Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-03-18
Gorrespandcnte.
ELLswoEru, March Sth, 1861.

Mr. SAWYER -
The general laxity Of morals in this
place demands the serious examination OF
every one to discover, if possible, the
cause and the cure.
If the cholera should appear among
US, we should rouse up to man. exam
Inc our premises to see if there was a
chance for the eontaeion, cleanse cur
streets to purify the atmosphere, and take
every precautiou to stay the fearful con-
tagion; aud be loud in Cur dcnuucations
if the Town Authorities were remiss ia
their assigned duties.
A moral cholera. more contagious in
its character, more deadly in It's effects,
calls on us more loudly, Individually and
collectively to search out its causes, and
its cure. Let u. search oar own prem
ises and see what we are doing to purity
the atmosphere let Us reusa ~ cur moral
reformrrs. Tor those who Should be so)
our ministers aud sahoa! teachers and
see if they are preparing the WY OF the
Lord, aud making his paths stfai=ht Ii
the former case, it would not be enough
that We had selected the best men We
could obtain, and paid them for Their
work, we should see that they dill IT, and
at once too. Now thi, moral miasm
that is settling upon u, is | think, the
result Of several causes, the mere imme-
diate one. are the want Of suitable teach
ers to the children, and to ourselves. in
the first place we choose a committee to
examine aud direct the school teacher,
and allow them to prolane the sacred Of
fee; then although the teachers indu-
cnce on the child is second in Importance
only to the mothers, the parcnts often
trust their children to the guidance Tor
non-gudance) Of 4 stranger; or worse,
to one they h''o1o not III and the mother
is thus left free six hours to attend to her
work the father too, has his business to
attend to, which absorbs all Of his time,
he i. therefore excused from all trouble IN
the matter. 4 Hother,s Work q Fa-
TIERS Business, God will demand a
fearful reckoning for this. Do they not
know that these same responsibilities are
the sabbath rest of the soul.
shall say nothing now Of our teachers,
for the children are Of the first import
ance, aud mothers, those who are aliye to
the subject, are enquiring anxiously what
they shall do to be saved.
beg of you for them, for us all, that
you enquire, through your paper, of our
citizens what they will do, what they can
suggest to remedy this increasing evil
am only an enquirer in this matter. If
our town meetings are necessarily so late
that the best teachers are engaged before
you can appoint man to employ them,
can you not empower your committee to
choose the teachers and thus secure the
best teachers for series of years
Want of good schools is the root, or one
of the roots of this evil and it is to them
we are to look for the citizens that are
demanded of US for the next generation.
In the late instance OF crime, in our
iittle community, the guilt Of the boys,
the grief of the parents. and the noble
conduct of the father in having his son
brought to justice. for his own rcelama-
tion, and perhaps the salvation Of others,
moved me as | was never moved before.
have larger hope in humanity, bet
ter belief in Heroism, aud a frmer faith
in God.
Do excuse me for writing This to you.
! feel now like man who is allowed ten
minutes to say what could not be said in
a three hours speech, and that ! have
o,errun my time, and should be called to
order. WILL WIsHER.