Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-02-25
WHAT IS REspEcTABrR soc1ErY,

shs1rd s. man, ethsfwises Intelligent enough,
s1esr = another, go said he, '" one
never meets him in fsspectable society," The speak.
er did not mean, however, that the person he affect
ed to look down upon was immoral, but merely that
his circle OF intimates were not composed Of the !
fashionable or the rich. - & ssss
This notion Of what constitutes respectable soces
ty, is quite fayore with that class Of individ
tisnobs"-empty pretence always making it's own
characteristics . standard by which it strives to
measure the responsibility of persons at large. In
community of mere money -gctters, wealth is the
test of responsibility. Among the proud, narrow
minded, efe,e nobility of the Faubourg ST. German,
responsibility depends upon being descendants from
ancestors who have married their cousins for so
many centuries, that neither muscles nor brains are
LETT any longer to degenerate descendants. With
the dandy officers who constitute considerable
portion Of the American Navy. responsibility con-
ssts in having sponged on - Uncle SAM" in wear
ceited fool thinks himself in like way, the only man
really weishty, the only person who is respectable
But true responsibility depends on such adj
ventitIous circumstances. 10 be respectable is to
be worthy of respect; and he deserves respect who
has most virtue. The hunblest man who bravely
does his duty, is mole worthy of respect, is more
truly respectable than the coveous millionaire among
his money bags, or the arrogant monarch upon his
throne. The fine lady who back bites her neighbor,
is less worthy OF respect than an honest wash-wo-
man. Inc proh'Sate noble. though he may wear
dozen orders at his bu,ton-hele is not often really
as respectable as the shoe black who cleans his
boots That which is called the world" exalts the
one and despses the other but it does not make hem
respectable according to the real meaning of that
word. Their responsibility is but h. How sham,
as they themselves frequently feel; and those who
worship them bow down to Fetish, thing of
feathers and tinsel. The selfish idle drone, who
wastes life in his qualification, and disspates
the fortune Of his progeny, is not and cannot be
spectacle; but the Woodworking, selfdenying faith
er, 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 lie in Abraham's bosom while
Lazarus is welcomed there, even with the sores the
dogs have licked.
This false view of life, which would measure re-
spectability by conventional standard, is totally at
variance it'll republican institutions. 1t ere.
ates an impcrium in imperio," for while the law
declares all citizens equal it erects social standard
which endeavors to ignore that great truth. The
coarse, british, knavish, protligate, crininal-in
Short all who fall short of their duty to themselves
and their fellow ncn-are those who not 6 re-
spectacle; and this, whether they rich poor.
While those who live honestly, and strive to do
what good they can, constitute in reality the re-
specialize Class irrespective of the fact whether they
eat with silver forks or steel ones
Philadelphia Ledger.