Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-05-28

der which they have been brought up al nome
we oughtnot only to commisserate the 'eachers
under whose care they are placed, oat, aiso' 70
extend our sympathy. 10 the young me"
themselves. whose minds have been SO un'
happiIy directed These effects are not 10 De at
tributed 10 any want Of affectionate soiicitude
on the par. Of the parents; for they are the ne
cessary result ofthe circumstances under winch
they have been placed. Domestic servants are
often the corruptors Of youth even IN Tree STATES
where the parents have an opportunity VI DC
Letting such only as they Suppose wiz oe sui'a,
ble.-How much more dangerous, men, mus'
be the conversation and example OF inc poor
degraded wreiches, who serve In the nurseries
of slaye-holders-who cannot be dlscharsea
without sacrifice of feeling, nor exchanged
for others of the same class, with much nope OF
Improvement. 1t is one OF the strlotest IN
functions OF eminent authors, who have written
on the education Of youth, that they be Careful
" guarded against the corrupt conversation Of
menials and slaves; "for, says one whohad deep
" studied the human heart, "what is learnt al
THAT age is easily imprinted on the mind, and
"Ieaves deep marks behind it, which are mo-
"easly to be effaeed. AS in the case OF ne"
"vessel, which long preserves tIncture OF inc
"hrst liquor poured into it, and like wool, whlch
acap never recover its first whiteness, alter II
"has been once dyed"
Another maxim, which has received the
sanction Of the wisest men in every age, teaches
US that those who are withou! any useful en-
pIoymen;, will soon be employed in doing evil
Now, there is no situation in which child Car
be placed, so likely TO produce this result, al
r. l,l H., from helm =,
waited upon continually, he soon learns to con
slider every kind Of labour as exceedingly irk
some, and even degrading 10 the rank oil gen
tleman-The whole business OF his HE is tc
spend the fruits Of others labour; aud II he o'
redur ed 10 poverty, (Which is the natural result
of luxury and idleness) he becomes the mos
HELPLESS and miserable Of men-unless, by
desperate struggle with the prejudlces and ha
bits of his earlv life, he succeed in making use
oflhose faculties Of mind and body, which were
designed TO exalt him in the scale of happnes:
and usefulness Some illustrious example. OF
this kind may be found in our country; bu
they are only few OF the more resolute and
persevering, who have escaped shipwreck by
manfullv stemming the tide which threatened
their destruction When we look around us
and see on every side the numbers who have
been reduced from affluence TO poverty, by Z
course of idleness and extravaganza, we can
not, for a moment, doubt The expediency o.
accustoming the youth, of bota sexes, to tho'r
active empoymrnts which ln,igorate both mind
and body, and prepare them for a life OF useful
ness. Yet, this can hardly be expected TO be
done in land where slaves are almost the only
labourers. ard where even the lowest class Of
whites consider il degrading to work. II pa
rents were only as solicitous to Civ" their chill
dren pa,rimony c. good habits and v'rtuous
2rinciples,as they are to leave them large posses
sions of less substantial wealth, we think they
would carefully. investigate this nhjfct and see
the necessity or removing from them degrad
ed and servile class, who, from "the very know
ledge of their condition as slaves" must ever
continue TO be thus degraded, and must Away:
produce the most pernicious effects upon the
morals, the habits, and the prosperity OF theii
posscssors.