Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-07-27

gage IN their work OF desCruSeon.
The public mind has been keenlys aroused to-
the dangers of the above named monster Yices
and the time is fast approaching wien the good
name of any, who are in any way engaged IN
either. will be forfeited But there isean evil
an evil as desolating as a deadly pestilence-7.
which Stays its thousands, and yet Its ravages
are comparatively unheeded-I refer to the sle-$
gions of tales and romances which are ISSUING
daily from corrupt Press, and which mud their
way into every corner and recess OF the land.t
1t is especially the youthful mind, ardent and
susceptible of impressions as tits, that is. deba
sed and enervated by this trash, reekins with
every vice.
There is no immortality too gross to find a.
place in these missiles of hell. France hasemp-
tied upon us her large and contaminating magga-
zines. All the denominations OF the French Capl.
tai, are thus brought to our very firesides; and
our children become familiarized with thesedark
scenes of iniquty. lnfdelity and lieentiousness
are impressed upon every page. Ihe man OF ;
fixed, good principles cannot rise from the peru
sal of one of these French romances without feel
ing more or less contaminated. hat then,
must be their direfu influence upon the suscep-
tible and unsuspecting minds Of our youtha Our
own press too teens with publications Of this
character, fast approaching the French school,
for gross immortality.
These vicious publications are found IN aimosts
all families. As soon as our children commence
reading they come in contact with them. II!
they find them not at home, they are sure to meet
with them abroad. They arg pored over to a.
late hour of night. The appetite once created
soon becomes voracious. Time is wasted-tfle3
imagination inflamed-the foundations Of moral
ity sapped, and generation of beings is sent:
forth upon the world, utterly unprepared for.
the realities of life. = IL ;f
| feel convinced, that most parents are uncons
scous of the extent of the evil which they allow,
and sometimes encourage in regard to the rear
ding of these vicious publications, by their chill
dren assert it, that if visitors at our tlrcsldes,
presumed to use the language, or advance the
sentiments contained in these books they would
be expelled without ceremony. And yet visit
os are only occasionally present, while these pub
lications are in our houses, and the constant and
familiar companions Of our children. Some pa
rents dccry the ballroom, and yet furnish the
still more corrupting novel. They lay an inJunc5.
ton upon their7boys to7avoid the grog-shoP orr
the gamblins-tablc, and yet they put into thelrs
hands the productions Of Eugene Sue. Moth-;
ers lecture their daughters upon the proprietiesa
of female department; and yet allow them to-
read Don Juan. This is consistency with yea-
geance! No respectable parentcould read aloud
in his family these pestferous publications; and
vet many such parents allow their children,
quietly to drink in death from these fountains
of iniquity! e.> !. --t.;sSss t;Sssss
A thousand crimes, have no question, owe
their origin to the impressions made in early
life by these works of fiction. The train was
thus laid and the first spark of tempeation that
fell upon it produced the explosion. If our chill
dren are allowed to associate with infdels and
liccntious persons, we must expect them, as a
matter of course, to imbibe their sentiments, and
to initiate thcirdeportment.
These publications are even worse than I'M, M
moral companions. For there is nothing to-
check their demoralizing influences. The warm
inc voice of the parent is not heard the con-
demnation of public sentiment is not felt as IN.
the case of bad compapionship. The evil is;
great, and the remedy must be applied. Parents
love their children, and are anxious to promote
their welfare. I call upon them, therefore, to
stay this tide of ruin. Ny advice is, to oexpel,
without reserve, the whole tribe of novels from;
their families. l might make exceptions, for it
is certain that some works of fiction incucate a!
wholesome tone of morality. But in order that
the 1ourgation may be complete, and even the
slightest temptation avoided, my advice is Total
| abstinence. A SUFFERER. ( :