The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-05-26
CELIB ACY.


increase. 1t threatens to become an estab-
lished substitution" Marriage, and the
family relation are in danger of being su-
perceded. These and similar utterances
have become one of the prominent topics
of the newspaper press.
In all our large cities the disinclination
to marry on the part of our young men
is frequently spoken of and written about.
And 1t is said, truthfully too, that just in
the ratio that men incline to bachelorism,
rowdyism, debauchery and crime become
rampant in the land.
This is subject of great Importance to
all, and of fearful interest to the genera
tions to come. 1t requires no extraordi-
nary reach of thought to comprehend that
the natural and inevitable result must be,
sooner OF later, the general demoralza-
ton of both male and female, and the
utter disorganization Of human society.
Without the maintenance of those do
nestle associations and duties, which are
known only where the marriage institution
is made sacred, no society ever did or can
exist above barbarism or savagism.
To arrest this downward tendency of
the race, two causes must be corrected.
Young men must be trained to live, move
and have their being, without those blood
inhaming and soul-palsying poisons, liq-
uor and tobacco, and young ladies must
learn to be useful as well as snowy. On
this latter clause of our text we propose to
expatiate very briefly, and then leave the
matter for the present, to the reflections
of whom it may concern.
1t is notorious, all over the civilized
world, that American females are I'M
healthy, and that the tendency to disease
and infrmity is constantly increasing.
The daughters, as general rule, are
more infirm than their mothers, as their
mothers compare unfavorably with their
grandmothers. There is no theme SO
much written about, talked about, lectu
red about, as sickly American women
and girls. Even the medical journals
and daily newspapers Of Europe are fire.
quently comparing the health and stami-
ma of American females with those of the
females of Great Britain, France, Ger
many, &C., and always to the djsadvan-
tage of the former. And they seem to
see, not without reason, one of the lead
ing causes of the ultimate degeneracy Of
the American people, and the overthrow
of our Republican government, in the fact
that the vitality of our females is running
down.
Young men cannot be ignorant of these
things. They are, and must be fond of
tt e society of young ladies. Nature, and
instinct and reason, and custom incline
them to marry. But with the thought
of matrimonial alliance come the
thoughts of everything except beds of
roses and domestic joys. So far as court
ing goes, all is pleasant enough; but with
marriage is associated the idea of doctors,
nurses, and a greater or less number of
Bridgets and Katys, and Marys and FL
lens. Instead of helpmate, wife to
cheer him on the arduous pathway of life,
and take charge of the household affairs,
he dreams of delicate nerves, tender stom-
achs, falling hair, decaying teeth, and
spinal irritation. He anticipates, as well
he may, a constant monologue about
pains, aches, bad feelings, morbid sensa-
tons, as the prevailing music of the fire
side. He thinks of ever-recurring bills to
paw. He knows the chances are against
him of marrying patient to take care Of,
instead of q wife to enjoy.
Now men are as selfish as women are.
| On the whole, we think they are more SO.
The young lady who supposes ANY young