Litchfield enquirer., 1840-10-29
MR, wrpsrrn's ADDRESS TO THE 1900 LADIES


 LADIES: lam very sure I owe the pleasure now enjoy to your kind disposition, which has given me the opportunity to present my thanks and my respects to you thus collect lively, since the shortness of my stay in the city does not allow me the happiness of cal ling upon you severally and Individuality And, in the first place, wish to express to you my deep and hearty thanks, as have endeavorcd 10 do to your fathers, your hus- bands, and your brothers, for the unbounded hospitality have received ever since came among you. It is registered, l assure you, on grateful heart in characters of an endu- ring nature. The rough contests of the poli- tical world arc not suited to the dignity and stotthe delicacy of your sex: but you possess the intelligence to know that much oflhat hap piness which you are entitled to hope for, both for yourselves and for your children, de- pends on the right administration of good government, and proper tone of public morals That is a subject on which the moral perceptions of woman arc both quick er and juster than those of the other sex. l do not now speak of that administration of government whose object is merely the pro- lection of industry, the preservation of civil liberty and the securing to enterprise its due reward. speak of government in some- what higher point of view. We live in an age distinguished for great benevolent exer- ton, in which the affiuent are consecrating the means they possess by endowing colle- ges and academies, by uniting to build churches and support the cause of religion, and establishing Atheneums, Lyceums, and all the other modes of popular instructlon.- This is all well it is admirable; 1t augurs we'll for the prospect of ensuing generations But have sometimes thought that there IS q point of view in which government IS to be considered-I mean in it's power and it's duty, 10 augment the morals of the community, and to inspire it with just sentiments of religion, which is too often overlooked. A popular government is more powerful than any other influence land have sometimes feared than all other influences put toge:her) Tn its ac- ton on the morals of the community for good or for evil. It's example, it's tone, whether of respect or of disrespect to moral obligation, is most important to human nap piness; because it is among those things which most affect the political morals of mankind, and hence their general morals also. I advert to this, because there has been put forth in modern times the false max. i'm that there is one morality for politics and another morality for other things; that in their political conduct to their opponents, men may say and do that which they would never think of saying or doing in the person. al relations of private life. There has been openly announced maxim which consider us the very concrete of false morality, which declares that call is fair in politics." If man speaks falsely or calumniously of his neighbor, and is reproached for the offence, the ready excuse is this, it was in relation to public and political matters-I cherished no personal ill-will whatever against that indi- vidual, but quite the contrary spoke ot my adversary merely as political man. In my opinion, the day is coming when false- hood will stand for falsehood, and calumny 1 will be treated as a breach of the command 1 ment, whether it be committed politically or in the concerns of private life. It is by the promulgation of sound morals in the commit nifty, and more especially by the training and instruction of the young that woman performs her part towards the preservation l of a free government. It is now generally admitted that public liberty, the perpetuity 1 of free constitution, rests on the virtue and | intelligence of the community which enjoys it. How is that virtue to be inspired? and how is that intelligence to be communicated! ! Bonaparte once asked Madame De Stael in what manner he could most promote the hap piness of France. Her reply is full of polit- cal wisdom. She said, "instruct the mothers of the French people :" Because the mothers are the affeclionate and the effective teach CTS of the human race.
 The mother begins this process of training with the infant in her arms. It is she who directs so to speak its first mental and spirit ual pulsations. She conducts it along the impossible years of childhood and youth and hopes 10 deliver it to the rough contests and tumultuous scenes of life, armed by those good principles which her child has first received from maternal care and love.
 If we draw within the circle of our con- temptation the mothers of a civilized nation, what do we see? We behold SO many arti ticers working, not on frail and perishable matter, but on the immortal mind, moulding and fashioning beings who are to exist for ever. We applaud the artist whose skill and genius present the mimic man upon the canvass--we admire and celebrate the sculp- tor who works out that same image in endu- ring marble-but how insignificant are these achievements, though the highest and the fairest in all the departments of art, in com. parison with the great vocation of human mothers! They work not upon the canvass ahat shall fail, or the marble that shall crum- bic into dust-but upon mind, upon spirit, which is 10 last forever, and which is to bear, for good of for evil, throughout its duration, the impress off mothers plastic hand.
 \ have already expressed the opinion, which all allow to be correct. that our secu- rity for the duration of the free institutions which bless our country, depends upon the shabits of virtue and the prevalence of knowl- edge and of education, Knowledge does not comprise all which is contained tn the larger term of education. The feelings are to be disciplined--the passions are to be re- strained-true and worthy motives are to be inspired-a profound religious feeling is to be instilled, and pure morality inculcated under all circumstances. All this is compri- oA sva Ols ,k.>n f.a ;AhA .al