Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-09-25

In republic in the world, perhaps, is there
more latent arisocracy than in ours. The revolu-
tim, while it rendered us Independent nation,
did not like the French Revolution of $50, work a,
ny damage in our social system. We only ruled
ourselves instead of being ruled by Others. The
reform was purely POLITICAL and thouh the sense of
the people would not endure swords hoops and
court dresses at the Presidents levees it did not
interfere with the private pomp, aristocracy pre-
tentions of any one. And the social system, to
this day, remains unatered, for although time per-
haps has somewhat modified it, in every important
particular it remains il was before the Revolu
,ion. Especially is this Perceptibe in cities.
The same Difference for rank, the same notions of
cxcusveness, the idea of gentility and aristo-
much as they to be ped in our ancestors of
the colonial times. Education and talents are no.
thing wealth or fashion is every thing A man
may be as learned as Newton, as phian,hrophic as
Howard, courteous and refined as Bayard, and
yet he is ruigar, but if he is great fool as Tit
mouse and rides in gilded coach he is the very
pink Of gentliy.
This ridiculous affection of superiority un-
known to laws and in violation of common
ITSELF is stkingly pcrceptibc in the desire of
parents to make their sons lawyer or physicians.
The veriest Ounce can thus, it is supposed be
white-washed into gentleman. Because the En-
glish aristacracy for matter of some centu-
res has reserved the law for its younger sons and
because no man could be admitted student at Lin
coils Inn unless he quarlered the arms of q gentle
man. il has come to be the fashion fersooth i'm our
republican country TO give young men years
probation in a lawyers office. Honest traders
are deserted because they arc-to use the cant
| phrase-putgar; and every youngsteI who wishes
TO be exclusive, and do the genteei studies the law
10 matter how untitled his talents may be for that
peculiarly difficult profession. He is perhaps the
Of some vain fashionable mother, and Of q IA.
ther who has accumulated little wealth by honora
BILE industry. The wife loves display apes her ri.
cher neighbors, and is forever struggling to get
within the charmed circle of the exclusives but a.
las her husband has been jobber or perhaps a
mechanic, and the wives of lawyers, and gentlemen
of leisure sneer at her and her pretensions. No.
thing will therefore do but that Johnny shall be =
lawer, and learn 10 despise his father a vulgar
common tradesman. And SO the darling is brought
up; and at twenty-one takes his this at the bar,
and ih,n walks Chesnut street with perfumed curl.
and whiskers and turns up his nose if an homes,
mechanic jos,Ies him, or a aborer comes betwixt
the wind aud his nobility.
IL 4 4
generally speaking it is, although such instances are
by no means rare. 1t illustrates however our posi-
tion-hat the bar is resorlcd TO because 1t Is con-
sdered more geniee than a trade, even COM
mcrce. Hundreds study this profession yearly who
ought rather to be driving the plane, guiding the
plough, or selling cambrics. Untitled by their Ia
len,s character or education for the law, they live
drones if wealthy, and strase if poor.
This evil is widespread our country. In the
west, at the south, in New England, aud among
ourselves, the law is crowded with members as to
render competence in il almost impossible.
New York city has seven hundred lawyers,
and Philadelphia almost as many. We might
name dozen OF country towns with populations
little over two thousand piece, that contain from
twenty to thirty lawyers; and of these, nine out OF
ten barely scrape together piliful subsistence els
ing only tithe of their number to accumulate for
tunes. How different the life of a mechanic
When do our young merchants find themselves in
want of daily bread Nine-tenhs Of those who
embark in commerce.. or work at a trade, can with
prudence. not only earn livelihood, but lay up
competence for old age.
We deem il the duty of every honest press to
combat this evil. For part, deSpise the
whole cant about the genlility Of profession. That
man who makes the citizens, whose labor yields the
most 10 the community, or whose principles come
nearest to those of the good man of the Bible, is
the most honorable. The farmer who sows his
seed, and the builder who erects his house, the
uadesman who supplies wants, and the iaborer
who works for our hire, just as honest and as
honorable, the professional man VINO lives by his
intellect alone, the wealthy capitalist who sub
ssis on the interest of his funds. We are all Gods
ceatures. lie may give one man talent, and ano.
ther strength and another fortune, but artificial dis
tnclions are as stench in his nosrils." 1t is not
money, nor profession that makes the honest
citizen.
"The rank is but the guinea stamp,
The mans the gold for a that"
We have long made up our minds on this point
We have satisfied ourselves that all really good and
great men despss these pitifuI distinctions of proes
sion; and for the opinion of others we care not
Our sons shall not bow down 10 this Bacon. We
will endeaver to make them good members of soci-