Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-10-26
Cad ANES TERRITORY WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1885,
From the Par West.
PRoFANE SWEARING.

From the Far West.
PRorANE swEAR1NG.
There is no idle practice, which per.
vades society to such an extent, and SC
lightly considered; and yet! Of such
vast importance to the general veal, a.
the odious practice Of "rrofane Swear.
ing"
1t is almost the only mode Of lou
llicentiousness which can be INDUCED
in, for the commission of which, nc
single reason can be ascribed.
1t neither portrays an elevation Of
mind, the finished scholar, or. genuine
gentleman; but on the contrary in eve
ry instance; be it imbibed, or taught
in infancy it does not alter the matter.
If we inspect the sinks of sin and
watched depravity, where vice and
every deformity in vice, revel with
freedom, we there find the
odious weeds Of this class attain their
highes perfection, and is most tenderly
nurtured.
Few, very few instances of respec-
table record Of men, celebrated for
talents and estimable qualities, having
INDUCED in this low billings gate, de-
grading practice; and surely, most
surely. if such has ever been the case
where talents and worth were found
in such sewers, it could not impart lus-
tire to the character, or add one charm
to the estimation in which talented
greatness should be commonly held.
1t is in fact habit, mere habit, the
last stripe of the tattered garment of
low balderdash. Is this a habit con-
tracted without thought or reflection,
and without real knowledge of the
evil consequences it produces in soci-
ETY.? Mark the progress of the vice
from its embryo commencement; stu
dy the character of the drunkard, and
learn the history of the murderer, and
scan the sequel of the life of the rob-
Der, and not unfrequently, you will
find that tho indulgence Of a less Grim
inal vice than 'profane swearing was
the constant feature in their career,
and step by step, they were finally
led to the last fatal precipice-as they
INDUCED in one, the mind became cal
Gus to the next and the next, and thus
hurried on from depth to depth--they
found safe retreat to be impossible, and
awake only in time to realize their f.
nal destruction.
These are the individuals that make
vice fascinating they are hurried be-
You'd the bounds of repentance and
reformation-their minds and habits
are so habituated to iniquity, that GER
tue and the virt,t0us, have lost all at
traction for them, and become objects
of dislike and disgust, and their chief
and pleasurable employment, is to lead
captives the young and inexperienced,
till they triumph only in the destruc-
tive spoils of Virtue and peace) inno-
cence and virtue.
kecollections such as these should
press themselves with unfailing force,
upon the minds of all who are guilty
of the practice here referred tot
should lead them promptly TO encoun-
ter the danger which may be averted,
but which they may find impossible to
flee-can longer Indulgence in eny
vice, impart energy to new born reso-
lutions, Or give impulse to our det.r-
limitations of repentance and and re-
formation? or will not new indulgence
rivct our manacles afresh, under crimes
less odious, and pave the way to last
ing indulgence in criminality, for
which no rational plea can be offered,
and which is strictly forbidden by the
laws of God, and every consideration
of virtue. Remember that 'profane
swearing while it is without the least
shadow Of excuse, is one of the most
strict forbidden of transgressions.-
The drunkard, who browns both his
mental and bodily faculties in the in
diligence Of his fatal prosperity, can
assert from experience that he derives
"a momentary pleasure from the intoxi-
eating draughf or he will tell you
that misfortune and despair led him to
such momentary relief in the cup of
insensibility Tho murderer who is
called on to say whysthe sentence Of
death should not be pronounced upon
him, can reply in extenuation of his
crime, that lasting and ungovernable
hatred, or uncalled for wrongs, urged
him to the preparation Of the deed.
The unfortunate robber may tell you
that necessity has no law and the
|pangs of hungar left no alternative.
In fact, for the commission Of every
grade of sin, some shadow of reason