The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-05-14
WHO Is REALLY INDEPENDENT,


mother Of all SIM" 1t was the philosophy
of those medieval times, in fact, to regard
it as mans duty first 10 serve and honor
his Creator, and next to be skilled in some
craft or business, SO as to avoid coming on
the Commonwealth for support. The ac-
QUESTION even of learning was regarded as
but secondary importance. A citizen, it
was held, might be good citizen even
though he could not read Homer in the
original, but not if he wanted tho ability to
maintain himself. The last was absolutely
essential; ; the first, as general rule, was
not. If through thrift, energy, and indus
try, the ordinary citizen acquired compe-
tcnce, then the study Of the liberal arts
might be properly undertaken. But, till
then, the first duty of every ono who was
not heir to large estate, was to learn some
business. 1t was in this way, to quote again
the words of the old statute, that OUT fore
fathers took care that their children, when
grown up, should not he driven from want
or incapacity "to dishonest courses"
We have made great advances in 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 the schools and scllool-mas,
ters. 1t is impossible 10 have books, read
crs or teachers i'll excess. But those old
times certainly surpassed our own in the
dignity they impaired to labor, and in
the pubic opinion which expected every
man to have some craft or profession by
which to earn his bread. Education was
then considered to include something more
than book-lcarning, and was regarded, in
its true sense, as the forming of the entire
character. The first requisite for the rcx
spectacle citizen was, that he should be
able to maintain himself, because, without
this ability, he could not be really inde-
pendent, and was liable, through idleness,
10 fall into evil courses. Hence the child,
from earliest infancy, was taught to look
forward to life Of active work rs the high
est dignity of manhood. Hence every citi.
zen, whatever his rank, "pullcd at the la
boring oar" each i'll his own sphere, it is
true, Lut not the less ii,t.ustt:;ously for that.
From tile King OH Lis throne to the peas
ant i'll his hut, all worked and all worked
hard. Nhore were no drones in those DAYS.
The class of men with which modern soci-
city abounds, the class that lives only for
show, luxury or pleasure, was utterly un-
known. The rich did not consider that
their wealth entitled them to spend their
lives in selfish idleness. The poor were not
tempted to look on labor as disgracefuI, and
to prefer comparative starvation to comfort
aud independence.
At present it is different. At present a
false notion extensively prevails that if Ia
Dor is not absolutely disgraceful, it is at
least mark Of gentiIity to have nothing to
do. Under the influence of this absurd idea
hundreds Of parents who have acquired but
moderate fortunes are bringing up their
children in elegant idIeness, forgetting that
that estate which supports one household
will not sustain those Of dozen descend
ants, and that even if it would, wealth can
take wings and fly away. Then great cities,
in consequence, are crowded with men edu-
Gated to great expectations, but now literal
ly pcnniless. and who live, in consequence,
from hand to mouth, the honest of them
starving for more than half their time, the
dishonest practising all the arts of swindling
and finally Of crime. Even parents who
} have no fortunes ut all, often bring up their
!, sons in idleness. at is vulgar" they say,
"to put them to trade" And thus a
plentiful crop Of sliftlcss, purposelcss, va
, grant, good dfor-nothipg young men, are, an=
nually turned loose on society,to infect
other young men by their example, to live
parasitically on the community. and to die
!, in the almshopso or jail,if notqnler tAe
s galioEs,
Y lie only is truly independent who is mas,
t ter Of his own fortunes. No man Is maste,
+ of his fortunes unless he has learned some
I hapdicraA, studied profession, or acquired
Q habits of business. Such man, even j
j. he should be rich and afterwards become
# poor, can never be otherwise than ,indepen
J., dent; for he is secure of his daily bread
: can keep out Of debt, and need fear to lool
d no fellow being, therefore, III the face. I
e, would be better for modern society il il cul
tivated healthier .pnblic opinion % thi
e subject; if it is insisted that every chill,
Ii should be brought up to do something 70
70 a living if it honored the worker more thai
ic the drone, and rated the honest lahore
o above the rich and idle sensualist. .-Balh
a more Sun. 49,
Z To Clean Wall Paper.-Soiled wall pr
pers may be made to look as wall almos