Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-03-13
coMMUNICATED.]
o TemnoraiO Mores /,

have few leisure hours which propose
10 devote to an occasional paper for the Senti-
net under the above suggestive and comprehen-
sive caption. With that circumspect and cr-
teal quality of observation which, in your
profession, is Il necessary talent, you can hard
ly have failed to note in the margin of your
editorial scrap some of the many evidences of
an inevitable tendency in the present age to
radicalism, and indeed to degeneration, and
might add, degradation itself. No one will
question that all the most sacred and valued
usages which have long given dignity and
grandeur to society, rapidly crumbling
away before this dire and pesiilential spirit of
encroachment. Where is il to end-how can
1t be arrested ?-are questions, which, as the
most obtuse and fruitless intellect in the land
cannot fail to perceive, furnish matter for the
most earnest and serious consideration.
1t has occurred to me that these questions
are to find a solution only through the means
of bold, strenuous, and invelerate system of
lecturng and fault-Gnding--a system, which
will attack in the most fierce and determined
manner, the follies and foibles of which men
are becoming more and more guilty, and ex-
pose them, if possible, in the light OF pauo-
rama. Let there be concert in the labors of
these lecturers and censors let them set TO
work in a spirit of undaunted frmness and Of
studied indifference to the threats, and pro-
n
to receive, and they will yet succeed in rescu-
ing from actual infamv and disgrace genera
ton whose destiny ought by every considera-
ton to be marked by honor and glory
This, know, Sir, is strong language but,
having set myself up for one OF these censors,
| am determined TO speak the truth. | am
aware how unenvia6le is the position / do
not expect to receive thanks from people for
telling them that they are fools; for who ever
Al. L.
sides, do not write for thanks, but for the
nation and generation to which belong, and
therefore, | repeat, | intend to use my pen
with an unsparing and untrammeled hand
The late Lord Chesterfield advised his son not
to tell every fool he met that he wdS one, lest
he should be knocked down by all his neigh
bors. shall not follow the advice of the no.
Bile Lord | shall have the fool-hardRess to
publish every one whom | know to be II fool,
and if am knocked down less than twenty
times in day, shall persist in my plan.-
Nor do write for purposes of praise or self
Qualification, and therefore, | shall leave my
name 10 the merciless curiosity and conjecture
Of old women, and indeed to that of the
younger class should the latter choose. But
let them beware, lest place them for this very
fault among those whose conduct is to receive
my severest structures. To the fair SEX how
ever, | shall promise as much indulgence rs is
compatible with the public safety" and the
accomplishment Of the great end | have in
view. But, for the good faith Of this overture,
they must agree to heed my precepts and to
amend with promptitude the cupable traits il
is my business TO expose. Sometimes, for the
want of a moro interesting topic, shall ven
ture few suggestions touching politics, but
| shall be particular to lecture no man for his
honest opinions, let them be what they may
The politics, indeed which go into my port
folio are not OF a violent and partisan charac-
ter and can safely assure all who do me the
kindness 20 peruse my papers, that ] shall
preach to them nothing on politics or any 9th
er subject, which myself shall not practice
As presumptuous as every one shall declare
me, | shall not claim to be the eIpouRder with
out being at the same time, the eTemptar OF
good morals
AS the evils Of which complain are of a
general and fear even Of an almost univer-
sal nature, it will be difficult for me to deal to
any improper extent in personalities, and let
not that common and stupid remark, al hope
you mean nothing personal, be thrnst into the
ears of every contemplate scribbler, suspect
ed as the author of these letters, because /,
who alone, am the responsible author shall
endeavor to make faithful record of all the
improDrieties it shallbe my misfortune to note
| shall not be obnoxious to the charge of per-
sonality until mention names, and when la
dies and gentlemen have become 50 far lost to
all sense of shame and self-respcct, MS to rem
der that necessary cxpedient, then, indeed,
shall have already ordered pistols and cof-
fee for two" Mr. Editor, take the liberty
TO respectfully solicit the cooperation of any
of the numerous readers Of your clever paper,
in this most philanthropic work OF didactic
consciousness, but you will readily agree with
me, that it is not work in which every pre-
~ rou = oh
brave, experienced, wel!-educated men, and
the services Of none other can be accepted.
MEDDLER.
Upon examining tie manuscript Of the above
communication our first impulse was to return
it to the author but, our naturally obliging,
accommodating disposition prevailed over our
better Judgment, and decided that the papers
of our young correspondent should be admit
ted to our columns for Disqualification of him
self and his friends. We must take the iber-
ty, however, Of reminding him, that, in the
foregoing, the surface is too clear to hide the
'.njer-current; and while we cannot but adj
NIKE the smoothess of his stream of wit, we
would kindly caution him against the snags
which lie beneath. To change the fgure--if
this effusion be fair specimen OF the series
with which be promises to favor us-he has
laid OF quite extensive field for cutiYa-
ton, where, we are inclined to suspect, there
are many stubborn roots to annoy him, and
upon one of which at least be has already I'M
Willingly stumbled.
THE MARKETS.