the ladies'
will take the subject into their serious con
! sideration and that sufficient number Of
them will be found, both able and wiling,
to remedy the evil at once and II beg leave
TO propose the following method let
such as have no small children, take each OF
I taan, one ofthesc neglected objects; and