The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-09-18
Embryo Rumanism.

That childhood end youth ought to &c
characterized by innocence ard honesty 10
one will deny. BIT haI 'tirk ,p per-
can pass along our streets firm day to da,
without having the conviction forced upon
him-noltns rolens- that if the doctrine of
total depravity is taught practically and forci-
bly, by any class of living epistles, If is BY
the boys between the ages of eight and four
teen. Prominent in all kinds of cruelty, ex-
perleneing j"v estate if they can embitter,
even though N >antarily, the existence of
either quadruped or biped, disregarding all
rights of private prorer:y and lawful domain,
exulting in the wanion destruction of choice
plants, shrubs on trees, reaping rich har-
vest of enjoyment if tie beauty of some build
ns or fence. ce- be marred or defaced; in
short, doing that they ought not, and
leaving r"do. = ...i hat they ought to do, it
becomes q les;;on vitality serious and prac-
teal, wha: shall We do with our bows We
remember t':e maxim taught US il. the mr.
sery and In pressed UPON US at every turn in
life, As the twig is bent SO is the tree inclin-
ed" and We invcluntarily shudGer as We
think what gnarle1 and distorted trunks,
what shapeless and unseemly branches, what
loathsome and unsigh,ly foliage the natural
growth of years will develop from these hu-
man twigs that surround Us now upon every
side. These boys of to day, who disgust
every well-meaning and sober-minded person
by their ill-manners, their lack of personal
responsibility, their profsnity, and their gen.
eral degradation of character, are in a few
years to be men, voters and citizens, and the
interests aud destinies of our country are to
be largely influenced if not controlled by
them. II was Just such boys, in propria
persOnas, and such boys developed into men
in shape and brutes in feeling who demons
trated to US few weeks ago that the legiti-
mate results of street education were the
sacking of private dwellings and the fendish
destruction of works of public charity, the
robbing of all whose appearance invited
plunder, and the unprovoked murder of scores
of quiet and honest laborers.
Shall We not heed the lesson SO foreibly
taught US during the recent reign Of terror in
the metropolis Of America, and begin to re-
alize that if We always take care of the boys
the men will be better enabled TO take care
of themselves We cannot escape the re-
sponsibility Of the care and education of those
who grow up in our midst, and if We sow to
to the winds We must, in the time of harvest,
reap the whirlwind. There is not citizen
amongst US who does not nave direct and
personal interest in this matter, for the city
si.cse growth and prosperity we have so ten
d d-rly watched over, and the persons and in
terests dearer TO US than our OWE poor lives
We must soon leave in other hands. Shall
those hands be taught TO administer the ten
der Clarifies of civilized life, or shall they al
ways be raised With fiendish maiignity for the
overthrow OF ali that ;s pure and good?
Let parents who have always been careful
oi The education of their children redou5le
sir watchfulness over their llaaners and
habits, Cor the ma lituie of The interests
meTi.i and demands il; let those who have
MET The responssnnIiits of parents in a halt
ing and shrinking manner, bethinh themsel-
yes of their position and aim at a Just dis
charge of the dures >iod has placed upon
them. and let the benevolent and philanthro-
pic endeavor by systematic and persistent
efior' to care for those 'Tho are without care,
and furnish ta' and parental regard to
those whom I -umstanoes of birth or the
neglect :. natural guardians have left the
tender mercles of an education in the public
stres -s.-Springri,I IG R.pn5iicm.