Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-02-04
ROCKVILLE, MD.
FRIDAY, :::;FEBRUARY 4, 1859
M A correspondent of the ..Ameri.

GE \ correspondent of the ''Ameri-
can Journal, of last week, over the sig
nature of "a Citi1en," writing OF the
subject Of " Progress in Morals" in
dulges in some structures upon the socie-
ty of our village, which we consider in
exceedingly bad taste, and entirely too
general Had "a Citizen" embraced in
his remarks only those who had, in his
opinion, rendered themselves censurable
for ill behavior or bad conduct, We should
have remained silent, and left for those
whom he arraigned to have defended or
excused themselves; but he seems to
assail our entire community, and stran-
ger, after perusing his article, might
infer that our people were but blasphem-
ers and inebriates, and that 70 such thing
as intelligence and refinement had rest
ing place among US. We regret exceed
ingly the publication of this communica-
ton of "a Citizen" he has certainly
seen and heard more than any one else.
He says:
"For sometime past it has beer a common
occurrence for night to be made hidcous by
the wild rabble that almost nightly infest our
streets, under the Intoxicating influences Of the
wine cup. With deep degree of regret have
we observed the rapid march Of the demon in
our prostrating the brightest intellects,
blighting the most promising hopes, and de-
grading the noblest aspirations Of youth, and
converting our once peaceful and quiet village
into DEN OF MISERY, where may be heard
even in the wee small hours of the night,
bitter excavations and blasphemings, that seem
to accord well with the wailings of the unfor-
tunate victims of the internal regions.
1t is hardly possible for all this to be
So. We reside in the most public part
of the town, and never yet have we
heard, in the "wec small hours of the
night, such blasphemy and EXPLANATIONS
as have disturbed "A Citizen" We
know that there is, occasionally, a little
jollifcation among some, (and generally
they are those who temporarily reside
among us, who feel disposed to forget,
for the time, the cares and troubles of
life, and perhaps may, in their imagined
pleasure, step beyond the bounds of pro-
priety and the good order Of society," but
even this seldom occurs, and not then to
the annoyance of many. Indeed, we
take pride in the society we live in
we have here kind and hospitablc COM
munity- moral, yirtuous and refined,
and, VIC doubt not, will compare favora-
bly, with that of any Other place. and
we would suggest to "A Citizen, in his
future communications upon this subject,
not to be so general and sweeping in his
allegations.
There is another remark Of GA Citi-
zen" which we regret even more than
the one referred to; and, if true, we
must confess that we are ignorant of what
is going on around us \ Citizen
says:
:" Our institution of learning seems to have
been perverted from its common use and in
stead of giving to the youth channel through
which to obtain knowledge, it appears at pre-
sent only asa shicld Or garJ, beneath which may
be HIDDEN ALL SORTS OF CHARACTERS, and its
purpose 10 create MINOR 4LITIES."
We had hoped for better state of af-
fairs in the Rockville Academy as we had
heard of large increase of scholars
since last year, and we can bear witness
TO their general moral behavior and good
department. We had also heard parents
express their great qualification at the
progress of their children, and we were
proud that this ancient institution Of
learning was so prosperous; but "a Citi-
zen says it has ''beon perverted from its
common use" and now serves but as a
''garb' for the vicious, and its purpose is
to 'crcate immoralities." Can this be so ?
The Trustees, to whose care The oharac-
ter Of hisinstitution has been confded.
are responsible if such state of things
do exist; and we should be pleased to
hear of their investigation Of the correct
ness of this charge, and Of their prompt
action in Kidding the school Of bad char
actcrs if they be there, or a public con-
tradiction of the charge, if found to be
untrue