The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-05-21
THE DAILY DISPATCH;
Taur~ Ia, siarsisx, May =

N(AAtN ~
THURS ,.y Mornte9. May
~~~~~~~~~~r~>-~>>>~~~r~ 1880.
saitabIeness Of Yesrg Ladies for w.
A column Of the New York News 10 oe'o'sa ~
this tender and Interesting subject ana ''e
arrives At the conclusion that If American -. -
are 10 be judged Of by those ne "0e'.
York, with their superficial
aimiess struggles, useless vaniues .nu 1a'
suits, none of them would 90 NJ ios "ses' 49,
Ii not for the redeeming facs tns. o''.so.
rood sensible mother educates ner aAusn'e.s WIN
proper sense of their true dignity ana use'uiness
a women. cutivating their hearts, ming snem
-,,h .sn,eness. and their minds with truth, and
bv example, impressing on their pure minds con.
sc,ou.ness Of the noble duties Of wives and
mothers.
How different the picture by this journal from
tha, of society in New York In former days, when
wealth was not considered requisite to an eligible
match when hearts and character, aud not purse 9,
were consulted. when the wife was expected to be
au assistance to her husband, and It was her pride
to be such, and the married pair passed through
life smoothly loving their children and each other
What now constitutes Al 'elisiole match" in the
estimation of q fashionable lady of the great me-
tropoIisi According TO the News it is an old man
with money sufficient to support q '.ralasial man
sion" In Fifth avenue, carriages, horses, fveried
servants, to pay all bills unquestioned, and wills
ugness on his part that the lady shall have perfect
control of her time, and the manner IN which IL ID
used, whether spent at the opera, shopping or
masquerade, regardless of family cares or duties
to either sick child q husband If the odd codg@"
only has the good taste not to make himself II"
diculous by scrutinizing the character OF guests
asd to be oblivious to any little pecaltartaes IN
the conduct of my lady, and not intrude himself
upon her in society unless by her order. the acme
OF fashionable felicity is attained. To the unreas-
enable and unnatural state of fashionable society
In New York, and the frightful extravaganza of
the females, the News attributes the great NUM-
bers of that most despicabe of all characters, fhe
fortune hunter" male and female. To illustrate
this, 1t says, take the young professional man,
eitner the DOCTOR lawyer or clergyman with nos
thing but their profession to depend upon, their
positions as public men, the feelings and tastes ac-
quireo through their professional studies and asso
Gallons, all prompt them to aim at respectaaiify
ana character, and to maintain such POSITION
Soouid they marry lady without money, OF equa'
position in society, it would cost them at least
% ooo year to keep up, as married men, the
same degree of responsibility they maintained as
bachelors on 81, 600 It must in the very nature
OF things be many years before either of the pro-
LESSONS can of themselves produce s., 900 year
the result is, they must become fortune hunters
or not marry for If they marry otherwise. they
sink Into obscurity, to raise up family 10 gentee
poverty"
Whilst the picture by the News even of New
York society is evidently overdrawn; whilst.
thank Heaven. 1t does not apply to the smaller
towns and rural districts of any portion of this
vast country, there are peculiar causes operating
IA New York which account for, though they do
not Justify the social corruption which character
Use the wealthy classes of that city. One of these
is the fact that many of its nabobs are iterate
coarse. reckless men, like Huntington, and others
who might be named, who possess no earthly
ability in the world except q capacity for making
money-toads with precious jewel in the head,
but none the less toads for all that The educated
aud refined circles are thrust aside and thrown
into the shade by parvenue aristocracy, like that
described by the News, which worships no God
but Mammop, and knows no standard of virtue or
merit save money. WScannot believe however
that such people constitute q majority even in
New York. The respectable middle classes and
the toiling multitudes are made of nober and more
generous materials.