Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1857-11-11
AMERICAN EXTRAVAGANCE.

The accomplished authoress of "Three Expert
ments in Living" has not only contributed spark
ling gem TO our native literature, but has taught her
countrymen lesson in economy and morals most
appropriate to the times, and is observed, must
prove salutary in its bearing all the relations OF life.
There is no period of any continuance in which we
do not hear the cry Of "hard times" What should
make the times hard in such country as ours?-
Nothing surely. but famine, and this is a scourge
which Divine Providence has hitherto spared us
There has been a remarkable succession of abun-
dant crops yet ears are greeted with the cry OF
hard times. What has our young and vigorous
country to do but provide for its wants? We have
the cheapest government that was ever maintained
We have no dangerous and powerful neighbors to
compel us to squander millions in fortifyng
tensive froi ter We are net compelled by the same
cause to keep up large standing army, to consume
in useless parade in tents, armor and provisions the
fruits of the earth which they do not help pro-
duce. Nor is our navy very extensive. few
ships of make flag to be respected all
the globe.
When the cry of hard times is set up in any part
OF Europe, we are able to understand it. There tax
alton is enormous. England has monstrous pub
lie debt, much as she ran stagger under, pres
sing her down the whole time. France has half
million of troops ready at any moment to be called
into the field. The funds to sustain all this armed
force must come from somewhere. 1t must come
from the pockets Of the people. 1t must be taken
from the means of supplying the most common and
urgent wants of life. The cry of "hard tines
comes legtmately f.om people thus oppressed
and ground down. But the terror Of the bayonet
stiles the murmur which the bayonet causes, and
thus the men live from generation to generation,
under the severcst pressure Of hard times, without
complaint, and with scarcely confessng it to each
other. But here, in this country, we have hard
times without any legitimate cause. What is the
cause of this? There can be but one reason, and
that reason is exravagance. The whole country is
trying Mrs. Lees third experiment of living Those
who have not read her book, and there are few we
hope who have not, must be informed that the fam
lily whose history the authoresS gives tried three
pcriments in living. The first living within
their means. " lille this experiment in process
| Of trial everything went smoothly and we'll. The
next was that of living up to their means. Here
things began GO badly. There was occasionally q
hard rub: nothing however, very disastrous. Last
came the experiment Of living beyond their means
| As may be imagined, everything began to go wrong
| They got in debt. Things went worse and worse,
| till finally they came to a stand The Americans
are plainly trying the last experiment. for everybody
and every thing is in debt. railroad is to be built
| About half money enough is subscribed, and the
rest is made on credit. The debt finally swallows
up everything. man undertakes to build house.
| His plan at first is modest and reasonable. But as
| the work goes his ideas enlarge. and before he
| gets through, he finds that he has been construct
ing palace, and he must either sell it live under
the embarrassment Of heavy debt. If he n
cudes to live in it at all hazards, his troubles have
| but begun. He must furnish it in o style CORES
ponding its costliness and here is anuther cause
of vexaton. There is absolutely end to the de-
mands Of fashion, and he who has made himself its
slave is most sincerely to be piticd.
Two of the most significant symbols Of American
extravaganza are mems watches and womens dress
es. Every man must sport god watch. Califor-
mia ITSELF the FL Dorado of modern times is scarce
ly rich enough, one would suppose, to furnish the
cases of the watches worn by the Americans. Cen
tcmen in Europe, with moderate fortunes which
they have accumulated by their own industry and
saved by their economy, do not think of ndulging
themselves in gold watches. They modestly wear
silver The climax Of extravaganza is reach.
ed in the dressing Of the women. The millions which
annually go abroad for the purchase Of silks are
enough alone to upset the balance of trade There
is woman so poor that cannot afford silk dress
and some, half And then what enor
quantity Of the precious fabric is consumed in
making costume la mode! Coaches and omn
buses have become too small to stow them away
The sidewalks getting too narrow to contain two
of them abreast. Now what is the of all this
travagance? 1t is for the exclusive benefit Of the
silk-growers Of France and the silkweavers Of Ly
ons and Marseilis. sensible woman is no more
agreeable when she is environed with hounces anG
fnrbcows than when she is arrayed in plain attire
Indeed it argues badly for a womans that sh'
is incapable OF withstandng the mandates of fash
ion. And then let them consider the moral cffec
upon the rising generation. What can be wors
than TO train up family of daughters in the slave
ry of fashion and in habits of extravaganza 2-Bal
timore Sun. ..- .....