Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1857-04-28
wealth and Dissipation.


"a We recently referred to the depraved sta tie
| Of morals a,nonc the youth in the lower clas-
ses of society i'll our large cities, withou, in
tending to single them out as SINNERS above
| all others" assured as we are that the rank
infection equally peryAdes the higher classes
although less manifest to the publi: eye
While the first mentioned delin9uents may be
| found creating disturbances at the corners Of
| the streets, or consorting at hose houses,
drinking shops, and gambling, cellars, the
others, with greater iPecunary means, may be
seen at the hotels, restaurants, operas, gaming
saloons, and at places Of still more tagratit
immolaty. . If they are less frequently ex-
posed at our police courts, it IS not because.
| they are less, deserving of punishment, but
from the fact that they have money aud in
nuentiaI friends to secure concealmeut, or
more perfect system of Guiding detection II
is a notorious fact, hat within sight of our
most crowded thoroughtares, all the facilities
for gambling are furnished in apartments fit
ted up for the purpose and that they are re-
sorted to by our youth both by night and day.
The attempts to suppress these places have
either beetI feeble, or they have endefcated
by the ingenuity OF those who have the man
agerncnt Of them. Vice, in in all its phases,
is ready-with its lures in thousand places to
beguile the young'whO have evil passions TO
be g,atitied and money oPay. Those who
have the opportunity Of knowing the existing
state Of things. AN testify that vice is on the
increase, aud that even boys are initiated into
| ill its mysteries. These; as they advance,
b. come what are called Jast you'lg men, from
;heir reckless expenditure of money, and their
uusc, upulouspess in the way of morals. The
Weather families could unfold a sad tale of
| the rapid downward career and early fate of
their SOUS Dissipation is daily Fastening the
ruin of thousands, and did the weekly bills of
mortality speak truly, they would, instead Of
, ascribng the deaths of many to the ordinary
visitatiOns ofSProVidence, note them as the
victims of vice and prohigacy, who, in their
early manhood have, by their excesses, com
pIeteIy exhausted the powers of nature.
The erratic course of these youth may be
traced in most cases 10 their defective training.
Like the poor, they suffer from the want of
| home attractions, although under widely diff
! ferent circumstances. Fashion dictates their
pursuits. Their pride is nurtured, their cap
rices lndulged; they are imperfectly taught
the duty Of submission. Introduced into
/ company al an early age, they conclude that
! pleasure is the chief object of life; aud not
| only are they found with their elders in the
places of public amusement, but, with their
4 liberal aEl0wanceiof pocket money, soon find
4 the VITO the resorts of vice in its more i'm
disguised forms Ii is not our desire to trace
their career so much as to state the fact that
the. great mass of our young men and boys
| never recognise moral restraint, or seem to
I think there is excellence iuvirtue. Ifthc fear
4 OF GudibeS The beginning OF wisdom. there Is
little likelihood they will ever. become wise
If our churches on the Sabbath are Inspected
it will be found that our young men form a
4 very inconsidgrabEe proportion of the atten-
4 7dants. .The Sabbath they utterly disregard,
and reIiGjon,s,th the subject of their .irreyereht
sneers. And what else could be expected ot
the sons Of parents who are themseve;
devoted to vanity and worldly pleasure, who are
found at the opera, the theatre, the tash'ena
a bic party. night after night, instead OF exert
q ing & ahappy iRadebce IN ithe family circ'es
y The children of HealtlIy famiiieslsutter sun'
der one of the greatest. .f7of all Priyations-t
want of maternal love and solicitude. a
s algmother who is intent on fashionable pursuit.
can be- no nlotheF,to her children. TheY, are
I left IN other 6ands, aud peVer heaT the EARL
INSTRUCTIONS of rsligioi from d motliegs lips
and AlheiF fate isi respondent. Without
miracle, they must be drowned in3 the yoste:
Of fasiiIen first, and then aaHitigated vice..
,3Esse There lisines eisiss npT
tured BY the increase of wealth, wluch ls ut
teriiy heaftiess. and under the Fbiigiidng in
d flhenes 3of y biell Ia GENT aud p6re dofnes
tic affections are rapidly disappearTngs Sal
tbe fate-ef- children who belong to the house
IL hold where 6tiis nreysaeptt There issno alta
of religion there u ne daily5fssd Bible; no $
~ ls .