Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-06-26
Slander.

Thou shalt not bear false witness u,
gainst thy neghbor," is a divine com
mand, but alas how many violate the
sacred injunction. Slander has flourish.
ed IN all ages, and is as rank and hideous
now AS when the commandment was
written. 1t is TO be met with in the bust.
ness and political world, in the social cir
Gle. and in al, places where men and wo-
men do congregate. II is rolled like a
sweet morsal under the tongue, and
makes its murderous attacks upon the
reputation OF its victims, who may be
counted by thousands. There is in every
community large class of vipers who are
constantly engaged in hurting up or
smelling out something which may be
turned to the injury of the innocent and
ursuspecting. There is the low and vul-
gar sland ,rer, and the insinnating mon
sters who are never 50 happy as when
some new davelOpement is made which
unlayorably affects the character or repu>
taton of their acquaiutances. They hur-
ry to and fro, retailing their scancals with
embellishments, so as 10 make them tell
against their unfortunate victims. more
especially if their victim be woman A
good-looking woman is suie to call down
upon her head the envy OF her sex, be-
sides having to encounter the wicked de-
signs OF the male portion OF the commu-
nifty. Let her do what she will, her path
is beset with snares. Every libertine is on
hor track to ruin her, and if he be repuls-
ed in his hellish designs, he becomes her
enemy, and his vile tongue is set in mo-
ton to deIame her character If she be
open and frank in her doportment she
has TO run the gauntlet of her less comey
and agreeable aoquaitances of the female
sex, and the way they apply the lash of
deraction is caution to those who listen
to their yituperation. This is particular.
ly the case when lady has no father,
husband or brother to defcpd her. If she
be poor and obliged to earn her livelihood
by her ir irdustry, everybody seems to
think she is public property. IL she 20
| forth morning, noon or night to her oc,
cupaton, she is subject to the coarse and
vulgar remarks OF brutes in human forms
with whom she comes III contact or the
streets or in the public conveyances. =
The more fortunate of her sex, who have
good home and somebody to support
them in case and idleness, turn up thei:
aristocratic noses at the poor shop girl
and frequently indulge in maliciou,
! fling TO the effect hat she is no better
lhap she ought to be. If We follow tliesl
naughty paragons of virtue and innocence
who have such holy horror of the poo
shop girl, we shall probably find the,
sprang from nothing, though now the,
may be tho leaders in some fashionabl,
church. preside at sewing circles, and are
interested in sending the Bible to the
Hottentots. They visit Orphan Asylum
and encourage the good work by thei
sanctmoDious presence, though their con
tributions generally amount TO half ;
dime. Their time is usually spent in Wis
iting their neighbors where they slandel
and vilify some acquaintance who doe,
not come up to their standard of virtue
and hIorality. They turn the cold sboul
der 10 their less fortunate sisters who are
struggling against poverty, and crowt
them down instead OF lending helping
hand to elevate them in society. They
seem TO imagine that they will becom,
impure if they will associate with hos,
who are less favored than themselves, ant
who are exerting themselves 10 get al
honest living. In this wicked and abom
Unable policy they are assisted bv the un
principled ot the mae ssr, who are al
ways ready to say unkind things OF tn