The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1866-04-05
Advice TO Young Men.


young men of the South are given much
sensible and holesome advice. It is taken
from the Memphis Avalanch
The dangers which beset you are SO nu-
merous and great that it behooves US to
point them out so as the more fcrcibly e1.
hibit the duties which devolve upon them.
The most of the young men of the South
have returned from a struggle of four
years, on which they hare periled all, and
in which they have lost all. Impoverished
and disappointed, they have returned to
find poverty and disappointment at home
Poverty and defeat are apt to bring des-
pondency. Necer despond! The young
men OF the South must bear with a manly
fortitude the evils that have resulted from
an unsuccessful revolution. They must be
brave and cheerful, energetic and hopeful.
They bore themselves during the unequal
contest with a manliness and courage,
which have excited the admiration of
friends and foes. Now they must not de-
spond.
No self reliant, virtuous young man was
ever known to fail. Let the young men
dare to carve out their own fortunes; to
meet the stern realities and sterner duties
OF life with an unquailing devotion to prin.
cipie. 18th no cloud ulon the brow, no
bitterness in the heart, no vindictiveness in
the spirit, let them on to the great battle
of life. They must be cheerful IN poverty,
hopeful in adversely, patient under defeat,
and firm aud selfreliant in all circumstan
ces. They must guard against sloth
ldleness is the bane of all good. the des-
troyer of all manhood. 1t paralyzes effort,
precludes exertion, prevents Improvement,
blights genius, annihilates talent, and for
bids hope. 1t fills the present with count,
less evils, and darkens the future with Wis
ions Of wretchedness and ruin. 1t is a foe
to virtue and prolific source of vice. 1t
palsies the brain, and sits an incubus on
the mind. 1t sleeps while others toll, and
languishes while others flourish. 1t sows
no seeds, cultvates no field, reaps no har-
vest. II acquires no knowledge, secures
no wealth. ct i6,t4Sss j. seductive, and
is especially so at this time. Let us urge
our young countrymen against the dangers
| OF idlencss. 1t is thought that the change
from the constant excitement of war-frem
the sword and the battle-to the tranquil
ty OF peace, is uniriendy to industry The
lack OF excitement is apt to produce apathy
and sioth. 1t will never 10 for che soldiers
OF hundred we'll fought fields for the he
roes of Manassas and Shiloh and the Will
derness, to settle down TO life of Incidence.
The battle of life requires readiness of com
blnatlon, celebrity OF movement, quick acss
and perseverance Of action But dleness
binds the man, hand and foot, heart and
brain, and so letters him with its ponder
Gus chains, that he can put forth no excr-
tion, and gain no victory either in the field
of intellect or morals, or in the countless
plains where physical labor wins bloodess
victories and gains unmeasured wealth
Our young men are the hope of our desc
late South land They must revive our
| trade, vltalize our institutions. increase our
! products, restore our prosperity and re-
build our shattered fortunes The results
OF the war have been very destructive to
! the lives of our Old men. Many of them
have been unable to survive the loss of
their children, the destruction OF their pro.
perty and the defeat of their cause. 1t is
tn our young men that we must look in
these times of disaster, and amid this al
most universal ruin We expect nothing
from idcrs and loaicrs, nothing from drones
and loungers. The young men upon whom
we place our hopes must be steady of pur-
| pose, quick OF movement, and persevering
OF labor. Go not TO l'ompeii or Iercua-
neum, not to ThebeS or Palmyra, to find
ruins but go to Charleston and Columbia,
to Richmoed and Petersburg, to Vicksburg
and Atlanta, and there listen to the ques-
ton, "Why stand ye here idle ?"
Again aur young men are in danger Of
forming habits of dissipation. Excitement
they must have. The wild adventures of
the war must be substituted by the excite.
ments of the drinking saloon or the gam
bling house. 1t is strange that any young
man will venture where Sc many have been
shipwrecked. Genius has paled and i'm
] agination has sickened under the moulder-
ing influence OF intox ication. Drunken
ness has been the shame and degradation
OF our country, the ruin and disgrace of
our young men, the curse of our old men,
and the prolific source OF tears, anguish and
death to our wives and daughters, our mat
rons and maidens, during the whole Of the
/ present century. Let not this terrible ca
lamity be added to those we already suffer.
Not less than three hundred thousand