The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-06-26
Per fs Usiss I EsstsrX Journal.
Cruelty towards Children.

The exercise of any ~. cruelty to.
wards children renders them ilis,nsible to
tho sufsrings Of Others. And this is the
reason why they should not DO subjcsed to
personal chastiscmcnt. Imitation being ono
Of tho strongest faculties, tho child who 10
beaten alss uses blows to effect his purpose.
There are many parents who. upon calm
reflection, would shrink from inaicting .
personal correction, or encouraging violence,
yet are continually fostering q passion fox
fighting. For instance, child falls down
and hurts itself against the aoor or the fur.
niture, and is Immediately urged to beat
them. This is the first lesson, practically
showing that revenge was to be indulged.-
Above all things, lot the mother beware
how irritability betrays her into slight
pat, twitch, or gentle shake; II induls.
cd, they inevitably lead to something moro,
and personal correction becomes regular
habit. When once recourse Is had to
blows, nothing else is left; the child, is
hardened to the sense Of pain, Indifferent b
disgrace, and, before committinga fault,
docs not consider whether he is about to do
right or wrong, but weighs the chance Of
escape and the proposed gntifcation;against
the pain Of q beating. There Is q quality
IN most minds which rescnb injustice Ind
feels disgrace. II Is q valuable sentiment,
and gives that sclf.respsct which assists In
elcvating the character, and preserving tho
individual from everything base and degad.
ing. Whom this sentiment Is powerful, o
rcsentful feeling is aroused by violent cor.
rection-not the humility which Is necessary
to sense Of error and consequent amend.
mcnt. Whore Il Is not active, chastiscmcnt
extinguishcs all feeling Of selfrespect, Of
honest and worthy ambition, Of generous
desire, and establishes in their stead q taste
for oil that Is base, low, and sensual. Every
correction that is inflicted in anger, bears
tho appearance Of revenge, and seems in.
tended to gratIfy the offended feelings Of
tho parent, not to amend the child. Ifa
parent is angry. she must wait before she
speaks this will give her time for reflection,
and then she will seldom err. tis habit
that should be pcrseveringly practised by
every irritable nature (; many persons act
wrong upon impulse, who arc right upon
with such reflection should al.
ways prccede action. No man submits to
q blow he considers It the heaviest indig-
nifty he can receive while to strike wo-
man is deemed so great an act Of cowardicc,
that few persons, however debased, are found
guilty Of tho practice. Her weakness is
her protection. How comes it, then, that
children are subjected to degradation
that man rcvolts from enduring or inaict-
ing. The nature Of the blow is not altered
by the person on whom ii is inflicted, except
that tho physical weakness of the one party
reflects upon the individual who deals the
blow, the influence is, and though the child
cannot reason thus, he feels thus, together
with sense Of injury, that must break up
all tilial respect and confidence. Parents
must beware of the frst step. They must
guard their own habits as well rs those Of
their children. For most oil of the children
who are unkind, cruel, and disobedient, arc
made 50 by their parents. BoSSKY.