Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-09-09
From chs .Ssssrark Duly .71rocafe


me say word to you about family government
we good people Of America, in our rage fo- sci
government, are IN danger Of not governing our
selves. Our lads grow up insubordinate; finding
out to our and their cost that i. is free country
An English traveller could find no boss in the L..
nlted States; all being either children men
Parents are abandoning the reins; and when once
this shall become universal all sorts Of govern
ment but despotism will be imprac.icable.
Take that forward child in hand at once or YOU
will soon have to be his suPplant, rather than his
guide The old way is perhaps too rugged, where
authority but the new way IS as bad on the other
side; no man is reduced to The necessity OF choos
ing an extreme.
We often visit houses where the parents seem
to be mere advisory attendants, with painful sin
ecure. Let such hear the words Of wise coa-
gresham of New Jersey, and a signcr Of the dec
laration. 'Therc is not a more disgusting sight
than the impotent rage Of a parent who has no
authority. Among the lower ranks Of people,
who are under no restraints from deccncy you may
sometimes father or mother running out ioto
the street after child who is fled from them, with
looks Of fury and words Of execration and they
are often stupid enough to imagine that neighbors
though in fact it fills every behoder with horror
am afraid none Of US need go many rods from
home to witness the like.
What is commonly administered as a reproof IS
often worse than nothing. Scolding rebukes are
like scalding pOtions; they injure the patient
And angry chastisement is little better than oil
on the fire. Not long since was passing by the
rail road from Newark to New York. The train
of cars pursued its furious way Immediately by the
door Of low 'shanty' from which a small child
innocently issued, crossed the track before Us
just in time to escape being crushed by the loco
motive
We ali looked out with shuddering, when 10 I! the
Of han al
strodc forth, and Selling the poor infant, which
had straycd only in consequence OF her own
negligence. gave it q summary and violent cor
rection. Inference; parents often deserve the
stroke they give.
Implicit obedience--and that without question.
expostulaticn delay, is the keystone OF the
family arch. This is perfectly consistent with the
utmost affection, and should be enforced from the
beginning, and absolutely. The philosopher whom
cited above saws in relation to parental authori-
ty: Il would have it early that it may be absolute,
and absolute that it may not be severe. 1t holds
universally in families and schools, and even the
greater bodies of men, the army and navy, that
those who keep the strictest discipline give the
fewest strokes"
Some parents seem to imagine that their fail
urcs in this kind arise from the want OF q certain
mysterious knack, of which they conceive them
selves to be destitute. There is such knack, but
il is as much within reach the kuack Of driving
a horse and chaise or handling q knife and fork,
and will never be got by yawning over 1t.
Not only love your children, but show that
you love them; not by merely fondling and kiss
ingt hem, but by being always open to their APP
proaches. Hero is man who drives h's chsl-
here il another who is always too busy to give
them good word.-Now i would gladly learn of
these pennywise and pound-foolish fathers, what
work they expect ever to turn out which shall e.
quail in importance the children who are now Ia
fae Hanless ia that child
which is forced to seek for companions more ac-
cessible and winning than its father or its moth
or.
You NAV observe that when q working-ma
spends his leisure hours abroad, 1t IS at the ex-
pense of his family. While he is at the club or
the tavern, his boy girl is seeking out-of-door
connections. The great school Of juvenile vice
is the street. Here the urchin while he 'knuck-
les down at taw learns the vulgar oath, or the pu-
trid obscenity. For one lesson at the freside, be
has a dozen in the kennel. Here are scattered
the seeds Of falshood, gambling, theft, and vio-
lence. pray you, as you love your own flesh
and blood make your children cling to the hearth
stone Love home yourself; sink your roots deep
" among your domestic treasures; set an exam
pie in this, as in all things which your offspring
may follow. The garden plant seems to have ac-
complished its great work, and IS content to
wther, when it has matured the fruit for the next
race; learn q lesson from the plant.
sTExAs-Wc are sorry to see, that many OF
the northern papers are discussing the Propriety
of admitting Texas into the Union We are sor-
ry for it, because, anticipated, the controver
~ is conducted with bitterness, and prejudiced
zeal, which may do much evil-can do no good
We are convinced that the intelligent friends OF
Texas will not bring the subject before Con-
gress and that if they do, the real friends OF the
Union will have it laid down upon the table without
discussion. We have exciting topics enough al
ready before the nation. Let us quietly settle
our own affairs, before we intermeddle with the
affairs of others. Let Texas alone, and IT will
do well enough. 1t has within itself all the
Of a great nation; and stands in but
little need Of foreign aid to develope her resour-
ces. Texas, as independent nation, we re-
gard as the germ Of great Republic, which
Shall extend from the Sabine to the lsthmus OF
Darien: but forming part of the United states,
she would only weaken and distract this country,
without deriving any great advantages from the
conncxion.
Let our government enter into treaties OF
friendship and commerce with Texas-iet US pro-
tect her. so far as the laws Of nations permli-iet
our citizens and hers live In the mutual inter
change of the most friendly feelings; but, do not
risk the welfare of our people. and the Perpetuity
If our government-do not violate our constitu-
ton, and break our faith, by seeking any closer
coalition.
The foregoing, from the New Orleans Cosnmes>