The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-04-17

the most superficial observer Of national cha
racter. II has been conceded on all sides.
that nearly all the eminent men, eminent either
for good or evil, have had mothers 10 whose
training they owe that eminence The mo.
Their OF Washington is brilliant modern ex-
ample Of maternal influence, wisely and midi
ciously exerted, producing the most glorious
result. She pointed the son TO high aim:
she taught him that virtue and greatness are
synonymous; that moral courage is The soul
Of physical bravery; that Discrimination and
ialsehood are Incompatible with true great
ness. She had her reward; for her son
stands recorded on the historians page pre-
eminently good as great. In reading his life,
the hero, the warrior, the statesman and the
philosopher, are all combined in the good man
we love. The mothers Of several Of the
Roman Emperors, we are told, exercised I'M
bounded influence over their sons but they
were generally vicious women, and accord
ingly, their sons were great only in infamy.
Others were good SO far as the glimmerings
Of natural virtue could break through the
pagan gloom Of the age in which they lived,
and they taught their offspring to wade to
empire through seas of blood, content with the
result without regarding the means by which
il was accomplished means which generally
originated in treason and perfdy. 1t was re-
served for an American Christian mother to
form head for great nation, the lustre Of
whose name will live so long as our Republic
can States exist, broad shrine for the wor-
ship OF freedom. If then the greatest as well
as the brightest example of woman's forming
influence existed with us, in our own happy
land, why Is not the cultivation Of that power
as highly esteemed as il should be by our own
fair countrywomen In no country, perhaps,
in the world, where Christianity is taught, is
woman so little sensible of her vast powers
and influence as in the American States. The
reason of this is obviously because women
here are domestic in their habits beyond those
of other countries, and do not minge in public
assemhlages. AT the fire side is the strong
hold Of her power--there is that influence diff
fused and felt, while she who exercises it, is
totally unconscious Of the great momentum
towards good or evil, she is giving the growing
characters around her. Could they know that
upon them devolyed the responsibility of max
ing men virtuous or otherwise, how lightly
would they deem mere external decoration,
that only catches the eye and imagination of
the other sex, IN comparison to the cultivation
of mind, that controls and influences them 1t
has been said by an eminent author, that the
color Of nations morals is imbbed from its
women. If this be the case, Americans should
be less corrupt than all nations, for certainly
their women are as yet, more modest and rell-
gous than those Of any other country. Among
us, the marriage tie has ever been regarded
sacred, and society sternly irowns down ITS
violator. .".'
In other countries some females, with the
daring ambition that characterzes strong in
telects, when combined with undsciplined
passions, have avowed themselves intidels,
and striven to shine as stars in the hemisphere
Of metaphysical philosophy but where, in all
America, with an extraordinary exception, can
the traveller point to an atheist women; and
that exception has sunk too low even to attract
the finger OF scorn.