Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-03-22

BUSINESS observation-disclosures not a more des
picable abroad in the present ge of the world
than that the character of man depends upon his
occupation The ideas of society have become
strangely perverted and false notions are entertain
ed oftrue worth and responsibility. The aristocra-
cy of fashion has banefu influence upon the social
happiness of communities, and upon the morals of
our country. Thousands are daily led by the glare
OF show and parade TO embrace erroneous ideas Of
character and of honor There is vulgar and
most pernlcious feeling abroad in community, cal
culated to prejudice the public mind against many
of the honorable pursuits of life. The man who
holds the plow or lives by mechanical industry,
and who provides for the support of family by the
labor of his hands, is looked upon with less esteem
by aristocratic knaves and fools, than he who mea
sures tape behind counter, or who attempts to ex
pound the law at the bar. Labor is regarded by
certain class of individuals matter of necesstv
and suited only to those whose fortune in life has
not placed them beyond the necessity to work.
This is which cannot be too summarily dis.
carded, or treated with too much severity The
man who despises work, should be himself despised
by every virtuous citizen.
The popular errors of the day with regard to bu
sness occupations, have pernicious influence upon
the rising generation. Fathers who desire to rem
der their sons respectable in life, fancy that they
must educate them for mercantile pursuits, or some
OF the learned professions. Mothers seem to sup
pose it to be degrading their daughters that they
should learn to spin, weave or engage in the do
mestic concerns of the kitchen; and they stare at
the idea of marrying their daughters to an industri
Gus mechanic Many mother is silly enough to
believe, that her family would be lasngly disgraced
were her daughter to marry carpenter, black
smith, brick layer. But are these occupations
less respectable than shaving notes. mystifyng the
law, and peddling tapes and ribbonsl Whatever
may be the opinion those superficial minds, which
captivated by external show, with the candid
and rejecting there can be no misaking the side
of merit.
There are in almost every community set
miserable upstarts who themselves mostly low
bred and falsely educated-these individuals en-
deavor to establish artificial distinctions in society,
with the view of elevatng themselves above the
common mass around them. In many instances
this class of persons of obscure origin and be-
gan life in ditch; but by some freak of fortune or
knavery, they have been enabled to eschew work
and now seel to acquire reputation in those cir
cles OF society, where intrinsic worth and moral
honesty are never appreciated. Honest labor is
honorable and alike commendible whether per-
formed by king or beggar. likeness is dishon-
orable and is reprehensible whether INDUCED by
rich or poor. 1t is true that all mankind are not fit
ted by habit taste to pursue the same avocotions
there natural divisions to labor but these d.
visions should by no means be suffered to create
distinctions in society. The different departments
OF labor are admirably calculated to accommodate
the various and habits of mankind and to fit
all tor the duties which devolve upon them as men,
bers of society. But to say that because a man
engages in pursuit however humble through ne
cessity, degrades or renders him less meritorious
than his neighbour who pursues what the world cali
a genteel vocation, is ridiculous in the extreme
The occupation which a man follows does not
ennoble him or render him superior to others but
it is the attention and industry with which a man
pursues his vocation, which entities him to the es-
TEEN of the people. Fools may attempt to found
distinctions in point of character, with respect to
occupations which are alike honest; but men Of
sense VIII recognize no SuCH pTnclplc as the crle-
ron by which to Judge of true merit. No man can
deny but that labour is held in less esteem than in
the days of orefathers. In those days the hands
of no female were deemed too delicate to be applied
to the domestic affairs of the kitchen, and to some
useful employment The happy result of their re-
publican habits, stayed the tide of extravaganza
there were fewer bankrupt husbands, fewer knaves,
and more good wives and mothers. If then we
would repress the progress of degeneracy, let the
idler and the strutting dandy, be regarded as a
plague upon society," and let the rising generation,
be taught to shun such, as they would pestilental
carcass. Let the female whose fingers too
pretty to handle pots and kettles, be Stunned by
every virtuous young man-let such enjoy the bles-
sings of celibacy, and like the stale flower that at
tracts the admirer of nature, but blooms unmo-
Tested withers and fades away, unregretted-so
let be with her who despises work.