The colored Tennessean., 1865-10-14
HOME TH0uGHTs FOR HOME PERUSAL.
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VI M a~ NO. vi.
PURE MORALITY

Protracted wars have always de-
veloped the bad as well as the good
passions of men. History tells us
that Greece, at no time in her exist
ence, had q more brilliant array Of
poets, painters, and orators, than
during those periods when she was
plunging amid the surges Of civil
war And, we are also informed that
at no time was that nation more vi
cious and profiigate than when the
arts and sciences fourished most; a
viciousness and profigacy all the
more seductive and dangerous, be-
cause gilded with refinement and pat
ronized by the aristocracy of the
country. The same may be said with
regard to the past four years. history
Of our own country. Our civil war
has brought to light more genuine
specimens Of painting, poetry and
oratory, than have frightened any
former period Of our nations his
tory. A romantic interest attaches
to every battlefield, furnishing a
theme for the poet, the novelist and
the orator To turn to the darker
side, the moral status Of the country
never was lower than at the present
time Avarice, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and
kindred vices have corrupted society
and depressed our standard of virtue
Greed of gain has led men to sacrifice
their sense Of honor, and to prosti-
tute their talents to the acquisition Of
ill-gotten wealth. Strictly honest
dealing between man and man, is not
now regarded as law of justice.
The idea seems to prevail, that the
country is in a commotion anyhow,
and that some must go up, if others
do 60 down H
One of the saddest and most de
plorable outgrowths of the war, is
lessening Of regard for the sacredness
of female virtue. The separation of
families and the rupture Of family re-
lations, brought about by the strife
and .commotion in the land, have
tended to make olltcasts from society
and to fill houses of ill-fame Our
ministers of the gospel and the press
of our country, have been grossly
derelict in their duty, in that they
have not spoken out more plainly in
regard to these matters Ill-turned
jests and coarse witticisms on
''nymphs da pave'' and handsome
cyprians," themes specially delighted
in by local reporters, would much
better be dispensed with, and sound
rebukes and plain advice given in
their stead. The grand difficulty that
men of upright moral principle and
moral virtue have to meet in endeay-
oring to call back the wandering and
erring TO sense Of shame, is, that
laxity of morals peryades the higher
grades of society as well as the lower
grades; and men of standing and
influence lend their countenance and
even patronage, to the most degrad-
ing vices. -t 5..s fa-nf
Nor is this looseness Of virtue
that stalks our thoroughfares and,
with corpse-like touch, chills our
moral sensibilities, confined to any
race or color. All are cursed with it
alike. The alarming increase Of the
number Of victims sacrificed to the
vice Of prostitution, is enough to
make one turn pale with horror
Evidences Of the fact meet you on
every hand. The streets of our cit
les are filed, day and night, with pale,
death like phantoms, whose faded |
lineaments of what was once pure
womanhood, only serve to remind us
of the depth of degradation to which |
they have fallen. Can one do else
than pity them? They are deserving |
Of pity; poor painted and whitened
who, if there is but a
spark Of woman's finer being remain
ing in them, surely curse their own
existence and wish themselves A
Anywhere, anywhere, r
Out Of the world"
The colored people, to make spe-
,ial reference to them, must become
enlightened and Intelligent.
They must be more: they must have
IN abiding horror for those vices that /
ill both soul and body. u w. i
Nashville, Oct. Is, 1866. - II
RACES ON MONDAY NEXT. L
On Monday next, October 18th,
he races Of the Nashville Blood |
Iorsn Association will commence at