, 1840-11-21
From the Neu York OlIre Leaf.
FEMALE INFLUENCE.

Poets and sages have again and again. in
lively members and grave essays. accorded
TO female influence and all controlling pow
er in society. and we believe ii is now a
conceded point that woman. in her physical
weakness. does more than man IN regulating
and giving tone 10 the moral sentiments of
mankind. What 4 vast responsibility then
must rest on the females of a nation. If the
customs of social life depend upon them for
their heaIthful influence and v~irtuous tenden-
CIV! If they possess this influence, the re-
sponSibility cannot be shaken of, and we
shall take the liberty of looking TO the fe-
males of our land for the exercise OF II IN be-
half of n cause intimately connected with
the best interests OF society. The destruc-
tive custom of drinking intoxicating liquors,
has prevailed for many years Throughout: our
country; all classes nave followed il, and the
suffering and misery. wretchedness and want,
ruin of body and soul. which has resulted
from this vice. is in amount far beyond the
power of language 10 convey. To the ie-
males of our land we appeal for an and IN
our efforts to destroy this rulnous custom.
In the parental relation, they are peculiar
" fitted 10 advocate temperance principles
in the domestic circle, where the endear,
ments of affection give weight TO maternal
influence. The moral character is formed in
childhood chiefly from the instructions re.
ceived from the mother. Constantly IN the
society and under her charge from earliest in
fancy. the child learns TO look to her alone
for direction, advice and assistance; and the
watchfulness and care, the unceaslng ankle
ty to relieve every want and To avert every
danger, creates in the child an unlimited
confidence in the propricty of all that she
saws or does.
Impressions made in childhood from the
teachings of the mother are more lasting
than any of after years; her admonitionsllng'
err around the heart embodied in the attec'
tions and remain in all their force while the
pulsations O flife continue. The impressions
made in childhood are truly adamantIne m
their natures; for at the close Of a long and
e~ventful life, when age has impaired every
other faculty Of the mind, recollection viii
be busy over early scenes and early lessons
while the great and important changes IN the
troubled career of its active stages are faded
and gone, without leaving a trace on The
memory.
To the mother we say, you are deeply IN
terested in the welfare of yeur children; yor
toll for their comfort while you live, and yol
leave your possession to them when you die
To eniov their society, to make them re
spected in the world, and above all t.
make them happy, is your chief DESIRE
Then to avoid the ruin OF your hopes, b
careful to inculcate on their minds th'
s~trictest principles Of temperance and virtue
for it is from the youth Of our land that re
cruits are taken to fill up the broken ranks il
the army ofdrunkards. The many thousand
who annually 90 down to a drunkard's grave
were once temperate, and once young an
once innocent.
Possessing the power to influence the for
ming characters Of your children, that the.
may grow up indoctrinated with the Pur'