Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-05-21
CLARKsVIILE, TENN, FRIDAY, MAY 2l, 1853.


out that intense application to business
and enterprise, its material resources could
never have been developed in SO short q
time. But unfortunately the same in
dustrious spirit which has acted benefci-
ally in some directions, has operated fatally
in others. Our men have thus become
one-sided, uninteresting, dead, almost to
anything which does not ponder to their
immediate self-interest; and this selfish
ness, which stands in such painful but
palpable contrast to their originally high,
and generous, and Christian impulses, sits,
for that reason, most ciumsily, rest
restlessly, and ungracefully upon their
nature and we verify think that the worst
money grinding Yankee is not SO much
possessed with miserly mania for money,
as irresistibly inspired by a magnetic am
bition, incidental TO the fermenting atmos-
phere of a soil hot with the smoke of
new civilization. Yet how sad The
American young lady, after having gone
1 through the unnaturalizing process of
conventional education, needs some social
influences which might counteract this
baneful effect, and restore her nature to
the genuine balance Of power of wise
and generous womanhood.
But who is in society to bring about this
desired result2 She meets there either
inexperienced schoolboys, or wooden bust
ness men, or Objectionable fancy men. No
wonder that she bestows her affections,
which find no worthy objects in the beings
around her, upon dress and parties upon
any and everything which promises to ell
the vacuum in her mind, to crafty her
sense of the refined, elegant, and spiritual
character of her organization, is far more
strong in her than in most foreign girls.
This much talked of extravagance of our
women expresses nothing but the yearning
of her mind for some occupation. If
education and society do not permit her to
exert noble, womanly influences by the
force of her enthusiasm for love of coun-
try, and love for all things and thoughts
noble, gentle, kind, good, and generous,
she aims at some influence by force of
fashion and by majestical millinery re-
sources. frequently, on seeing an intel
lectual and bright young girl almost con-
cealing her graceful little face under noun
tains of Stewartisms, the thought flashes
through our mind, that she feels almost
ashamed of the ridiculous assortment of
dry goods tapping around her, and hides
her head in confusion. But yet nothing
is more natural here than this passion for
overdressing. If the present purposeless
habit of the American woman s existence
lasts much longer, we expect, in the course
of time, still much more startling ecentrici-
ties of taste and fashion. The man who
has no moral aspiration to fill out the re-
cesses of his soul, becomes doting egotist,
triAer, gambler, idiot, or fop; and the wo-
man in q similar condition of moral desti-
tuition, becomes devotee of fashion, and
slave of show and appearance, and has
only to thank the innate superior purity
Of her nature, if she does not fall into
still more degrading habits. Such is the
law of nature. Wherever woman is not
educated and trained to become response
BILE, moral, active, benefcent member of
society, the result will be as fatal as it is
here but here it becomes aggravated by
that very delicate organization of our wo-
men, which makes them so sensitive to
noble and generous emotions, but on the
other hand, equally yielding to adverse in
Auences.
But while we frankly lay open the blem-
ishes of our educational and social female
system, we would, at the same time, discard
all dscouraging and gloomy antieipations.
The trials which our society has to under
go in order to pave the way for civiliza-
ton founded, not as in Europe, upon the
laws of selfshness and monopoly, but upon
The la,os Of Ioue and labor, have produced
perplexing and terrible anomalies, and the
utmost heroism of our men, and moral
enthusiasm of our women, are required to
prevent our national ship from sinking,
and to reach nobler harbor of civiliza-
ton, with our Christianity and humanity
unimpared Our much abused business
men will yet arise from their ignominous
E apathy, and remember that the feelings Of
pride which, when abroad, swell their
breasts when stating that they are Ameri-
cans and Republicans, must yield to feel
: ings Of the utmost humiliation unless they