The American patriot., 1855-12-15
What is Respected Society,"

enough, lately sneer at another, because said
he, 'one never meets him in respectable socie-
typ The speaker did not mean that the per-
sons he affected to look down upon were i'm.
mortal, but merely that his circle of intimatcs
was not composed Of the fashionable or rich.
The notion of what constitutes respectable
society, is quite favorite one with that class
Of individuals, whom Thackeray was so signifi-
cantly called 'snobs Empty pretence, is al
ways making its own characteristic standard
by which it strives to measure the respectable.
ity Of persons at large. In the community of
money getters wealth is the test of respecta-
bility. Among the proud, mar, minded, ef-
fete nobility of the Faubourg st. Germain, res
pectability depends on being descended from
ancestors who have married their cousins for
so many centuries, that neither muscle nor
brains are left any longer to the degenerate de-
scendants. With the dandy officers who con
stitute considerable portion Of the American
Navy, responsibility consists in having spon
ged uncle Sam in wearing gilt buttons and in
baking tailors Every conceited fool thinks
himself in like way, the only man really weigh
ty, the only person who is respectable.
But responsibility depends on no such ad-
ventitious circumstances. To be respectable
is to be worthy Of respect; and he most de-
serves respect who has most virtue. The
humblest, who bravely does his duty, is more
worthy Of respect, is more truly respectable,
than the covetous millionaire among his mon
ney bags, or the monarch on his throne. Tho
fine lady, who backbitcs her neighbor, is less
worth of respect than an honest washerwoman.
The profigate noble, though he may wear
dozen orders at his buttonhole, is often not
really as respectable as the shoeblack who
cleans his boots. That which is called Che
but it does not make themselves respectable,
according to the real meaning of that word
Their responsibility is but sham, as they
themselves frequently feel and worship them
bow down to the Fetish, thing of feathers
and tnscl. The selfish, idle drone, who was
tes life in his own qualification, and dissipates
the fortune of his progeny, is not, and cannot
be respectable ; but the Woodworking, self-de-
nying father, who wears out his life to bring
up his children, is, even if he be but day-la-
borer. Nothing can make Dives fit to lie in
Abraham's bosom, while Lazarus is there, even
with the sores the dogs licked.
| The false view, which would measure res
pectability by conventional standard, is to-.
tally variance with republican institutions
It creates an imperum in imperio;' for which
the law declares all citizens equal-it crects a
standard which endeavors to ignore that great
truth. The course, british, knavish prohigate
crimina'--in short, all who fall short of their
duty to themselves and their fellow men are
those who are not respectable and this is
whether they are rich or poor. While those
who live honestly, and strive to do what good
they can, constitute what is really the respect
able class, irrespective of tho fact that whether
they eat with silver forks or steel ones.
NOW AND TnEN.--When Louis Napoleon ex
ecuted his coup Tetat, and became Emperor
of the French the London Times denounced
him in the most brutal language. The follow
ing are among the choice epithets it applied t.
him on that occasion
IN. Bonaparte proclaims to his crouchint
Helots and gaping dupes, that his mission il
the restoration of authority. Authority, ii
: the imperial vocabulary is the reign Of Jesuit
ism, hypocrisy and lcs-the defication of per
Jury and alteration of fsuccess-intelligence bur
kcd by the gagging Of the press, or brutalzet
!, by its egredation-moralty poisoned by uar
cotism of corruption-society stiaed by tn
hands of the police, and the domestic heartl
polluted by the spy-lberty crushed bcneat'
the heel of the Cuirassier and Gendarme-pub
lie slavery riveted by private vice-the legisa
ture sham and swindle, and legislators mer
o tax-gathers and lacqucys-tinance chaos {
n rapacity, clap-trap end profusion-the alte
portioned between Loyola and Mechiavelli--
trickery and violence nick named 'Governmen
9 crime termed Providence, and blasphem
called Cod"
/, Recently Victor Hugo and thirty other eS
lies have been driven from their homes in tn
Isle of Jersey by the British Government, 70
using language in regard to the French EN-
!. peror far less opprobious and crushing, certain
S ly, than the above. Yet this act Of tyranny
: defended by the British press, from the Londo
: Times down, while the most fulsome praise
> are lavished upon that same M. Bohaparte,,
r who, three years ago, was such villain in tn
+ eyes Of Englshmen.
= A VICTIM OF CONFIDENCE fellow on tn
l. race course was staggering about with MOI
), liquor than he could carry. "Halloo! what
= the matter now?" said a chap whom the I'M
:. hrated individual had lust run AGAINST. "Wh