The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-07-17
snplormsn, Of pa,srnal wsalth.

The mischeyiouS, and truly American
notion, that, to enjoy respectable posi-
tion, every man must traffic, or preach, or
prnctfce, or hold an office, brings TO begga-
ry and infamy many who might have
lived, under a jaster estimate of things,
nsefuliy and happily and cuts of frem
Beedful, as well as ornamental portion
Of society. The necessity of laboring for
stlstenapce ig, indeed. the great safeguard
OF the world-thc ballast, without which
the wild passions of men would bring
communities to speedy wreck. But man
viii MT labor without motive; and sue
cessful accumulation, on the part of the
spareHt, deprives the son of this impulse
Instead, then. of vaihly contending
against laws as insurmountable as those of
physic, and attempting to driue their
children into lucrative industry, why do
not men, who have made themselyse op-
ulent, open their eyes, at once, to the
glaring fact, that the cause.-The cause it
self-wbich braced their own nerves to
the struggle for fortune, does not erist for
their offspring. The father has taken from
the son his paotiuei motive c0nfessedly
important to happiness and virtue, in the
present state of things. He is bound
therefore, by every consideration of pru-
dence and humanity, neither to attempt
to drag him forward without cheering,
animatiag principle of action-nor reck-
lessly abandon him to his own guidance !;
nor to poison him with the love of lucre
for itself; but under new circumstances,
with new prospects, at a totally different
starting place from his Own, to supply
other naotiUes-drawn from our sensibility
to reputation, from our natural desire to
know, from an enlarged view of our ca
paeities and enioyments, and more high
and liberal estimate cf our relations to
society. Fearful indeed is the respon-
sibility of leaving youth, without mental
resources, to the temptations of splendid
idleness ? Men who have not considered
this subject, while the objects of their af-
fection yet surround their table, drop no
seeds of generous sentiments, animate
them with no discourse on the beauty of
disinterestedness, the paramount value OF
the mind, and the dignity of that renown
which is the echo of illustrious actions.
Absorbed in one pursuit, their morning
precept, their midday example, their
evening moral, too often conspire to teach
a single maxim, and that in direct con-
tradiction of the incubation, so often and
50 variously repeated, at is better to gel
wisdom than gold.'' Right views, a
careful choice of agents, and the delega-
ton, betimes, of strict authority, would in
sure the object. Only let the parent fee
and the son be early taught, that, with
the command of money and leisure tC
enter ON manhood without having mas.
tered every attainable accomplishment
is more disgraceful than threadbars
garments, and We might have tht
happiness to see the inheritnrS of pa
ternal wealth less frequently, idle, igno
rant prodigals, and heart breakers, anc
more frequently, high-minded, highly
| educated young men, embellishing, i
not called to public trusts, private sta
ton.
With such class ornamenting the cir
cles of our chief cities, we should sool
see modification of claims. The AFRO,
1 SahCc vi SiiipIe wealth. HUulu SLduu I6
buked before the double title of thos,
who superadded intellectual distinction
Accomplished minds, finding the air o
fashionable. assemblies more respirable
would more frequently venture int
them. Society might be lively, variou
and intelligent-an alliance of wit, learn
ing, genius and fortune, on just apprecia
tion. Meanwhile, the higher standard o
public sentiment in relation to intellectu
al pursuits would thrill along the nerve
of literature and the arts, to thousand
who now act in the belief that money i
the true and only Kalon. With the just
recognition of mental claims, and the in
creasing honors paid to letters by tn
fesc, would follow an increase of respec
in the many. Thence would ensue rec
tilted perceptions as to mans true aims
a calmer and righter mird and a les
blind subserviency to our too .besettinI
passions.-HillEouse.