Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-08-23
MORAL REFORM.
From the Advocate ofMoral Reform.
EXTRACTS

EXTRACTS
From an Address delivered before the
F. NJ, r. S. Of Lockport, By Req. S.
S. Smith.
Unjust distinction between the Sexes.
The discriminating English writer.
Dymond, in his mastery production on
the principles of morality, Wom-
en- themselves greatly contribute to the
common levity and its attendant mischiefs.
Many a female who talks in language of
adherence of an offending sister, and
averts her eye in contumely if she meets
her In the streets, is perfectly willing to
be the friend and intimate of the equally
offending man. That such women are
themselves duped by the vulgar distinc-
tion, is not to be doubted but, then, we
are not to imagine that she who practices
this Inconsistency abhors the crime so
much as the criminal. Her adherence
Is directed, not SO much to the oiolation of
the moral la ", as to One of the parties by
whom it is violated To little respect
has that woman claim, on the score of
modesty, though her Rpuration be white
as the driven snow, who smiles on the
libertine, while she spurns the victims of
his lawless appetites. No, no; if such
women would convince us that it is the
improperly which they reprobate, let
them reprobate it wherever it is found
If they would convince US that morals or
philanthropy is their motive, when thew
spurn the SHINING sister, let them give
proof by sPurnlng him 'ohO has Oeeasiomed
her to sim"
Although the moral law knows no dis
tinction between male and female trans
gressors, yet undoubtedly in the sight Of
God, Iicentious men are far more criminal
than licentious men; and consequently
ought to be esteemed and treated so BY
virtuous community They are more
criminal, because, under God, they govern
and control the des.inies of society; they
are divinely appointed the lords of this
lower creation, and the temporal interests
of the race are intrusted to them. They
are the Image and glory of God," and
if they pursue, and entice others to the
pursuit of practices which are utterly sub
verslve of all the laws of our social be-
ing, are they not more criminal than the
enticed and deceived females who are but
the "glory of man2' Man is more d.
rectly responsible to God for the preserva-
ton of those laws which are necessary
for the Temporal well-being of the race,
than woman can be; and consequently
when he leads on in any course of rebell-
ion against these laws, he is the principal
criminal in the sight of holy God, who
ever may be the participants in his crime.
And there is no one sin prohibited in the
decalogue, more destructive of the order
and even the very existence of society,
than is that of RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1t directly
tends to blot out the marriage covenant
to break up the family relation-to sub
vert social order-to convert man into
beast, and earth into the very suburbs of
hell, by the universal Introduction of ieal-
o2sy, hatred, and wrath into the human
breast: Supposing society was but one
great brothel, and all its members lived in
promlscuous concubinage where would
be your social affections? where your fam
lily lines where your entail of property2
here even a sin gle restfge of virtue or
morality2 The objector may smile ata
supposltion SO extensive, so appalling, and
say, there 10 no danger of all this. But
why is there not? Every libertine on
earth labors TO the extent of his ability to
have it thus; and nothing would better
suit his depraved soul than this universal
reign of pollution. In his more reflect
i've moments, he might condemn this in
the abstract, yet, does he not labor directly
to bring it about! Does he not oppose
strenuous Y every effort for moral reform
alton? Does he not diligently dissent
nate his Icentious doctrines both by pre-
cept and example? Does he not labor to
keep the Iicentious still in their pollution;
as also, to increase the number of deprav-
ed femaIes2 And would he not even take
the beardess youth, and if possible out Of
the very bosom of the church, and lead
him 1.-The way to hell, going down TO the
chambers Of death2" What more could
&c do, if it were his solemnly proclaimed
purpose to bring in the reign of universal
RIGHTEOUSNESS, than he now does2 And
yet he is patricia friend of humanity
a gentlemGn-a LADIES MAN-with soul
as treacherous as demons, and heart
as putrid as the grave!
The Libertine more guilty than his VictiH'
ct cannot be denied that the treachery
Of man, belraying the interests OF confd-
ing and defenceless woman, is one OF the
principal causes which furnish the VIC
tins of RIGHTEOUSNESS. Few, very few,
SO far as can be ascertained, have sought
their wretched calling. The most of
them have been betrayed by the perfidity
of a pretended friend and when robbed
and despoiled, they have been abandoned
to their tate. Tales might be told of deep
laid schemes of treachery against female
innocence, that would make the ear to
Jingle and man to blush for the perfidhy