The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-02-14
CHANGES IN OUR HABITS.

Much has been written by those who carefully
aud an1iously observe the face of society, touch
ing the departure Of our people from the rules
of simplicity which characterized tho founders
of our institutions, and for tue purpose of re-
s,raining, as much as possible the spirit of in
noyation aud love Of novelty which have of
late so generally prevailed yet it would seem
that all that has been renned has been of little
avail; advice has been treated as gratuitous gifts
are too apt to be, and it was left tor our people
to gain wit by dear purchase rhe experience
Of The past year has indeed been costly. yet ii is
hoped that the result Of the extravaganza in
which the country has heen indnging, shall be
10 deter our people from a similar reck less
course in the future We are by no means up.
poncntS Of impro, tments, ~hen they are called
for by tile necessities Of The case nor Of luxury
itself, when the result of gradual and unforced
revolutions in the customs Of people: but we
DO think that the innovations which have been,
Of late yeurs, made in the habits Of social utter
course and dress Of the Inhabitants of our re,
public, have been entirely too much the cunse,
1uences of a spirit Of servile imitation orfregu
examples. that has slezed upon The people We
hinted. on former occasion, our fears that the
Intercourse-the more aud nlure intimate inter
course-between our population and that of ar
islucratic Europe, tended amazingly to foster
love Of luxury aud foolish show. and to poison,
as natural consequence, those feelings of sim
plicity which the rest Of the world expected,
and had indeed, risht to expect us to practice
through ali coming lines. By mixing so fire..
1uentIy with the soristy ofEngIand aud france.
Americans have become fond of the customs
which prevail there, and have introduced them
at home, where the ability 10 support equal ex-
travagance does not exist. This is one wav in
which we may partly account for the changes
which have marked our history: nor do we men
ton it as losing sight Of other callscs, such as
the natural influences of emigration, CONNER.
cial over, action, &c.
But thes spirit OF extravaganza Of which we
have been speaking, has not been confined tc
private habits, but has shown its Footprint in the
paths Of public and official life. II may be ira
ce1 in the habits Of those who administer thu
functions of The general and state governments
] in the salaries they receive, and the kind Of ap,
pliahces and apartments they use. srik,
| ing instance in point, of which we have beer
recently reminded by seeing il alluded 10 an ex,
change paper, iS the contrast between the chai
at present occupied by theSpcaker ofthe Hous
of Representatives and that in which the pre-
sident Of the Continental Congress sat, Th,
latter, in which the presiding officer was sealet
at the time Of the signing of that immortal in
strument, the Declaration ofindependence;co cos
the sum of five dollars, whereas il iswel
known that the former required an expenditur,
Of no less sum than two thousand one hund
red and fifty dollars. This single fact speaks
voIumns in proof Of the sentiment that our hal
its, public and private, have woefully changed
A not much more costly than that Of the Con.
tnentai Congress, was used by Washington a
bis inauguration as President of the United s
It remains to this day in the conncil chamber q
New York, if we mistake not unrepared, as a,
almost worShipped relic, and is gazed at in il
tattered dress by thousands. The torn coVerin
appears to detract nothing from its venerable
ness and effect upon the bshoIder-nay, seem
to heithen it, giving the best proof Of its iden
tlty. Baltimore Snn.