Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-03-10

courage all plans or steps taken to improve the
mind and bring out the latent beauties and en-
ergies of that intellect which is the glory Of
our being. Nothing so adorns a community as
the pride and struggles of its young men to
acquire knowledge, and to become good wri-
tiers and good speakers. The mind will be-
come barren Or grow up in weeds and brambIes
unless it is cultivated. To pursue a proper
system of cultivation in this respect, requires
a certain degree of ambition as well as a deter
mined will and an unflagging industry and zeal.
intellectual strength, like physical, requires
much practice and training to obtain it, but un-
like the latter, more patience and greater cir
cumspection of conduct are demanded, if the
highest point Of intellectual success is sough.
70 be reached. 1t should be the duty then of
all to encourage intellectual pursuits among
the young men of a community, particularly
when such pursuits are not only antagonistical
to, but are the actual destroyers of roWdyisnl,
intemperance, and their concomitant associates,
the bold rocks and headlands upon which SO
many of the youth of our country are wrecked
in setting out upon the voyage of life.
These remarks were occasioned from the
fact, as noticed in our last, that q number of
the young men of our town had formed a Iy-
ceum and Debating Society. We can truly
wish them God speed in a work calculated to
do so much good TO our town. Indeed, We
would be glad to learn that Lyceums and De-
batting Societies were general throughout the
State. The people, then, might live in hope
that, at no distant day, the character of our
Legislatures, for talent, intelligence, and a high
standard of morality, might compete with the
proudest Legislative bodies Of the country.
We have no doubt that our greatest states
men and orators first inculcated at Debating
Societies the ambition to rise-where, probably,
by incessant drilling and perseverance, they
first became aware of possessing the genius
and talent which illumined their after life and
gave honor and distinction to their memories.
Diffidence and confusion of speech, in the first
or earliest attempts at oratory, are not proof
of a lack of the necessary talent to become an
ordinary or even a distinguished orator. Some
of our greatest men and speakers were scarce
~ able to articulate a sentence correctly when
they first arose TO deliver their maiden speech;
and the great CLAY actually broke down in his
first effort at the bar, almost before he had in
troduced his subject, and was forced to give up
in despair. Where would have been the fame
of CLAY, if he had then sunk under the MORT.
fcation Of the moment-if he had given way
to the sneers and jibes of small souls who
were witnesses of the disgrsce attendant upon
his first trial in public speaking? But he did
not give up. At the second attempt he became
less frightened and confused, and gradually
rose immeasureably above the heads Of those
who had once laughed at him.
This incident will, we hope, give encourage
ment to those connected with our Debating So
ciety here who are afraid and tremble at their
own voice, when the fatal moment arrives for
them to speak. Let him who stammers the
SIIuSSIC tuC oaIuCis uItu t"C way uaJ /
when he can revert back with pride to
early efforts in the field Of oratory.
Whilst oratory is perhaps the most difficult
art to acquire, it is at the same time, doubtless,
The most important Of studies and acquire
ments in a country lie ours. Without it, it
is almost impossible for any one TO arrive at a
distinguished political position the more im-
then for those to acquire it whose pros
is most calculated to introduce them
into the arena Of politics. But oratory is not
the only ornament desired-to write we'll upon
various subjects is likewise an indispensable
desideratum. Therefore the institution Of the
where essays are read. They are
sometimes connected with Debating Societies,
which is the character of the one here. And
trust that its members, having started in so
good a cause for the honor and high standing !
of our town in the future, they will not allow
their society to be broken up by any ordinary
but to continue undismayed the lauda.
bic work they have commenced.
AI~N EAn rs /