Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-12-09
THE GENTLEMAN.
IN Ov,
all this /?

True gentlemen are to be found i'm every
grade of society. The ploughman, with his
broad sun burnt hand, his homely dress, and
his open honest countenance,is oftener found
to be possessed of the real attributes of gen.
tleman, than the enervated man n.illiner, who
Is much more careful of his gloves than of his
honor; whose shirt bosom must be as pure
as the driven snow; and who, if one curl of
his glossy wool were displaced, would be
thrown into strong commissions. The blood
which flows in rich and generous stream
through the heart of Russian ser(, is as pure
In the eyes of God, as the life current which
eddies round the princely fountain of the
highest of Eugland's noblemen 1t is false,
illiberal idea, that, because u man cannot claim
alliance with the proud and wealthy, his name
should be striker from the list of gentlemen
Which class, from time immemorial, has shed
honor and glory on the earth-the proud "a
ristocrat or the poor peasant? Whose names
arc enrolled i'll the dazzling pages of history
the gentleman of fashion, or the gentleman
ofnature? Whose voices are most heard, and
to most effect, throughout the world? Why,
those men born in poverty, but clothed by
truth with the jewelled robe of honor. Does
the mere fact of a mans being able to make
bow with scrupulous eXactness, constitute him
gentleman Shall the children of one mo-
Their be divided, because one portion arc Gift
ed with gracclulness of action and coxcombry
oil demeanor, while the others will not stoop
to crnge at flattery's iawn, or waste the hours
given them by Heaven to improve, in the use
less study of the puerilc forms Of fashion p
Oh, how glad it maks ones heart, to see the
painted lizards" trodden under foot by the
gentlemen OF nature! to see them shrink away
l,n, Nt, x~El
they may be callcdupoh to acknowledge their
own inferority.
! Who is the gentleman? He who can boast
OF q name, upon which dshonor has never
thrown its leprous poison. He who can lie
down OH his pillow at night knowing that he
has done his neighbor no injury; whose heart
is never closed to pity, and whose arm is al
ways nerved 10 redress the injuries of the op-
pressed. Who smiles not at misfortune. and
who mocks not the allliction of his fellows.
lie who looks upon all men as equals, and
who fears not to stand even in the presence
OF King. The man who lis guided by NOR
al honor. and not obliged to have laws made
for his observance. He who has true De-
mocracy IN his soul-who desires and gves
to every man the enjoyment of his own o.
plmotls, provided those opinions do not in.
fringe the DEGREES ofJustice in its most rigid
sense. Such man, and only such a one,
should dare lay claim to the'proud appela-
ton of gentleman" no matter whether he is
worth thousands or whether he is all every
day laborer. Thank heaven, we are i'm a
country where the field of honor and renown
is open to all. The lowest freeman in the
land Is in part the governor of its proudest
officer. He who tills the earth, walks erect
in the proud dignity of natural right, knowing
that he cannot be oppressed while he respects
himself. There is no distinction of classes
here by government-the blacksmith and the
senator--the shoemaker and the President,
all hail each other as "gentlemen"