Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-01-29
VINO IS RDALLY INpEPENpENT.

Ia one OF the statutes passed in the reign of
Henry the Eighth, 'dlenas5 il characterized, in
good Saxon English, IS beng "the mother of all
sin 1t was the philosophy Of those medieval
times, IN fact, to regard it mans duty first to
serve and honor his Creator and next to be skilled
in some craft or business 80 as 10 avoid coming on
the Commonwealth fot support. The acquisition
even OF Learning was regarded as but of seconda
ry importance. citizen, It was held might be
good citizen even though be could nOtre2d Homer
in the original, but not If he wanted the ability 10
maintain himself The last was absolutely essen
tia, the FIRST Gs general rule, was not If through
thrift energy, and industry, the ordinary citiz 4
Rcquned q competence, then the study OF the lib
erai arts might be properly undertaken. But til
then, the 6rst duty of every one who wa not heir
to large estate, was to learn some business. 1t
was 10 this way, to quote again the words Of the
old statute that our ICrethers took care that their
Children, when grown up, should not he driven
from want or incspacity so dishonest courses
We have made great advances II many things
since that time but we doubt if in this particular,
we have not gone back. Not that our generation
attaches too much importance to schools and
school.nas;ers 1t is impossibls to have books
readers teachers in excess. But these old times
certainly surpassed our own in the dignity they
impaired to labor, and 10 th5 public opinion which
expected every man TO have some crsfLOr profess
sion by which to earn his bread. Education was
then considered to include something more t, an
boOk-learnng and was regarded, IN its true sense,
as the forming of the entire character The f,Et
liste for the respectable Citiz a was, that be
would be able to maintain himself, because, with
but this ability he could no. be really independent,
and was liable, through ideness, to fall into evil
courses HeaCe the child from earliest Infancy,
was taught to look forward to a life Of active work
as the highest dignity Of manhood. Hence every
citizen, Whatever his rank pulled at the aboriug
oar, each in his own sphere 1t 10 true, but not the
less industrously for tina. From the King on his
throne to the peasant il his hut, all worked aud
| all worked hard. There were no drones il those
days The class Of men with which modern So
Ciety abounds, The class that lives only for show,
luxury or pleasure was utterly unknown The
rich aid not consider that their wealth entitled
them to spend their lives n selfish idleness. The
poor were not tempted 10 look on labor ss disgrace
tul, and to prefer comparative starvation to c)m-
fort aud independence
At Preseutit Is ffsreut. At present false 70
ton extensive prevails tl { if labor is not ALSO.
lutely dsgrscsu 1t is at least q mark of gentiity
to have nothing = d.. Under the influence OF
this absurd idea hundreds of parents who have &C
CURED but moderate fortunes are bringing up their
Calliren IN elegant idleaoss, forgetting that the
estate which supports one housenOld will not sus'
tain those OF q dozyn des 5gudsuts, and that even
If it would, wealth may take wilgs and hy away.
The great cities, 10 cons ,quence, are crowded
with mel educated to great expectations, but now
literally peaniless, and who i've, in consequence,
from hand to mouth, the honest OF them Starving
for more than half their tine, the dishonest prsc-
tisirg sll the arts Of swinding and finally Of crime.
Even parents wac have no fortunes at all, often
bring up their sous IN id.enss5 1T IS vulgar"
they say, 30 put them to q trade" And thus
plentiful crop of shif;less, purpOseless, vagrant,
gOCdfor nothing young mn are annually turned
loose OF society, = infect other young men by
their example, to live parssi,icaIy on the com
munity, aud 10 die 10 the ElnshOuss or jail if not
under tie gaIlJWs.
He only Is truly independent who is master of
his Own tyTtunes NJ man is master of his for
tunes ulsss be hss learned a handlcTalt studied
PrOt4s5oo, acquired habits Of business. Such
d man, even /. he sAyuid be rich ami Afterwards
be- me p9JT, can never be other wise than inde.
P5udea.; Tor lie IS secure of bis daily bread, can
E7s3 out % de0t, aud need fear to look no fellow
ting, q e7siore, IL toe iucs. l. would be better
t1r m 3era scc=ty if j. cultivated a healthier pub
ic opinion this subject; # i. insisted that every
Carsd shou be brought Up 10 do something for a
living, i .r hJlyrsd tee worker more than the
lr9na. al s-ra the 30 esr iah srsr above the rich
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