The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-12-09
For the Spirit Of Democracy.
Mothers. ~ pr et'r

they should 60. Ihls essay IS address
ed especially 10 mothers, because it is
they who bend the ,wig Just as the tree
is inclined. They teach the liltle pralIine
ones, either that soul saving, Heaven
taught principle OF self denial, or that
every ape,ile should be gea,ifed to the
utmost extent of lis cravings. Dear
mother, in what way do you wish your
children logo? lfyou desire a peculiar
distinction for them you should teach
them by examples as well as precept,
you should enter the altle.6eld of mat.
rimony determined to conquer your
husband or die. You should oppose
every plan which he adopts for a iveli-
hood, condemn every rule he makes for
the government Of his family, speak Of
him as Il cruel tyranical father, and a
very unkind husband. You should be
EXTREMITY jealous Of him, and refuse TO
believe it possible for your children to
do wrong. And if the father attempts
to correct them, fly to their rescue with
a courage that would pluck the !aurels
Of war from the brow ut Bellona, and
make her ashamed of all her proves.
This is the course you should pursue if
you wish 10 dignity your children with
place in one Of the State houses, or.
the more elevated position upon the
gallows. But on The other hand. dear
mother, if you should be Of differ.
ent taste, never let your children hear
you speak u harsh word, never let them
hear you con,ending with your hus-
band in angry disputallon. Teach
them to be obedient to you, by being at
least respectful to him. You should
not quarrel with your children, but al
ways speak kindly to them; even i!
your language be that ofreprooE New
er ask them to do an unreasonable
thing, or make an unreasonable reques,
Of them; but when you bid them do a
thing, let it be understood that the sin
gle bidding must be obeyed. Tell them
not the second time; you had better
suffer the disobedience, than to learn
them 10 wait for. "A second command.
Kind mother, you had better correct
your children, and learn them to obey,
than TO wait for The laws Of the coun.
try to do ii Tor ou. When the moth
er of the immortal Washington was
asked how she managed 10 train up SO
good man, she replied, that she first
taught him TO obey her. This lesson,
know, would be useful to many.
Then, teach your children to obey you,
and then they may be taught to obey
their maker. When this is done, they
are trained up in the way they should
60.
Should your child be grali6ed in all its
desires? A mothers love would ans
wer this in the affirmative whilst pru-
dence, experience, and holy writ, teach
in their unering school, that happiness
depends on abstinence, selfdenial. 1t
is very certain tha, the more we feed
an appetite. Especially an evil one,) The
more its craving is increased, until it
becomes raging passion. II you glat-
ify every idle whim Of that little boy Of
yours, in manhood, 10 him, disappoin,-
ment will be insufferable diversity
drives him mad. 1t may be said with
out fear Of contradiction. that in many
instances the wretch upon the scaffold,
may trace to fond mother, the hand
that moulded his character, and fixed
his awful destiny. ! would not condemn
a mothers tenderness. No one can
appreciate her love, more highly than !.
But O!how often is it misdirec,ed-.hoy
often does it prove the ruin of the very
object around which are entwined its
ten thousand tendris. 's'' w"
otIt is proposed 10 unite the cities Of
Brooklyn and New York, under one
by. way Of settling vexed
que slion' as to the ferries between the
two places. The respective councils
have appointed committees Of confer
ence on the subjectgas div g.ft,o ~
u-Dr. Hare, in the September mum.