Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1851-05-22
Who are Gentlemen !

Who are Gentlemen!
In our intercourse with society, we are
often surprised to notice what despicable
and contracted sentiments are Yet afoat
in the world, in respect to the characters
tic marks Of a true gentleman. There
are thousands of individuals, who aspire
to the reputation Of a Gentleman, or who
perhaps fancy themselves TO be really such
yet whose highest and most comprehensive
notions of the character, are confined to
mere external accomplishments There
are many females, too, who seem not once
to have distant idea Of such a person.
uuconnected with coxcombry Of demean-
or, and that polished, courtly exterior, 50
often assumed by heartless, abandoned
hbertines, to hide the foul rottenness of
their character, and the baseness of their
designs Why, else, do we so frequently
4 see individuals Of the other sex, who claim
! to profess the most spotless character. or
/ to be the c0nseryators Of fashion, aud to
give tone to society, receiving into their
parties and caressing, nay, not hesItatiug
to promenade in public, arm in arm with,
profigate wretches, as their honored asso-
ciates-debauchees who are known TO be
dissolute, yes, odiously Icentieus in their
habits, and this without a blush Why
do ladies Of quality. instead Of scorning
+ even the approach Of such wretches and
repelling their presence as an insult and
affront to their sex. even evince a prefer
/ ence for their society, over men Of exem-
plary characters--apparently delIgh e in
their attentions, if they happen to be tai
ented. rich and fashionable, even though
they may have been guilty of The deepest
basensss to other women? Why too, do
! the Young of the gentler sex so often man
ifest an eagerness to draw around them
the butterflies of ours. beings Of mere TIN
sci and foppery, to the exclusion of the
meritorious and deserving, who seek com
panions for life. and not the glittering
plavthings of an hOur} Why Is il that
men may practice with impunity vices,
which in the other sex, viii not be toler-
ated for a moment or, that abandoned
libertines. addicted to the vilest species
of profigacy, and, worse than all, who do
not pretend to disguise their evil habits,
vet hold up their heads in society as gem
tlemen.' while the female who Is even sus-
pected Of the slightest deviation from the
rules Of chastity, is consigned to everlast-
ing infamy and disgrace The undenia-
bic fact Is, that the just old maxim Of Pope
that worth makes the man." has sunk
into oblivion: new standards of character
have been set up and the fundamental
qualities which enter into the modern fash
ionable idea Of a gentleman. have less re
lation to innate honesty and worth. than
to the length Of ones purse. the texture
Of his cloth. and the scrupulous exactness
of his grimaces and bows,
We believe that true gentlemen are con
fined to no walk or rank in life. The stur-
dy blacksmith with his dingy garments,
his open countenance begrimed with smut
and his rough, hard hand SCARED with
service more honorable than that of war.
has an immeasurably higher claim TO that
honorable name than the shallow pated
fop. who skips through college with kid
gloves and Z rattan. cultivated the graces
before the glass and ladies, and takes his
diploma with all the bIushing honors thick
on his vacant head 1t is a false and con
temptible notion, that unless man can
boast a high descent or rolls majestIcally
along In a coach emblazoned with arms,
his name should be stricken from the list
Of gentlemen. Which class has, from
time immemorial. conferred the brightest
honors on the human race-the naughty
aristocrat. who shrinks with strong con
vulsions from the touch Of the honest poor
man, aud moves with a step that seems
dainty Of the soil il treads on, OF the hum
bic peasant. who claims no merit but no
biiltv of the soul Whence come the
great lights Of the intellectual armament
the stars that form the brilliant gs'axy
whose beams dazzle the eye of every he
holder? In the vast majority Of instan-
ces. they have emerged TO eminence from
the chilling depths Of obscurity destltutlon
and want, Whose voices are oftenest
raised in successful vindication Of human
rights. and float over mountain and PLAIN,
over ocean and land till they vibrate on
the ear of the remotest dweller IN Christ
endoml Who are they that
Pluck bright honor from the paIe-faced moon
Or dive into the bottom Of the deep,
Where flthorn line could never touch the grounr
And drag up drowned honor b. the locks 2
The seions Of noble blood The wor-
shippers Of Bacchus and Venus, who frit
ter away the hours granted by heaven for