Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1858-10-30
RespectahIe Society.

but merely that his circle of inmates
were not composed of The fashionable or
| The rich.
This notion of what constitutes respee-
table society is quite lavorite one with
that class of individuals whom Thackery
has so significantly called "snobs," Emp
~ pretence always making lis own char.
aclerislics standard by which it strives
- measure the IespeclabIliIy Of persons al
large. In community of mere money
gellers, wealth is The test Of respectable
-. Among the proud, narrow minded,
effected nobility Of the Faubourg ST. Ger
main, respeclabilly depends upon being
decendents from ancestors who have mar
ried their cousins for so many centuries
that neilEer muscles nor brains are left
any longer 10 degenerate decendenls.
With the dandy officers who constitute a
considerable portion Of The American Ma
w, responsibilities consist in having
sponged Uncle SAM" in wearing gilr
buttons, and in jilrng tslors. Every
conceited fool thinks himself, in like way,
the only man really of weight, the only
person who is respectable.
But true respectabilily depends on no
such adventurous circumstances. 10 be
respectable is to be worthy ofrespect; and
he deserves respect who has most virtue.
The humbest man who bravely does his
duty is more worthy Of respecl, is more
truly respectable, than the covelous mA
lionaire among his money bags, or the ar
rogant monarch upon his throne. The
fine lady who backbies her neighbor is
washerwomsn. The prohsgaIe noble,
though he may wear dozen orders al
his button hole, he is not often really as
respectable as the shoe-black who cleans
his boots. That which is called "lhe
world" exats the one and desplses the
o:her, but il does no. make them respee.
table according TO the real meaning Of
that word. Their rsspeclabilily is but
hollow shame, as lhey themselves fre-
quenIly feel; and those who worship them
bow down 10 Fetish, thing of iealh-
ers and lnsel. The selfish idle Grone,
who wastes life in his own qualification,
ane dissipales the fortune of his progeny,
is not and cannot be respectable; but the
hard working, self-denyng father, who
wears out his lie TO bling up his children
is, though he be day laborer. Nothing
can make Dives fiji to lay on Abraham's
bNsom while Lasarus is welcomed there
even with the sores the dogs have lick
ed.
The false view of life, which would
measure respeclabllity by conventional
standard, is totally at variance with our
republican institutions. 1t creates an
emporium in imPerlo," for while The law
declares all citizens equal. il erects a so.
cial standard which endeavors TO ignore
that great truth. The coarse, british.
knsvish, proAagae criminal-in short. all
who fall short OF their duty 10 themselves
and their fellow men-are those who are
not "respeciable;" and this, whether they
are poor. While those who live honest
ly, and strive TO do what good they can.
constitute in reality the respectable class,
irrespective Of the fact whether they eat
with silver forks or STEEL ones.
Later from the far West-Bahls be.
tween the U. s. Troops and Canaan.
cheS-the Dead and U0unded.
ST. LOUIS, Oci. l9.-Inlelligence
reached the city on Saturday last, of a
desperate battle between the U. S. troops
and Csmsnches, near The Wichita Viii