The Columbian fountain., 1846-02-28
THE COLUMBIAN FOUNTAIN.
SATURDAY MORNING, FEB %, is46.


Aoya communications left at Edmund f.
Browns Agency Office and Commission store,
street, near Treasury Department, will be
immediately forwarded TO US,
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR MECHANICS.
The Washington correspondent ofthe Balt'-
more Sun says that, sin the House of Repre-
sentatives, there are two blacksmilhs, tailor.
and many who were once pedlars. They are
not ashamed to own it neither. About thirty
have been printers"
If we are not misinformed, the Hon. Cave
.Johneon, Postmaster General of the On''ea
States, was once tailor; and our readers Wiii
recollect that the Hon. Ladok Pratt, ia'e IN
defatigable Representative from New York.
is also mechanic. That Franklin and Sher-
man. and many of the most distinguished men
our country produced, in days gone by, served
irregular 4 apprenticeship in some mechanical
profession, is portion Of history familiar TO
school boys. And that many respectable states
men, lawyers, clergymen, and literary men
now sharing largely the esteem OF their fellow
citizens, were once mechanics, should be
known, not BY the school boys alone, but BY
the fathers and mothers OF The present genera
ton.
Whence has arisen the false notions tha,
labor is disrepu,able, or why it prevails 50 ex-
tensively, we know not, unless il be atiributa7
BE to the arch-enemy Of mankind. The Son
Of God was not ashamed TO be called "the car
penter's son." why, then, should we blush 70
earn our daily bread by any description OF ho-
nest industry? II has been matter Of asto
nishment TO us, that mechanics themselves
should entertain This notion, and instil il into
the minds of their children. The father who has
earned competence by devotion 10 his work
shop, thinks that his own calling is not respec-
table enough for his son, and SO the hopeful
heir is made doctor, lawyer, or mer-
chants clerk, and in the course OF a few years
his cheeks sedden il any one whispers 10 the
circle where he visits, that his father was a
mechanic Young Misses, whose grand father
acquired ample means by commencing life as a
maker OF. yender of shoes almost faint al the
mention OF calf skin or morocco, and turn up
their aristocratic noses, at the accomplished
young lady over the way, whose father hap
pened 10 be carpenter or halter, before he
an,assed wealth. Away with this contempt
bic nonsense. In our country, at least, no dis
,inctions should be recognised which are not
based on intelligence and moral worth. He
desires 10 be slave who prostrates himself be-
fore the shrine of mammon, or worships the
false god OF responsibility.
Perhaps we have wandered a little Our ar
tcle has for its caption .'Encouragement for
Mechanics Our design is to call the atten-
ton Of this class of the community to the fact
that by industry, morality, and proper cult
walton Of their mental powers, mechanics may
aspire to almost any post of honor or profit in
the land. 1t is altogether mistake to suppose
that putting boys TO trade will prevent them
from, rising in the world. Ifthey have talent
which fits them for a higher station than
the work shop, it is impossible to prevent them
from reaching it, II they do not possess it, TO
place them in any of the learned professions
will only make them contemplate. A good
mechanic, nine times out of ten, stands bet
ter chance Of earning livelihood than the
majority of professional men. Hundreds of
clerks, lawyers, and doctors, are this moment
out Of lucrative employment, where scarcely
ti,he OF that number of good mechanics are
similarly situated. The mere clerk, or profes.
sional man, is fit for nothing else The intel
ligent mechanic may enter either Of these de
partments, if opportunity offers, if it does not,
his trade secures him living, provided he be
industrious and prudent Let parents consult
the true interests of their children, and listen
less 10 the suggestions of false and ruinous
pride, and we will see fewer young men de.
pending on their fathers for support, or re-
duced to the condition of common loafer. Let
mechanics themselves evince that they are not
ashamed Of their calling----let them cultivate
their minds, be industrious, moral, and tenn
perase, and they will command respect Who
SAYS il is disgraceful tolabor, disparages an ap-
poinsment Of the Almighty.
"Honor and shame from no condition rise,
Act we'll your part, THERE all true honor lies"
y.r ss .------~-~>-J~~-~-~~~~~S~~~~ et# q
sGooD.o--An old gentleman residing in
A 4