The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-08-02

| WHAT IS REspEcTABIL1TY!!--To
Judge from the conduct and ideas Of
some persons among both sexes, re.
spectability consists in driving fast
horses, wearing rich laces, drink.
ing champagne, or idling away
life. 10 cut a figure in society, on
the promenades, or at a water.
ing place, appears to be the sole
aim Of many women, who surely
were born for better things. Tocul-
tlvatc a moustaclle, sport q "two
forty trotter, or act as a model
exhibitor of coats for some fashiona-
bic tailor, seems to be the conception
of digniied and respectable ca
reer formed by not few of the men.
Now being respectable, in either
man or woman is, to oul notion, do
ing what's duty. The poorest per.
son, even in what is considered popu.
larly the humblest ayocation, who
pays his debts, obeys the law, and
iul6ls his other obligations to society
and to his fel!ow-creaturcs, is a thou
sand times more respectable than the
wealthy idler, the educated spend
thrift, the callcus miser, or the fash.
ionablc fool. So the modest female.
whether seamstress, book. folder, press
tender, storekeeper, or even house-
servant, is, in the true sense of the
word, infinitely more respectable than
the extravagcnt wife who is running
her husband, than the thoughtless
votary of fashion, than the butterfly
fllrt. In a word, worth, not wealth,
constitutes respcctability.
NAgain. 1t is what it really IS, net
fasecns to be, respectable, that men of
sense honor as such. The million
are, who has obtained wealth by kna.
wish practices, though he may
creep through the meshes Of the
law, cannot escape the indignant
verdict of an honest public; he may
give grand dinners, drive a snowy
equipage inhabit,a a palace, and even.
subscribe $ostentatiouslyegtoe benevo-
lent purposes; yet, with sallsbissp out Oh
gliding, people cognizes the rotten.
ness within, and from the very 81 M
NIT of bis splendor, trace back the
shiny track by Which he rose. Such
man, let him do what he will, can
never become respectable. A gulf
as wide as that between Dives and
Lazarus, separates him from the cs.
tcem of the good. So also the
low-mlnded in all pursuits, those
cruel and unfeeling towards their fcl.
low,mcn. charlatans of every hue, hy-
pocritcs, dcmagogues, toadies, shar-
pers, and all others Of a similar kind,
cannot be respectable. Pinchbcck
never yet passed long for gold. Or,
as the old proverb has it, s'you can
not make a silk purse cut of
SOW scar"
rs people are generally what lab
itrendcrs them, it is for the young
that these remarks are meant. The
old cannot Be- cured. If they arc
shams now, shams they will remain:
nothing, alas! can ever make them
respectable. But the young have
yet their habits to forms Let them
take a high standard and become
truly respectable.
''Inscrt the above from the Lcdg.
or in your Home Gazette" writes a
valued and intelligent friend, "and.
request every paper in the United
States to copy it." Our friend is
an honest hatcr of all shams, as
sumo what forms they will. Step by
step, beginning at the first round in
the ladder of fortune, lie has as.
ccndcd, through honorable indus.
try and far.secing enterprise, to
wealth and social position Quick and
close in lis observation, he separates
the tinsel of character, from the
substance at a glance, and gives no
countcnanco to false assumption,
let it come in what shape it will. In
the above indignant protest against
the false and vicious in society, he
finds an exact expression of his
own views; and having an ardent
desire to see truth, and honor, and
maulincss Of sentiment prevail, he
asks for it wide circulation by
the press. Let it find place in
the columns Of every newspaper in
the land. 1t cannot fail to do
good work.--A2thur's Home Ga&.
cite.