Daily national Democrat., 1858-10-30
MOUNTAIN CORRESPONDENCE.
La PORTE. Oct. 9th.

LA PORTE, Oct. 27th.
EDITOR DENocRAT:-Is it not a lamenta-
bic thing to hear of, and see so often the sa-
cred quietude of the husbands home intruded
upon, and laid waste by the audacious and
unprincipled libertines? Every man is sup
posed to be possessed of moral character and
volitive power to an extent sufficient to gov
ern and dssuade him from the commission OF
acts that poison with jealousy and unhappi-
ness the domestic sanctuary of husband and
wife, and environ it with distress and shame,
1t has often been remarked, and it is
thought by many, that in California the pres
ence and influence of women has had an
equal tendency to demoralize, as well as
to strengthen the morals of society and of
men. But l am not willing to admit this as
a truth to which no exceptions can be taken,
or discrimination made that would not tend
to ednce praiseworthy balance of merit to
be placed to the credit of the fair and tender
daughters of the State
In all ages, and in all countries and nations
man owes his advancement in civilization TO
the moral and healthful influence of woman
This cannot be denied-past history, and the
acts of to day verify it as a truth.
What task will the school-bOy not accom-
plish when prompted to exertion by the ad
vice and encouragement of an affectionate
noble and moralminded mother2 What
herculean task will not the strong g-hearted
man attempt Or accomplish, but to augment
his claims to the favor of the fair, or to the
lady of his hearts love and souls admiration?
The following may seem irrelative to the
foregoing, but as a proof the tremendous in
l1uence the feminine has over themasculine,
an illustration is necessary.
Your correspondent, in company with a
lovely virgin in a romantic part of the coun-
try, not long since, attempted to jump ditch
some eleven feet wide, for the purpose of
plucking a white lily, to place in her small,
white hand "but ere he reached the point
proposed" he fell headlong into the cold and
muddy liquid-some five feet deep-and
came as near being drowned as he has any
recollection of ever having been before. You
ask, "Did he fail Did he not get the lily ?"
He did and waded back and placedit spot
less, in the virgins hand and as reward
for his gallant exploit, she reached him both
her little hands to help p him out again; when
he was safe, she laughed until the tears came
and said, ooh Pm sorry you got so wet !"
1t was enongh-dear creature Would he
have done this in any other country? Not
likely. Why did he do SC ? For love Not
ior matrimonial love, but out o. love for the
feminine sex. Why should he enact so tre-
mendous an exploit in this country, and not
do the same in another2 From the simple
fact that the feminine race is morce scarce,
and more precarious in disposition, from the
fact of this scarcity; and an awful effort is
required to hold a worth estimate in this
consideration But these awful, seductive,
and infatuating efforts, should not be so often
and so freely extended to those who are un-
der matrimonial bonds, for they are, in most
cases, too apt to clash with the rights, hap
piness and well-being of the husband. A
consistent and temperate degree of gallantry
towards the married lady is commendable
but when it is laid on injuriously heavy, it
shows deplopable want of moral character
in the masculine animal 1t is true, that the
fascinating department of married ladies in
our country often overcomes the moral sta
bility of the purest and best-minded men,
and, very often, too, without being aware of
it; and in such cases, it is wrong-base, in