Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-17
ICoMMUSIcATEo.
The Follies of American Society.

Ert,ucts ,fom a Paper real bcto'e me -n'"-
dlcJmy. Virginia, Lyceum, by j. NJ. Nc
Weigh, Esq.
acknowledge is powcrw But alas! O"r
people. at the present day, declare, By their
acts. wealth and fashion to be power! AS Il
proof of 1.-THE inevitable result OF such
folly is even now upon us--we are to great
extent powerlcss. \ truth is it, indeed, that
of all people that have ever lived the
".tmericans have the greatest skill to accu-
muatc, and the least power to enjoy" AS
this great heaIlong, rushing after wealth in
this country is one of its leading follies, let
us inquire. why is it so much coveted: VIII
any one dare say that here in our abundant
" blessed America, tits 81 eagerly sought al.
ter to escape starvation, or to supply any real
want? Most asSurcdly not What then!
shuldcr to say it, vet it is true, It's coveted
us IA means of power, distinction and supe-
rioritv. 1t is considered the only true no
bilitv and hence naturally follows such q
passion for display and fashion. Worse still.
to such state has our society attained, that
large portion are content with the mere re-
putation for wealth. \ most deplorably
ignoblc condition. indeed. is this.
Fierce Democrats rs the Americans pre-
tent 10 bc. there is no country i'll the world
where mere wealth is treated with such
marked attention. 1t is not the man, It's
his money that invites and secures our re-
gard and esteem.
And then. too. n soon ~ wealth is acqulr-
ed. how wonderfully curious we become In
tracing our pcdigrccS, rs though 1t were not
| infinitely more honorable 70 rear family
| whose corner stone" is merit than transfer
fame ingloriously acquired by others
What has brought upon this people WITHIN
the last few years such pccuniary distress
Surely the solving of this question claims
our attention, inasmuch, as it has become
the universal subject of thought and CONVEX
saton. The icaiiRy cause of the great crash
in financial and commercial matters in this
country so recently, all must admit to have
been the reckless extravaganza and want OF
economy on the part of American Society,
which is our most prominent fault, and the
one with which shall have most to do.
Alas. what are we ~ 4 people, as a gorern-
ment, in contrast with our primitive integrity
and purity? That we hire dcgenerated all
must admit 1t is true, also, that it is in the
nature of governments to grow corrupt
Those who have power irW and do abuse 1t,
and it is powerfully and torcibly exempli6ed
ut this time in our own beloved America
Intrigue and management are now the order
Of the day-the voice Of the people Is less
and less heard in our Legislative llalls-our
Legislators are only manGuvering for the
perpetuation of party power and wasting
our national wealth. They are drunk with
the burning scent Of place and power" As
it was, and is with our govcrnment-so it
was and j. with the American people. When
| the government WAS economical and wholly
pure, So MAS it with society. Now that the
government has become wastetul and extray-
ayant, 50 have the people-the two combined
enough in all conscience, to embarrass ana
dcprc>S any people or nation.
But the reckless extravaganza OF Amerl-
can Society, and the universal vice Of Amer.
lean character, which is, living beyond its
means. cannot be more forcbly portrayed
than by glance at the Custom Houses of
| this country. which annually tell u tale that
OUGHT to and does astonisll the world. |
| have no doubt but that the lorei gn luxuries
| that ARE consumed among Us cause many In
this Republican country 10 imagine them
selves kings and princes, when alas how
soon is it they realize they are but the fast
victims of their exorbitant desires" Go to
the Saloons, and many very many, Of the
private residences of New York, Boston,
philadelphia. and other Of our cities, and
YOU will behold them adorned with 0rna-
ments too expensive for palaces i'll Europe,
the increased and Increasing demand for
which has caused France to enlarge her APP
paratus for their manufacture. Alas. how
| true. in the language of ioung-'Gold gilt
terS most where virtue shines no more
The article Of Silks alone has been impor-
| ted to the amount of Onr-sirh Of our coun-
| try's EyportS. Can anything be more inju-
rous in its tendency, than such an example!
| | do not wish to bc understood rs disapprov-
ing wealth when honestly acquired-but it
is the way in which it is used, that
condemm-and argue the injurious intiu-
rnre such use Of it has upon society. Some
will grccliiy exclaim, "all right'--ior the
cXtrayaganccS of the rich support the poor.
True is it. this is palliati"n for them, but
not applicable to our case for the luxurles
in which we indulge are the productions OF
toirign Mior. What becomes Of the mil
| lions and millions Of dollars sent out Of this
country for silks and jcwclry? 1t goes to
sustain Italy and France, and to build up
the mighty cities of Paris and London
And too, by such proceedings, the basis is
withdrawn from our paper currency-therc-
by producing war between our people and the
| banks-sulcI the inevitable consequence we
have 80 recently seen and felt. Politicians
may dcclam AS they will about government
measures and the necessity Of her doing
something to prevent, if possible, the like
again. Exact whatsoever preventive she
may-yct resolute determination OH the
part Of the people to persist in and continue
their devotion 10 fashion and extravaganza,
must and will result in utter ruin. 1t never
can be better 50 long Is such disposition
amongst our society prevails. Blest as we
are with soil unsurpassed, and with an al
most perfection Of the mechanical arts, yet
it is impossible for this or any nation to
stand such cxtravagant habits. y man
whose income is ten thousand dollars per
annum. can with the greatest ease spend
twenty. \ few jewels, II few shawls, and en-
tcrtlinmemts as ut present, INDUCED H.,
will soon swallow it, and end in bankruptcy.
God has 50 ordained it, that all of the ncccs-
sarics and comforts of life are abundant and
within the means Of all. They have Il fixed,
permanent value, known to all, and If pep
] L .l,nr d,