Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-09-09


acter is in question, unhesangly cast their
mite Of decision into the scale Of condemnation
making no allowances for possibility of false
reports, or for the many unguarded, yet at the
same time purely innocent steps SO common to
the path of youth. To the door of these hasty
and lnconsiderate, or self willcd and obstinate
beings, must be laid the irreparable loss which
is sustained upon them devolves this mighty
weight Of crime; with them this fearful account
remains 10 be settled for, had each one indiyId.
ually, independent Of the conduct Of his fellows,
discharged his duty faithfully AMI arlght, tho
reputation Of her, who is now friCndles5, forl0rn,
and an outcast from society, would be as un-
stained and spotless as the heart Of the yet un,
folded rose Had they acted in accordance with
the Divine teachings Of our IowIy master, when
the first unjust suspicion ripened into birth, they
would have sought her, and with gentle words of
admonton, warned ahd advised her to be guard
ed in all her conduct, that even the most fastid-
lous should be able to discover no occasion for
reprooch or condemnation, Had they kept in
view The glorious example Of Him who died that
we might live, they would have pursued such
course as would enable them to feel the sweet
assurance that they had endcavored to insure
the character of the accused against further sus.
picion, instead of employing every possible et-
fort for the promotion of The opposite end. Had
they performed a Christians part, they would
have manifested to the world their disbelief and
disappIoval of the base assertions advanced, and
influenced others, as far as possible, to discoun-
tenance them thus the entire evil would have
been nipped in the bud and the fearful consum-
nation prevented.
But let US now candidlY inquire ,Ohose honor and
Integrity is first and oftenest called in question
Is 1t the child of opdlence, the daughter of the
purse proud dcvo!ce of Mammon, who has been
nursed in the arms of luxury and surrounded by
all the superfultes common to the palace and
the hall? Is it her upon whom countless bless
lngs are continually showering, whose path
way is bright with blossoms, and whose stream of
life flows ever smoothly on amid pleasant places
and beneath the fadeleSs sunlight of prosperity
and happiness Oh, no it is the poor, the low
ly. the unprotected, the fatherless the motheress
and the destitute, who in their long life Journey,
have no staff on which to lean, no aid on which
to rely, but the unstained purity of their names.
These are the especial objects Of the worlds
distrust, and not those whose position in society
susans them in whatever course of conduct
they may choose to pursue. She who cannot
fold about herself the tlnseled drapery of wealth
who cannot command the Difference and hom-
age fthe unprincipled world, by that universally
acknowledged sceptre of supreme power, the
magic wand Of gold, is, from the very nature of
her sltuation expected to exhbta higher and
more exalted manner Of life than would be re-
quired of her could she hide her misdongs be-
hind that mantle by whose deceptive glitter vain
mortals are so readily beguiled. Yes, she who
does not possess the power of bantering for
friendship and indulgence, must walk Cit
cumspcctly and with caution before the world,
taking care to guard we'll the light of her only
jewel-for with her. unblessed as she is with the
smiles of that golden Deity before which mortals
bow as to the Blal Of their idolatry, her charac-
ter is emphalically her all. And yet it is to her
that the arrow of SANDER is first directed and
because she cannot rank among the so called
nobility OF earth, in point Of wealth, because she
chances to be humble, in the worlds accepta
ton of that term, they suppose, as an unavoda
BILE consequence, that it is of no import whether
she sustain an unimpeached character for puri-
ty and virtue, or directly the opposite. And
thus the cold world unfeelingly robs her of this
her only treasure, and then laughs and mocks
ut the wreck it has accomplished and the ruin it
has wrought.
There are very many ways by which circumstan-
ccs conspire to blight female reputation. Among
the most prominent causes are thougltessness,
envy, hatred ane desire for revenge and, oh,
how inhuman, how fiend-hke even, must be the
prompngs Of that heart which would seek, by
vile insinuations aud utterly false statements. o
despoll an Innocent and trusting girl of her sole
inheritance, and pluck out, as with the hand of a
demon every star from her heaven Of hope,
leaving her to sink beneath the weight Of
undeserved reproach into an unwept and
unimelY grave! And yet how many are
there, who, with The design of accomplishing
their revenge for fancied wrong, feel no hesita,
ton in advancing statements which they know
are as false as their own perjnred hearts, and
which they are conscious cannot fail Of disgrac
ing and running her concerning whom they are
uttered, and yet feel no Compunctons of con
science when they sec their base invention:
credited, and their unhallowed design secured
when every unprincipled person who chances
thereafter to meet her, considers himself fully
authorized and even called upon to insult and
abuse her--when her former associates shrink
from her presence as from the poIIntng touch o.
the leper-- when the cold snecr Is on every lip
and the glance of scorn in every eye. He who
will w;llully and designedly attempt the accom-
plishment of so degrading and ignoblc purpose
is deserving the supreme contempt of every
upright and honorable person Yet such case.
of shameful defamation are of frequent occur.
renee, and have been the bitter experience oil
too many glad young heart.
1t is often the case that the public mind, be.
coming estranged and prejudiced by some tri
fling reconsideration in speech or conduct on the
part of the person suspected by some slight in.
discretion incident to youth and incxperiencc
regards acts, which, from the very unguardedness
OF their nature, should be received as the result
OF entire innocence, only as incontrovertible ev-
dence of her utter abandonment to the wavs OF
guilt, and as proof of her hopeless degradation
thus the world gives itself no opportunity Of