The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-02-19
ABBEVILLE SOUTH CAROLINA,
WHAT IS RESPECTABLE SOCIETY.

We heard a man, otherwise intiligent
enough, lately sneer at another "because,
said he, "ono never meets him in respccta
ble society,"" The speaker did not mean
however, that the person he affected to look
down upon, WAS immortal, but merely that
his circle Of intimates were not composed o
the fashionable or rich.
This notion of what constitutes respccta-
bic society, is quite fi,vorite one with that
class of individuals whom Tllackcray has
so significantly called "snobs." Empty
prctcnce always making its own character.
istics a standard, by which it strives to
measure the respectaLility Of persons at
large. In community of mere money
Settcrs, wealth is the test Of rcspectablity
Among the proud, narrow-minlctl, eifctc
nobility of the Faubourg St. German, re.
spcctability depends upon being dcsccn-
dants from ancestors who have married their
cousins for many centuries, that neither
muscles nor brains arc left any longer to
degenerate descendants. With tho dandy
officers who constitute considerable por.
ton of the American Navy, respcctability
consists i'll having spongcd on "Uncle Sam,
in wearing gilt buttons, aud in jiting tai
lors. Every conceitcd fool thinks himself
in like way, the only man really weighty,
the only person who is respectable.
But true respectaLility depends on nc
such adventitious circumstances. 10 he re.
spectacle is to be worthy of respect and he
deserves respect who has most virtue. The
lumblcst man who Lravcly does his duty
is more worthy of respect, is more truly re-
spectacle, than the covetous millnaire
among his money bags, or the arrogant
monarch upon his throne. The fine lady
who back-bites her ncighbor, is less worthy
of respect than an honest washer woman
The profliga,c noble, though lie may wear
dozen orders at his button-hole, is not of:
teu respectable rs the shoe black who cleans
his boots. That which is called "lhc world
exalts the one and dcspises the other, but i!
docs not make them respectable according
to the real meaning Of that word. Thcil
responsibility is but Il hollow slam, as they
themselves frequently feel; and those who
worship them bow down to Fetish, thing
Of feathers and tinsel. Tho selfish, idl.
dronc, who wastes life in his own gra,iica
ton, and dissipatcs the fortune Of his prog
eny, Is not, aud cannot he respcctablc; but
the hard working, sclf-dcnyiny father, who
wears out his life to bring up his children
is, even though he be but a day laborer.-
Nothing can make Dives fit to lay or
Abraliam's bosom, while Lazarus is wei
coined there, even with the sores the dog.
have licked.
This false view Of life, which woult
measure respectability 10y a conventional
standard, is totally at variance with our re
publican institutions. 1t creates an sim
perium in imperio," for while the law de
clares all citizens equal, it erects socai
standard which cmlcavors to ignore tha
great truth. The course, british, knavish
protligate Grim; ;nal-in short. all who fi.l
short Of their duty 20 themselves and tl,ei
fellow-men, are :hose who are not respect
able;" and this, whether they arc ricl, O
poor. While those who live honestly, an,
strive to do what good they can, constitute
in reality the respectable class, irrespective
Of the fact whether ,hcy eat with silve
forks or steel ones.