The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-09-07
CORRESPONDENCE.
LETTERS OF A CONyALEsCENT.
No. TX.

THE WHITE SULPHUR AGAN-NorIcEs OF CHARACTER
pERNIclous EFFECTS OF MoNsY-souTHRoNs.
We promised to say something more OF the
White Sulphur. We returned TO that watering
| place in August found large increase of COM
| pany; obtained better cabin, met fewer aeas heard
better music, saw more acquaintances, and ate more
satisfactory dinners. might hazard remark or two
| upon the vices and gross immorates Of the place,
but as they are kept in decent privacy, iorbear.
| On the whole, malgre several annoyances and many
absurdites, "a obliged 10 confess that there are
few watering places In the country SO agreeable.
There Is an interesting grouping of character not
often Witnessed. Here are South Carolina rice
Observation-Disclosures cotton growers-New Ofleans
bankers-western specnators-EasteIn Shore to-
| bacco dealers--retred merchants from the North
Mississippi lawyers-naval and army officers
! Clergymen Editors-young gentle
| men without guardians old ones with nurses and
bachelors with servants---fortune hunters OF both
sexes--lit,e intelligence considerable wealth, lots
OF negroes, horses and dogs, and "sprinklin" Of
| loafers and gamblers.
In this community as in most others in our coun-
try, the most conspicuous and the most pretentions
persons are those who fancy themselves the richest,
and those who know they have no money Of their
own at all, nor virtue enough to deserve any. One
difference between them is that one Is distinguished
BY his vile gold and silver and the other by his vile
earth and brass. Neither can tell the meaning of
thought; yet is proud and the other impairment
The man Of wealth has one advantage---he knows
how to make bargains; and that is just sufficient
to. distinguish him from brute.
The Persians were scarcely more devoted wor-
shippers Of the sum- than Americans seem to be OF
Mammon Midas turned every thing he touched 10
gold; but Mammon turns his followers to asses
The entire moral, political and social condition Of
the country is degraded and corrupted by this de-
basing devotion. 1t has not only disgraced Office,
but 1t has even assaulted the virtues domestic life
made beauty the merest pander, and turned good
ness, sensbly, intelligence and sincerity out
Of doors.
Wide wasting pest that rages unconfn'd,
And crowds with crimes the records Of mankind
For gold his sword the hireling ruffan draws;
For gold the hlreling Judge distorts the laws
Wealth heap'd on wealth, truth safety buys
The dangers gather as the treasures RISE"
You see gentleman, for fashion {" calls gentle
man whom she has made fool" swelling sig
nifcant and bulge" in all the pomp and circum-
stance which jewellery broad cloth and livery can
practically bestow, with daughter dressed TO
match, on each arm. They are reputed wealthy,
and no sooner make their appearance in The public
walk than they are beset by half dozen young
gentlemen" with their elbows thrust at the ladies,
resolved to relieve the opulen gentleman OF his ten
der charges. The most odoriferous and impudent,
Of course, succeed, and thus the pairs strut away
treating each other delectable conversation upon
various interesting topics, such epidemic throas
cataarhs, rheums, coughs, phthiscs, dances, firta-
lions, weather and sulphur water. The parent joins
/ coerie under one of the oaks, bowling and grin
ming with starchness of neck and complacency
Of mouth worthy of his immense dignity and i'm.
portance There are some gentlemen "in that
crowd" Of talent and mental accomplishment and
Two Of them are holding an interesting dialogue
upon some point of moral philosophy, which is
about as Ineligible to that rich fellow, flutes
and sof recorders" to turkey buzzard Some one
incidentally mentioned the Natural Bridge, where
upon the man of notes and stocks, broke forth in
spirit OF learned inquiry, PRAY sir tell me, is the
Natural Bridge built OF stone or OF wood2n and de-
parted, perfectly satisfied with quzical answer 10
refresh himself with sulphur water Nevertheless,
that fellow and his family are conspicuous in So
ciety as any body else. His money more than COM
pensates for his deficiency Of mind in the estimation
oftwothirds of the people he meets us he rich ~
Is she rich y are the first and most important ques-
lions raised by half OF both sexes, when a
strangers standing is 10 be settled. Property is the
first topic inquiry; mental and moral worth the last
But property is fuctuating, and the calculations
about it are deceptive and always exaggerated II
both sexes are TO become fortune hunters In their
intercourse with each other, old maids and old