The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-07-20
Ne 49.

er gave the vanity of the English aristocracy
harder or more telling thrust than when he
described England as nation of shop keep
ers," The singing point lay in the fact that
what the military man said WAS. is and ever
must be, true. The strength of England lies
and has ever lain in her trade. Take away
that and she would dissolve away into moth
ing quick as the changes in panoramic show.
One would suppose, therefore, that instead Of
being ashamed Of trade, her chief men, her
s'learned seigniors." and doctors, whether of
politics, laws or divinity, would take pride in
that which they must know is the very corner
stone OF ''all their greatness" This is far
from being the case, however; and every spng
! of nobility appears to regard contact with shop
keeping as social plague, badge of disgrace.
In q recent debate upon the India bill, as to
terms of the admission Of cadets into the army,
lord Ellenborough took occasion TO sneer at the
''rich grocers and linen drapers," meaning
thereby the whole commercial class, as quite
unworthy to be allowed to come into compe-
tition at all with the professional classes" and
the elegant droncs of society who consume but
do nothing to create. Speaking Of the infu-
! ence of the institutions in which the children Of
the more veal hy tradesmen receive their edu-
cation in comparison with that brought to bear
upon the children Of the professional classes"
at home, his lordship went on to say:
'But the education obtained in these cram.
ming colleges is not the highest species OF edu-
cation that which is attained at home by the
example and conversation of good parents is
by far the highest. You cannot compare for
moment the education which the sons Of
cergymen and officers get, with education OBJ
tanned by the sons of rich grocerS and linen
drapers, who will be successful in these COM
petitive examinations. Depend upon it. this
is great and most in furious social revolution"
Such sentiment uttered in this country
would fully entitle the speaker to a leather me-
dal and an extra pair of long ears. Even in
England the facts sTe against him. Many of
the most cultivated and vigorous minds that
England has ever produced, who have aGvan-
ced her fame, her national prosperity, and ex.
alted her literature, have sprung from thoss
same shop keeping people. Sir Robert Peel.
the greatest English statesman of modern times,
was trader and the son OF trader Golden
and Bright are traders; Macaulay is the son
of one of those whom his t1unkeyship would ex.
clude even from the right to compete on equal
terms with the pet classes. Grote, the best
historian of Greece. is engaged in mercantile
pursuits; so was Rogers. the poet; Wakley.
| the chief thunterer Of the London Times. and
indeed the most vigorous pushing minds of
the kingdom, have sprung from the same class.
When lord Eenborough shows himself COM
petent to approach the shadow OF Macauay or
to write leader in the London Times, it will
be quite time enough for him to sneer at "rlch
grocers and linen drapers."
But his sneer suggests an important thought
! for the thousands OF American merchants of
every kind and degree What is the influence
of the merchants freside in this country
! Amid the whirl and bustle which the intense
activity of American minds engender, is not the
| freside in this country in. some danger Of being
overlooked, forgotten? Is it not already ne
elected to degree that bodies no good to the
country? The anecdote Of New York lady
who congratulated her husband upon the failure
Of the chief part of his business during The late
crisis. because he would thereby "have time to
become acquainted with his family" put the
matter in a strong light. 1t may have been,
and doubtless was, Joke, but there is many
a truth thus told, and we doubt if there are not
many merchants and business men in all our
! rye cities who. if not unacquainted with their
families, at least scarcely know what the true
and full significance of home is. Their lives
pass in perpetual and exhaustng struggle,
leaves them rot a moment, or scarcely theepow-
er, to think of any thing else. Is there any
sense or philosophy in this? Shall man make
himself mere drudge, verltabIe packhorse,
and allow himself TO be constantly spurred and
booted on for-what? If he takes salts
faction. as he goes along, cui bono What is
the effect upon his family and children? viii
they rise up to call him blessed even if he leaves
them ga fortune" whatever that may mean.
and at the same time by his neglect leave them
nothing else worth naming! How long will
the said fortune last? Witness the prodigali
tv, prohigacy, and speedy descent into the
,, shades of poverty and degradation which the
sons and daughters of mutitudes OF men in
this country who have made themselves miSer.
able all their lives for the sole purpose Of ma
king these same sons and daughters rich, un-
der the fallacous idea that with wealth left to
them they could want nothing else. This has
been so often shown by the stern facts of prae~
tical life to be mere chmera, that 1t is abou:
time for so suicidal course TO be abandoned
: for one that promises better, more rational
e results It is an ignis fatuus whose dim, false.
: Pickering light leads its victim far into track
: less and inexricabiy labyrinths Of darkness and
destruction.
The real truth is, the American home is ous
Il greatest, most sacred, most influential lnstltu-
u ton and the American husband and father
ought to devote to it a degree of attention, Of
Il time, of care, commensurate to its intrlslc va
ue lis certain and lasting power Whatever
leads man TO regard his horne as of seconda
Il ry Importance will not only detract from tht
: sum total of his happiness and the happiness
J. Of his family, present as well as in the future
II but it will recoi at last upon the real good. tbt
o true greatness and honorable elevation of hi
country. II is the aggregated condition OF al
its homes which constitutes the real condition
J Of the republic at large. If these are refined
IS educated united affectonate, that cannot bt
t. other than exalted and safe. The country vii
n reflect the brilliant and chastened hues of it
rs many homes, or exhibit their ignorance. the
S. degradation, and the withrring and lasting
le curses which they will inhict upon it.
$ Let patriots, countrymen and lovers look t
IS their homes as they regard their own happi
ness and fair names, and whatever there ma,
m be of the beautiful and good upon earth t
challenge their admiration, their affection An,
. their devotion. N. 0. Bulletin.
= = I, n