Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1855-11-30

t'as soiise fo pc oy lar TOO lseleh the ruling
principle ufI political and religious action,
B, d.hatehsH is too little regarded ,5and JUS
tice-that mighty staff of human support
too ;oftpn put q shaine y
Takiag pP, thep, these three PROPOSE
hops IN regular order, it vii, now devoIve
upon me to prove that Ignorance and SUI
perstitioa are actually more prevalent in
our eouh. ry than is generally supposed. -
This land Of the free j, generally denonli-
natedsthes home for the oppressed and down
trodaan OF. every nation. Here, it is said,
the beautiful tee of Liberty grows and
blooms in all her fnagnifcence and eran-
deur;i and here the genial rays of happi-
ness and prosperity dawn ont in all their
pleasant and invigoratins power. This, in
deed, seems not only to beEa common say
>aHg in our own country, but throughout the
world No country, perhaps, in all the an
nails of the world, has been so much laud-
ed BY those #bo have even never set a foot
upon its shores In consequence of this
iwde-ruling disposition, there is a constant
longing IN the minds Of ali the dissatisfied
citizeas of other nations to visit this great
emporium of the wotld,---coming, then,
awithlittie or no knomlcdge Of a free gov
ernInent, their minds are filed with great
-
.cxtrayaganccs. -
indeed, it's really astonishing to look
over the regular reports IN which Is given
the immense number Of foreigners, who are
landing on our shores yearly, and those too
who are unable to settle themselves as ac-
tive citizens, but are more willing to crowd
the cities WITH tleir miserable presence. or
live fhe wretched life Of parasite Many
hundreds 60 to the west, it is true, and be-
come good and useful citizens, who are
above STOPPING to the low and ,ishonorable
means often resorted to by those who are
lurking about the streets and secret corn
ers of the cities. If were to enter into
strict examination of the irfuenee oxertAd
by this class Of persons in connection witt
.-.s.-,'l~ y c-i:i- Ill r>-.aa1.aa IL sna.sls
much would be brought TO claim the atten-
ton which wnuld seem almost Incredible to
those who have never given the subject
much thought. a2
Before entering more ninutely into this
subject, ii will be necessary to remark that
in the cities there is a large class of per-
sons. who are SO depraved in morals, so
completely Indifferent to sense Of honor,
as to seek advantage from every ciroum-
stance; and this class generally is intimate
u connected, or rather / should Say islflu
enced BY the class alluded to.
Who are these AsiroFogers' Whence
come these Fortune-Tellcrs, In word,
who are these nndauntcd persons by aheni
an ignorant and uurefective p,ipulaee is 50
blindly gdlled' Generally,-hot always Of
course, they are foreigners. In passing
along the streets-not unfrequently some
obscure aud disappearing part Of the city
is seen a asierl." on which Is written s'HouA
derful Discovery.' &c. Mould any sensi-
bic man thinkithat such cnntemptible beings
were likely to.be encouraged Butahow IS
ite Shame, shame to- the intelligence of
cities Theresare hundreds of individuals
who immediately 60 to these dens Of deoep-
( tion in order to hear their for,uoes told -
Some even who arc usudlly denominated
iutelhgens citizens are seen among the
crowd, and if asked why they go, they will
say, for fun Sach fun; rather. such ig-
norance and want of sound knowledge mast
surely be pitied. e
Young ineu in waom the hope of the
country rests, arc found going in great
numbers in order TO be made acquainted
with the events which await them IL. after
lite;- perhaps to dnd out means and shatne-
fulilitrigues .bywhieh they may sccafe Que
of the opposite sex as eqnpanion for life.
Young gris---fcr | by ne means can adopt
the common American phrase young la
dies=-who arc. guided morc by their feel
ings than their judgement, ,whp, have had
little or no experience in life, and who are
often insulted and even shaniefally. robbed
OF that. character which is SO very essential
TO the happiness of "a young woman; even
young girls are thus duped, and throughig-
norance made miserable aud wretched
all the remainder Of their life.s Indeed,
instances have come within my own obser-
vationi in which silly girls have been SO
troubled on account Of the false and exasg-
gerating stories which these eontemptible
fortune tellefs have pretended to sayswould
come 10 pass, that they we're next thing to
! committing suicide.
Men about to enter upon a journey, Or
about to undertake some .pecuniary project,
first go to these beings to know whether or
not they will be successful in accomplishing
the proposed end. IS