Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-01-13
PUBLIC SPIRIT.

I!oEl tao boston Courier.
We are about to say few things a.
bout public spirit, in its relation TO the
prosperity of towns, and relatively to the
nation,
A few men, and sometimes one or
two, advance wonders in this department
Of benevolence, taste and piety. Trees
are planted by the road side, burial
grounds are beaulifed, schools are cle-
waited, the architecture of public and pri-
vaie edlfices undergoes a favorable
change, farms are improved, streams of
wafer are brought into use in mechani-
cal operations, the manners of the COM
munliy are refined, and The moral tone
OF society is made more comfortable to
the Divine regulations. Instances are
at hand all over New England, TO Illus
trate and testify TO the power, almost
magical, which has been thus beniiicent-
~ exercised, and deep is the debt Of
gratitude due TO such individuals for
their public spirit.
Place side by side with this picture,
the absence of public spirit in town.
Let the few rich or leading men be ac-
tuated solely by a private spirit and at
tend to their individual concerns, with
out the slightest reference to the |.
public good, and in some cases act in d.
rect opposition to it. Here all is stere-
otyped with dizziness, decay, DEATH
Roads, fences, houses, grave yards,
poor houses, meeting houses, and bust
ness of every description, is retrograde.
The land is good, there is money, men,
and talent, but all are locked up in the
strong box of Incidence, or imprisoned
in the icebergs of cold and self de-
stroying sellishness. Private spirit is
rampant, in SANDER, suspicion, mean
ness, rapacity, lusts, inhdelity, or dead
state of religion approaching to it. The
community NAV get along 20 sone scs.,
and some persons may think we'll enough,
but the progress in intellectual, physical
and moral aspects, is very much like the
rate OF team of oxen harnessed to an
old sled, and permitted 10 have their
own way, with plenty of fodder before
them. Some such towns, to the disgrace
of New England, are yet to be found,
but they are growing less and less nu
merous, and must either die out or catch
the spirit of the times and advance.
But some will say that it is no use TO
make the attempt in our place, to adorn,
TO enrich, and make respectable, for the
community are SO nsensible and so hos
tile to all innovations. Nevertheless,
Try and persevere, and rise above the
opinion of those who misrepresent such
efforts. Others will declare that they
are too old, or too young, too rich or too
poor, too learned or too iliterate, to make
the attempt. Never mind for that. Try.
Many are so occupied with political mat
tiers, about which, however, they know
nothing, that they cannot move finger
Tor any public work, which will make
the town attractive and honorable. Let
not public spirited men slunber on this
account.
Begin by planting a tree or setting a
rose bush in your own premises, if you
can do nothing more. Paint your house
and repair your fence, and that will be
something. Try and get new school
house in your district, and that of the
most improved model, and then procure
IA teacher above the ordinary standard of
your village and encourage him after you
get him, to put forth his energies. Get a
, minister not only ofapproved piety, and
one who will look well TO his flock, that
no souls are lost through his negligence,
but Il SO one who has an eye to taste, and
order and beauty, and diligence, ana en-
terprise, that he may occasionally throw
in his influence, like another Nehemiah,
to build up the walls of the mater ia as
well as the spiritual Jerusalem.
We commend the above suggestions
to the people in this vi--cinity.