Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-08-31
COMMUNICATIONS.

vi
bling YOU with commune a,ions Of this kind,
bu, my reflections are Of nature peculiarly
applicable TO the present day.
How many young men have we IN Aexan-
dria, who were born and bred here, whose cha
racters have been formed under our own cog
nizance, and whose faculties have ripened I'M
der our own inspection; how many such have
we, say, who are reptoached and des2ised Tor
their idleness? when perhaps it is our lault thai
they are so. Tell me, Mr.. Editor, il the aged
were 10 unite their exper fence and prudence
with The vigor and activity OF the young I'm
business would not The situation OF each indl'
sidual thus united be considerably Moderated,
and the condition Af the community at large
abundantly benefited? ] know, Sir, there are
some who are disposed so 10 act, hut they com,
plain that the young men are dissipated, and
tina, dissipation, if supported at all, must be
supported BY dishonor and dishonesty. But,
sir, because TWO, three. five, or ten OF our young
men give way to the temptations oil youth, do's
il follow that all are inctured with the pfac-
,ice Of vice-tha' all degrade thems' Ives by
drinking in sin as The OK drnketh IN wa'er!-
Surely no, Bu:, sir, lei me repeat, that We
have manv young men in this place, VINO have
received heir education mere, wi h whose cha
raclers we are intimately aoqoairted, and who
possess every requ,sleto make them good cl'
,zens and useful members of socir'y, who, Tor
wan, Of encouragement fr.rn the influential and
assistance from the pow rfol, are compelled 10
leave the place; and thus we deprive ourselves
of that animation and ambition in trade 80 alb
solutely necessary TO secure success, and which
belongs to youth alone. There many whose
fear of ouolic hate together with the difFdsnce
so natural 10 YOUTH will not suffer them 10
L. ,ta, ,bp rnr,1pI hi 1 Of ia.
ri,v, 5u, are fo.ced-l orally forced TO hide
themselves from public notice, and to remain
in their dfiyu ltits; AID viewing themselves
thus expelled from Che dgnifiet. duties and en-
ioyments Of respectable society, they associate
with men OF abandoned principles, and sacri-
fce their regulations and characters al the low
shrine Of pleasure and self qualification, until
finally they turn To thr haUnts Of dissipation Tor
comfort, and, strid!ng beneath The scowlng
frcwns of fate, with all The frenzicd inaepend-
rnce of ntoxie alton, they bid fortune do her
worst.
But, sir the situation Of Alexandria, when
considered with regard to those institutions
formed Cor The promotion of education, ought
also TO be mentioned. There was once an Aca-
deny here, snperi;.,endrd by Trustees, the re-
collection of which, however, is too strong 20
reed any remark Where is it now? What,
too, has become Of that Society that was dgni-
fed by the name of Washing on, originally
formed for the purpose OF meinratng the con-
diton Of the poor--Whose chief object was 10
support the Free School, and whose practice
was 20 distribute among the scholars OF his
Fl &c School ARTICLES Of clothing? Alas! thai,
TOO. has gont; and sorry am to say, that the
School appears 10 be fol owing its parent Wha;
" i'll become Of tbs part Of the young and ris'
ns generation who depend upon the boun'y ot
the public for The small portion of knowledge
" h,ch they NAV acquire? Fsllow-ci'izens!-
Have you forgotten your early lessons on &" the
importance Of good education" Or do you
suppose that proper distribution and employ
men, OF our lime will have no effect, or have
YOU all adopted the degrading motto Of he
sordid The avaricious, the mean, penurious mi.
ser, who says" every man for himself, and God
for Us alb" VIVA, shall / say 10 arouse YOU
Fl ON your lethargy? To what vocabulary shall
| resort 10 fad words 10 impress upon your
minds The great necessity and importance OF
devoring some lime and attention to the educa-
ton Of the poor? Shall say that the foul
fiend, ignorance, stands ready 10 de,our the
scions Of virtue which your bounty has planted?
or shall iAhrrs,en you with the judgments Of
Heaven for negloc'ing this opportunity Of do
ing good 10 the bequest which our Saviour
made when he said, " the poor ye have always
with you" Is not ignorance the ?aren, OF
vice? And let the poor grow up in Ignorance,
and what will be the state Of society? Oh! let
me entreat you (you, whose exertions will be
effecIuai ard efficiently to use your best endea-
vors 20 promote the cause OF Educalion-,hat
grea, helpma'c and handmade OF Virtue and
be assured that an all benignant
will behold you with peculiar delight, and
bless your endeasors with peculiar success.
Is.