Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-02-05

less, joins in the sleigh-ride, the dance,
or any amusement to spend time and dis
sipate thought.
This is nature, and to certain degree
should be INDUCED. But if report be
true, the citizens of your little village
have carried the matter to a shameful
excess during the last two months. Il
am told you have ball generally once
a iortnight, and frequently once a week
that many who five months since were
at the command of constable, or She
RITZ, and whose daily complaints were
hard times, revived from their despon-
dency by the salutary effects of stop laws
and bank paper, can now once in fort
night at least, dance, and frolic, and
drink, and caro1se away from five to ten
dollars in single night. Some, am
told, join who are yet at the mercy OF
creditor--some who profess to believe
IN and support Christianity, that Religion
which renders man accountable for eve
ry idle thought, word, and deed. O tenn
pora! o mores. Young men who ex-
pect to hold respectable standing in
society, as statesmen or professional cha
racters, resort to these scenes ofmidnight
reveiry, TO qualify themselves for future
usefulness Prob Dill iinmorta!cs. But
worse yel--a farmer, am told, has been
lured into the dissipation OF the town,
| and, not being able to advance state pa
per, was obliged'to pay his reckoning in
hay =! o Temporal ! Q mores! Will
| notthe ghosts Of this mans starved brutes
rise ID judgment against him?
but worse than all, and most to be tleplored,
| As human natures broadcast, foulcst blot,o
a number of young, gay, fashionable,
elegant, well-educatetl gentlemen, citi-
zens of Edwardsville, lately spent an
evening at enesro ball, supping with,
nursing, husglng, kissing, and carcssing
oildous wenches. One of these conde-
acendmg beaux I could name, but a re-
gard for the feelings Of bis wife, who is
young, handsome, and virtuous, forbids
it.
1t is not long since your paper tcemcd
with the constitution, resolutions, and
essays Of society for the encourage
ment Of economy, industry, &c. But
now tlie'patriotic members OF this ephe-
neral institution. Mho pledged ,hern-
serves not to wear a foreign coat, can now
reycl away the price of Two in the course
of a month. Even the Ciceros OF the
FORUM have yielded to the omnipo.
tent charms of extravagant dissipation.
l am not an enemy to innocent and ra-
tional amusement; but think it should
always be kept Decentralization to more
important pursuits, and never INDUCED
to the su5version ofthc wholesome prin-
ciples Of dignity, decency, economy, IN
dustry, and consistency.
But must conclude, by giving all the
idle and extravaganza in both town and
country, little wholesome advice.
Mr. Warren, tell the farmers not to
dance away their hay at balls, but feed ii
to their cows.
Tel the mechanic who f,,rsakes his
jack, his head-biock, or last, that rags,
poverty, and the constable await the in
doicnt.
Tell the lawyers OF your town, TINT CT
Zero, Tie Prince of Lawyers, says of
himself" Quantum temporis ALI tri-
buunt telnpestivis conviviis, quantum
aleae Ct pilae, quantum ad celcbrandos
dies ct alias voluptates-ego sumo ad CO.
lenda studia."
Tell the man who ncglects his farm,
or lays down his trowel, his na,tock, his
currying- knife, or Bible, to seek an Office
by whiskey, flattcry, and SANDER, that he
is fool, and will only gain the votes of
such.
To young men who frequent negro
balls, my advice is. never do hy MICH,