Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-03-19

The wARRxN STAR. The Editor Of the
Warren Star, a gentleman who often we'll
well, and always with spirit Of fearless inde-
pendsnce. published in bis las, paper, an arti-
Gle on tho delicate subject Of tie "living and
the dead" the ostensble object Of which was
TO disaPprobate, tho unnecessary tortures, to
which the sick and dying, are subjected in
their last momenis,by the oilioiousness OF mis-
taken friendship, and the well intended, but
useless efforts Of those, who undertake, 10 di-
vest the death couch Of its terrLrs. The arti-
Gle is we'll written and we should be well pleas
cd if we could copy the whole Of it. But as
we cannot, we must content ourselves with ma
king the following extract:
"It is a growing custom in Ncw-England.
to exposs the weakness Of a dying hour, and
this custom we are sorry to see prOpogaied by
our moral teachers. 1t is not reasonable TO
believe that its effect is good; and We know
that it is painful TO hear the recital When
person has paid the great debt Of nature, and
become to us though the Eternal had never
spoke him out Of primcval chaos, it is well TO
be a moral lesson; but we ought not TO lift the
curtain from around his dying pillow and re-
count the little failings of his last moment,
when his lectons were torn from their OBJ
jects, and the world and It's attractions grad
uslly faded from his weakened vision. man
should be protected from this pernicious habit,
alike cruel to the dying and the dead
When a man comes to the brink Of the
grave, and his mind is natura lily drawn towards
his future state Of existence. lac should be per-
mitted. alone, in the view of that eternity
which awaits him. TO form his own opinions OF
Omnipotence and his trnnsgrcssions against It's
laws; that monitor within his own breast would
point out his failings and direct him where to
seek forgiveness. Yet how seldom is this priv
ilege granted; how often do we see different
denominations, each striving TO pin their par
ticular crecds upon the shroud Of dying sub
Iect. as if il were the name that was to insure
the happiness Of The soul. How often do We
see sectarans Of all denomina tons, focking
around man, now sick. whom they never Wis.
tied in health, as if they snulEcd disease upon
the tainted gale, like ill-omenod birds. Is
there religion, or charity in these visits? do
they console rhe troubled spirit, or alleviate
the pains Of death, or add comfort 20 the dy-
ing?
All Of us must sooner or later come to the
bounds which has been set to human existence,
and die. Sickness makes us forget what we
once were, and when under the influence of
wasting disease the tongue uttcrs unmeaning
sentences which sound health and unaffected
reason would never dictate, and which 1t is
wrong 10 rchearso after the sufferer is dead
Would not a fit Of the gout or a twinge Of the
tOoth-ache have made the mighty Caesar for
get that he was emperor Of tho world? Did
not the last agonies of Alexander drive from
his mind the fact that he had conquered from
sea TO sea? did not scorching fever render
the powerful mind Of Napoleon incapable of
planning a campaign to subjugatc Europe' And
shalt minds less strong than these, meet the
shock Of tie king Of terrora and not be shattcr-
ed?'
There is much good sense, and sound rcnec-
tion, in the remarks Of the gentleman Of the
Star, and VIC commend them to the considcra-
ton Of our readers. Although VIC do not OBJ
ject TO the minestcrings Of the pious to the dy-
ing and departing one, yot we think they should
always be withheld, until they are solicited
by tho sufferer. The untimeIy imposition Of
thom, by tho too Jealous, always produces the
worst effects, and hurres the dying one, to the
portals of eternity. All that we can do, and
all that can be done, by partial friendship,
love and lection, should be performed TO les
sen the pain of body, and of mind, when We
see our friends, lingering on the margin of the
grave, ,and looking towards unfathomed worlds;
but in adminst ering our kndnesses, we should
be careful, that we do not augment the sorrows
Of the afflicted.
The defamation Of the clergy, the argu-
ments Of the sectaran, and the suppllcations
of the saint, arc lost, at the bedside ofthe dy-
ing they only tond to increase the bitter
ness of the hour Of dissolution, and to burst
asunder, the last fibres ofthe heart We speak
from experience; for too painfully have we wit
messed tho bitter anguish which the we'll intcn-
ded Offices Of the pious, have impaired to the
afflicted, in their last moments Of agony.
Mr.. Randolph and Mr.. Wright, in discus
sion on Wednesday in the House of Rcpresen-
tatiyes on the subiec ct of A Joint resoluti ion DrO-