Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-15

AM articIe on thls suBlect in the Cincinnn


withit The growth'of aluxuy which, in
the end, eneryases, f not vitiates the strength
~ andsvirtue which prevailed wheu9poverty
and dangers compelled, selfdspialsnd endu-
rance." But the most pressing evil which
the writer discovers is in the impediments
. which the extravagancs Of society threws in
. the way of early marriages and "yonhg fam
lies" We quote the Gazette's summing up;
'Thus, the e6travagance of living, now, Is q
most serious impediment to the marriage o
young mon ils ana, g mr. as thal.lmpedimenl
recent abie lectse of NJ Groesbecl on - mar. srC
riage, he did not state too strongly the
iact, tnat marriage was the only solid founda-
nO;n;sh ~ ,,,@s. soe.ss3 70 Isr as we Ill
riage, we diminish the stability of fbe whole
social system This not merely because mar
rage Is necessary to the physical growth Of
whSi c,riS ~ fSe ,ss,,el NJ ;,s, 'ne
economy oflife, and the growth Of Christian
grace"
I ave Ihighton good authority take excep-
tfons'to the assumption that wealth and lux
ury vitate the virtues Of society. If this
were'the case, we shonld, of course, find vir-
in our best society but we hardly think that
when iteonies TO this palpable application
the Gazette will stand up TO its theory. To
the wealthy as well as the poor, is the divine
promise given, GAS thy day is 80 shall thy
strength be; and if wealth brings greater
temptation, so it provides greater safeguards
8 for virtuei shielding It, as the devout Burns
y quantity said, I'm silks and godly Lace" F" and
surrounding it with all the modern improve
ments of fashionable churches, anodyne
preachers, andssfve hundred-dollar pews,
where it can be carried to the skies on flow
cry beds Of ease. To suppose that with all
these conservators of virtue, it is to become
more "vitiated" in the wealthy than in the
poor, for whom under our system fof fiaristo-
cratic and pewed churches but little provi-
sion for salvation is made, would be to doubt
the efficacy of the means of grace which
Christ brought upon earth, and which have
been so vastly improved by costly churches
and a high protective tariff, which is calcu-
lated to preserve in Heaven that selectness
which-we doubt not the Gazette will admit.
when it reflects upon it's 9the only solid
foundation of a virtuous society ~ ie,a't .
1t would impeach the wise economy of
God, to-suppose that those on.whom He be-
slows an extra portion of His earthly bounty,
must thereby have their strength and virtue
ivitiated. There certainly is no warrantsin
Scripture for this.@When Jacob secured
both the birthright and the blessing which
belonged to his brother Esau, he was much
more idevout than before, while Esan, who,
according to the Gdzette's theory, should
have received virtue and self-denial with
his destitution, was filed With an evil
spirit.s3TT3f n' II 23 j}#
Doubtless the Gazette will perceive that |
its theory "that increase of wealth causes |
decline of virtue is an imputation both upon
Providence and upon our best society-two
things for which that paper has hitherto
been supposed to have profound respect. We
hope that the impending six-cylindershas not
made the Gazette so confident in its own |
strength and facilities that it is disposed to
foregolts ancient Yeneration for wealth and |
providence. --...... ga, ...........
But the social evils which the Gazette de-
preeates from the impediInents which the |
|o'SS " SSSSJ a" 70 hntiliS - my way vi |
early marriages and young families" are
what we intended to examine. The Gazette
argues tnat extravagance should be put down,
IN order that men may marry young. A
wife, to young man who expects to push
ms way 70 better position or to eminence,
Is ABOUT the most extravagant luxury practi-
cable, and to talk OF suppressing extravaganza
to encourage early marriages, seems para
doxical.
But the Gazette says as Mr.. Groesbeck
said in his lecture on marriage; Marriage is
the only solid foundation Of a yirtuous So
ciety," because in itare embraced
the whole circle Of the natural virtues-the
Just economy or life, and the growth of
Christian grace. 20. .,., ,. .s....,..r--r
IL II had SAID that society cannot exist
without marriage it would be undeniable,
under the modern and artificial system of
morals, which does not allow the pFopaga-
ton OF the race without thatpreparation; but
TO say that marriage is the foundation of
virtue, is the same as to aver that virtue can
not exist without marriage, and places the
virtue Of all unmarried persons in society,"
especially in wealthy soeiety-under impu-
ttOn. AT pest, their virtue is, aecOrding to |