Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-04-08
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
THE CHILDREN OF THE RICH
AND POOR.


AND POOR.
We sometimes hear parents regret their
inability to beqncath to their cherished of
spring, the means of abundant indcpcn-
dence. Indeed, if we look through society,
we shall not fail 10 discover hundreds, who
toll iiom day to day and from year 10 year,
not for the means Of immediate nd"prn-
denc' not becat Sc they a?pr h"nd poverty
but from desire to accumulate large Tor
tunes, and to leave behind them immense cs-
tatcs. And yet, the experience of all times
shows that in four cases out of five, the chill
dlcn Of tie poor man, or at least OF the
citizen in moderate circumstances, are more
likely TO live uprightly and to enjoy fair
portion of earthly happiness, than those of
nlan is taught TO depend upon his own efforts.
| lie knows that on arriving AT tlic age OF 81,
he will be compelled to enter the arena Of IA
world where money is the Chief ollcct of the
mnllludc-ihat unless he possesses industry,
energy and ACTIVITY, his chance Of indepcn-
dence will be exceedingly mcacrc. Thus
he fits himself at least for trials and vcssi-
tudcs of life. lie enters INTO competition
with his truw-mcn with stout heart aud
keen spirit, determined if possible. to win
his way to something like fortune. He un-
dcrsands some business, and therefore tho
means of employing his time. lie feels
ila, reputation is all essential to his success
and he therefore controls lis passions, res
poets the laws, and cndcavors to act with
propririv. lie is bound not only by s.lt-in-
81, AZ
man, To pursue a course which shall win for
him, not only ticAscem of his tcllow-crca-
lures, but Il due degree of contentment and
earthly happiness
But how is it with the rich mans son p
lie soon ascrrtans the wealth of his parents,
and his probable condition of pecuniary in
dependence arising ont of that wealth. The
incentive to industry is at once taken away.
He perhaps thinks that he may defy tie
world, inasnuch as his expected fortune will
place him beyond the necessity of industry.
Habits Of id cness and extravaganza are thus
formed aud at the dcccasc of the parent.
and the possession of the toriunc-h"w fire.
qucmly docs it happen that "A race of gaiciy,
fashion and proiligacy commences, Which is
not checked, un,i! the misguided and missed
uca,cd finds himself plunged in all the lior-
rors Of dissipation, with neither the mental
nor the moral energy to rctracr his footsteps.
t The rich fathers, we contend, do not educate
p their children, cXccp, in rare instances, I'M
der Il system to suit them for the possession
and management OF wealth. 1t seems to us,
c that this is indeed tie most difficult task that
f could be imposed upon parent. The most
advisable mode we will not attempt to de-
$ scribe. The position of "A parcn, possessing
S an immense fortune, with boys on whom he
4 dotcs with all fathers fondncss, and the
C consciousness at the same time, that his sons
are not suited TO the management of money,
n and their possession of it is as likely to lead
t to their ruin as any thing else, is one indeed
pregnant with difficulty.
III Look through the community of Phila-
dclphia at the present time, and our mean
2 ing will be fully illustrated. How many Of
:. the poor men OF the present day, the bauk-
h rupls, the exhausted spcndtlrills, the dissouio
\ and the objects of sympalhy-arc the same
: sons Of the rich Of former times? How
= few on the other hand, of the rich men of the
> present day, became 50 by the estates lief
/, them by their fathers On the contrary
property is constantly changing hands in hi.
v country rich and the idle become poor
II while the children of the honest, the indus
;, trious and the entcrprising, take their place.
d in the ranks of wealth. Who were on
c Ridgways and Girards in early life! Thus
e then, we argue, that altho' it may sometime
IS he source of anxiety that we cannot leave
is our children abundance of wcalih-lhc hab
e its of industry, activity, perseverance ant
| mn "a Hall, L.. Al,
>, happier, better, wiser, and in the end NOR,
st prosperous than if they Lad been brough
S. up to the use of purple and fine linen, horsc
Y. and costly vehicles. gay society and exlrav
ID agant expectations.