Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-11-10
WHOLE NO. 335.
their lips, while every desire Of their hearts
il dcynted To the accumulation of mnneY-

| have heard Christian niotLrrs. try In con-
rincr their youthful daughters or th" happi-
ness 10 be- erjoyrd IN The possession of splen-
did establishments. md IN hnrIna weulih at
their command. | have scrn Christian fa-
liners ul2e thrr blooming lnvcly girls To- the
arms of srusu.!'s,s and duinrds, and then
conlplaccniy and smingly receive the con-
gratuIati"ns Of their friends on the happy oc-
cnsion |. tins n false picture? Would that
it were! But il is loo true! The canker ~
gain hath eaten deeply into the hearts core
OF society.
Lcr us now turn to the money sponder,
aud see what was the object for which these
treasures were so anxiou-ly laid up. lie has
now left the worship of MamnIon for that OF
fashion He surrounds himself aud his taml-
ly with the splendor Tint is to gain him adj
mission itto those circles t',at havn hccn the
heaven of his desires and cndcavors. AT
first, he may moct with something like re-
pulse; bot if he repeat his advances and con-
Tune 10 increase the number and brllliancy
of his gilded trappings, he will see the gates
unclose, and find himself most warmly well
coined by those who most loudly condemned
his presumption. This being ynined, il ia
now requisite for him To copy the motions,
the manners, and The fashions of those around
him. lie finds that these are all drawn from
HIDutIs, h'h w ''''"' ~ "'""N -
faithful imitation. it is considered necessary
10 take his family across the Atlantic, that
they may 'catch The living manners, from
seeing the nobility passing in their equipa-
gcs from living near their palaces. or perhaps
by the supreme happiness of gaining admls-
sion TO an entertainment given by some one
who is second cousin to lord or bnr@net-
Oh. fashion. what fpNics are cornn'tedi IN thy
name? To an European observer, these fol-
lies would b. fit theme for rldlcule, but IN n
true American, they excite feelings of the
deepest mortfcsiion. Can such one read
or hear of the conduct of some travelling
Americans, and of American society IN FarTs,
and not feel his ears tiuglr and his checks
blush with honest Indignation? And It IS by
society like this both AT home and abroad,
that Americans are Judged by Enropcans.-
The fashionable world. in any country, Is but
an unfair specimen of national charncter.--
II is gcnerolIy composed OF tho imitniors OF
other nations-the idle, the vain, and the un-
intclcctual,-and this especially So IN our
own country. Our men of character aud IN
teipcnce arc occupied on the busy arena of
life. Our women of cultivated minds and
simplicity of manners arc found IN the social
circle, or nj their own ircsdcs. in fashion,
able society, as it is at present constituted,
there is little to attract such men or such wo-
men, and it is unfortunate that this ~ the
case. For however petty or hight may oe
the materials of which IT Is composed, us
prominence in the publfc eye, its bIazonings.
it, efforts to draw attention and adtDlratlon
will always give il influence. And this i'll
Aucnce is powerful. From The Aliacks sys-
ten of London, to its pitful limitations in our
own cities. we see the uncontrolled sway IL
can exercise at " I'll. And what are the ef-
fccts of this influence? II IL TO this we owe
that love Of splcndor and display which has
infected all classes of our citizens IL is this
that has made wealth attractive. that men
will sacrifice their integrity, their reputation
and even heaven Itself to obtain u. u is this
that il undermining the fair fabric of our ma
tional prosperity, by giving rise to those Jeal-
ousies and heart burnings, that cause the cry
of.Down with the aristocracv' to he mutter-
ed between the teeth, or boldly to be pro-
claimed, in times Of popular excltement. 10
this also is owing that fearful tide OF foreign
notions and foreign innovations that Is pour,
ing along our commercial emporums, ana
which, unless arrested IN us course, WILD
swallow up every thing like American indi-
vidualty and republican simplicity.
In tracing the unhappy effects oF this in
fuence, let US 20 back and see what portion
of this society gives the tones Ia its usnges
and OPINIONS. IL we uISCuNNI WV '''S"'
this evil, we may also find tho remedy that Is
needed. | hope shall not be considered
libeller of my own SEX when | lay the blame
at their feet. The influence Of fashionable
soc,ety is the reflected influence OF woman,
and To her We must look for the reform ana
REORGANIZATION of American society.
n Our rovermment-thc bulwark OF our hb-
.rties-is intrusted to the care ot Amerlcae
sons. And let them guard it well, Tor II -
the Freedom Of the World that is comm'tteo
to their charge. And since thcy nave ,Is
| female influence to regulate society' 'e' "'
/ d,pcbters of America remember their resPoh-
! s;biitv. Let them speedily unite IN throwing
! off the yoke Of European bondage ana pro-
claim their independence oi foreign 'ashiohs
and importcd customs And then, ana then
only. will American society be, what onghA
always ,o have been, beautiful illustrations
of republican simplicity and republican prin-
ciples.
/ Let The female of intellect and Judgment,
who has leisure at command, consider whetn-
or she has done her duty IN leaving sucn
powe in the hands Of coxcombs.slly women,
and girls who need teacher. ~ men OF n
tegritv. when dlsgustcd with the chcsnery
and corruptiou of some politicians. were to-
re,i-e from public life, and leave every 'hing
,o p,crccpary Office seekers, what wou'o PC
come Of our government Bot such men
know know and perform their duty better; c1crtlne
,hc "o whole weight OF their influence tn coun-
,aroc, The evil doctrines disseminated by de-
s;,n;rg men: and striking to bring the un-
thinking mass to sense Of their true inter.
! est. they firmly fx their feet on the rock OF
noli,icai principle, and point out the course
\ to the ignorant and unwnry, while the ude o.
! calumny aud corruption rushes by them un-
! IlL.aIod n cannot move them from their