The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-12-13
OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY DECEMBER 49,



at least some descriptions of it. Where
il is weakness, it is much TO be pi,ied,
and generally leads to improperly. How
MANY honest men have been made scoun-
drels by the false pride of foolish wife,
and extravagant family! 1t is a COM
pound of ignorance. deception and eavy
and the world is full Of It. So long as il
operated upon individuals, alone. it was a
matter oftrillng consideration; but strange
as it may appear, lis influence strikes at
thevery root Of a virtuous and hourishing
community. Like incompetence it is as
suming the shape of national calamity,
and merits the serious reflection of every
reformer. Thousands who have gone
forth as armed knights upon a crusade
against manifest evils, have in themselves,
been slaves TO this insidious enemy
Seli-love may prompt man TO DO good
action, but false pride has never; il is in
compatible with its nature. In our own
country lis chief mischief consists in ma
king labor degradation-thus striking at
the very foundation of our prosperous
condition as people. There never was
an age, perhaps, where so much scheming
was resorted TO, 10 avoid hard work-no
period that could exhibi, so many Jerry
Diddlers, aboye stairs and below, or man
lest such wild spirit of speculation, as
the present. The rich man of to-day is
the Lazarus of tomorrow Fortunes are
staked upon the rise and fall of stocks, as
upon the cast d die. Cities ore created
by (raudulence! In the morning all eyes
are cast upon the master-spirit Of enter
prise, and the evening finds him a dis
graced man within the walls of prison.
Ingenuity itself is ihunderslruck at the
countless methods adopted to retain soft
hands. Why does this great disposition
SO extensively prevail! Certainly not
for the security of happiness, for it is
fruitful with poignant anXiely-not for
health, for it frequently cnerva.es and
destroys. Sir Walter Scott, think, says
that no man ought to want in this coun-
try, who can buy a hache, and fell tree
consequently, the remark being true, it
cannot be from necessity False pride
whispers, At is not genteel TO work.
How banefuly is this illustrated.
Does the successful merchant make his
son mechanic Very seldom. Does
the professional man make his son me-
chanic More seldom still. But does
not the more fortunate mechanic make his
son the guardian of cloths and caicoes
Why is this Is the yard stick more
honorable than the jack plane! the goose
quill more digniied than the type! but,
unfortunately, the absurdity runs further
Look back twenty or fifty years, and be-
hold the barefooted advenurer, at the pre-
sent time rolling in wealth, or spending
his annual income of some three thousand
dollars per annum in manufacturing ladies
of his daughters! Does he teach them
the usual rudments of housewiiery 2
Very rarely. Is it because the heal.hlul
exercise of domestic duties is disgraceful p!
Oh no ! False pride says, 1T would be
ungenteel for ladies' to work as if ii
would tarnish the fair hand and delicate
fingers that bring such sweet sounds from
the piano, to dust the gorgeous instrument
itself.
How extremely ridiculous is this ille-
climate pride! Thousands Of daughters,
whose mothers have been raised in
kitchen, and their fathers in horse sta.
be--would feel nsulted, if asked if they
had ever made loaf Of bread or washed
pocket handkerchief! They would
more likely prate about good society,
mixed company, and the dignity of their
ancestors A few years more roll round,
and the thrifty bu, imprudent parent dies,
and then comes the scramble for some ten
or twelve divisions Of his hard earned es-
tate. How small does a large fortune APP
pear when apportoned to numerous heirs.
The daughters must OF course marry gen.
temen, for pride dictates it, and the gen.
temen. of course, must squander their
patrimony. And what has The parent be-
quea,hed to society and his country
Children raised in idleness without, The
s,imulant to add one ioia to the general
substantial prosperity of the community.
Can there be doubt but, what honest
labor is becoming every day more and
more s,igmatized9 Aud what follows
A grovelling imitation from the cellar TO
the garrett spiri! Of extravaganza in al
classes 10 indulge in which The most un.
prlncipled means are resorted to lie, it
proceed with the same rapid march tina,
il has commenced, and it will be stigma
to earn your dread by the swea, Of your
brow Infect the countryside farmer
with the same poison that flows through
our larger cities, and YOU make the coun-