The southern press., 1851-04-30
For the Southern Press.
Relics of Scraps and Musings.-No. ss.
EUROPEAN MORALITY.


EUROPEAN MORALITY.
In the years ls4s, according to official reports,
l9, PAL children, born in London, $50 were bast-
ards. II is pretty much the same, if not worse,
in Paris, Vienna, and other great capitals of Eu-
rope No wonder we make such rapid advances
in morals, when we borrow our precepts and ex-
amples from that quarter.
MARCH OF MIND.
The wisdom Of yesterday is the folly OF to-day,
and The march of mind is very often only from
one error to another. Had every change been an
improvement, the world would have been perfect
at this time.
KNOWLEDGE.
Much of our knowledge is uncertain; much de-
ceptive; not little useless, and a considerable
portion pernicious. II is certain that knowledge
neither necessarily makes us either wiser or bet
ter. The notion that universal education will pro-
duce universal regeneration is dangerous faiacy.
Domestic example is the best schoolmaster.
CIVILIZATION AND REFINEMENT.
These consist, in agreat measure, in substitute
ing manners for morals, and the creation Of new
wants for the qualification of which perpetual labor
and exertion are necessary; and thus we become
slaves, not only to others, but ourselves. The
question is, whether it is most conducive to our
happiness TO labor through life for the attainment
Of these enjoyments, or to learn to be happy with
out them;,in other words, to remain in ignorance
Of their existence. The greatest slave is the slave
of his own desires, and sometimes incline to the
opinion of Father Charleroix.I that the North
American. Indians, before they became infected
with the wants and vices Of the white man, were
the happiest people in the world.
VARIETY FAIR.
This is a device Of England to make the world
tributary to her national vanity. 1t will be an
amusing spectacle to see the representatives of SO
many nations gathered together, to offer incense
at the shrine ofthe "sick lion."
Bad examples are not always perncious. While
they are apt to mislead FOOLS they teach sensible
people what to avoid. One of the best antdotes to
propensity to drinking, is seeing fellow creature
transformed into BEAST and wallowing in the
mud like swine. The most dangerous ofal ex-
ampes is not that of the man who exhibits his
vices in oil their deformity but that ofthe sly hypo
critic, who while living in the daily violation of
the commandments of his God, by strictSegard
to appearances, manages to make dupes Of his fell
low creatures, and profit by their credulity. He
is much more dangerous enemy to the happiness
of mankind than drunkard. One is only his
own enemy, the other the enemy of all his race
Hypocricy is said to be 'the homage which vice
"a. L.
shrine which it is perpetually employed in under
mining.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
That cannot be called civil government which
is incapable Of enforcing its authority, except by
the agency Of standing army. When that is ne
cessary, it is proof either that the people have
become SO ignorant or depraved as to be unworthy
ofprotection, or the government SO despotic as to
be no longer deserving of obedience. Where, as
in the United States, the laws emanate directly
from the people, and can be abrogated by the same
authority, there is no legitimate excuse for not
ooeying them, so long as they do not violate the
laws Of nature or the provisions of the Constitu-
ton. By the former mean the will Of Gsd i'm
planted in the heart Of man when he was made
free agent, and by ~bch he is governed by certain
immutable princpleS, 'throughw that free will
Is restrained and regulated by the exercise of the
faculty of reason, SO far as Is necessary to the
conduct of human action. Such, among others,
are the obligations that we should live honestly,
hurt nobody, and render to every one their due.
No human laws are Of any authority when CON-
ing in direct opposition to these because they are
implanted in the heart Of man, sanctioned by the
VIII OF God' declared IN his express command
ments, and enforced by the Precepts and example
be passed authorizing every man to cheat his
neighbor by superior cunning. impose on his
weakness by superior strength, or rob him Of his
due by the exercise Of one or both, it would be
u''er'y nun ana Voo' ana mere would De no obi
gation 10 ooeoience. BUT al the same time these