Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-01-26
Terms--Three Dollars per year.
....-.. f..s For the CnnoSIcLE
These Hands Were Never Made to
rF Work." - tf'ii
N U NJ B Z r IL.

etl. M B X III. teal .tils I-tf
This is no fancy sketch, but lamentablc truth.
The consequence is that the dignity of human
labor has been pulled down, and used as foot
ball hence, we everywhere find young men shun-
ing the mechanic arts, the manufactory and the
plough, as they would avoid pest-house filed
with smallpox. And hence, too we meet with
idleness walking abroad at noon day-without any
laudable excuse or fixed purpose and exclaiming,
Obi wrethed man that am, who shall deliver me,
for "thesc hands were never made to work., This
influence has been transmitted from generation to
generation, until 1t has become as il were, an in-
herent principles part of our very nature. !, !
1t has crowded the narrow paths leading 70 the
3learned tho much abused) professions" with a
dense mass Of adventurer, pressing on with
alacrity, but like all crowds composed Of
all grades Of. intellect--some.h with the
highest order of talent polished by cducation,
others with little education, or wholly iliiterate.
That all should arrive at the seats Of learning Is
not wonderful; but that 60 many should be re-
turned with the blessing of their preeeptors, bid
ding them God-speed among the people, is truly
astonishing. o' .,','''.. .,',..r,..,.e .
The empty professions of law, medicine, divini-
ty &c, are cloaks more easily put on than that Of
any other pursuit in life. It hides from public gaze
the moral and intellectual defects Of its professor
while it. carries him through the crowd as though
he were Solomon or a Solon. The novice in
theology pours forth torrents Of fire and birthstone
upon the heads Of his devoted congregation, up
holding his assumed prerogative derivations from
the Greek-an unknown language to the multi
tude. "7oss a,on dionos." Others talk of Escula-
Plus, of Hunter, of Rush., and, it may be, of
Schmitteau. OF Blackstone, Bacon, Kent and
Chitty, and the masses are astounded and be-
wildered at their transcendeht learning and open
to them the gates which secures an undisputed
passport through all the avenues of polite social
life. So wags the world. We do not expect to
reform IT, but to amuse ourself by shooting at folly
as it flies. On the other hand it requires a large
share Of native talent, and years of mental and
bodily labor to become proficient in the mechanic
arts. No cloak can cover his botch work. 1t 10
like unto city set upon an hill, which cannot be
hid, seen. and known Of all men, and cannot be re-
hoNcu uhei ~ ueSuy
1t is o strange anomaly in our nature or educa-
ton that we behold the stately and magnificent
ship coming into port walking the waters like n
thing of life, and while every beholder is filed
with pride and an extacy Of delight at the impos-
ing spectacle, yet the men who brought it into ex
istence are unknown to fame; because, 'their
hands rers made to work. The splendid mansion
with its gorgeous furniture is the pride and boast
Of its rich and lordly possessor yet the men whose
genius planned, and whose strength and industry
reared it, are expected by the occupant 70 make
servile obeisance to his more fortunate and digni
fed position. And why Because their hands
rere made to work. '0 '''a - N''' ."
| Yet we are proud to know, that there are those
who do comprehend this matter in its true light
men who exercise their reasoning faculties prompt
ed by common sense-know that it is not the pro.
fession or avocaton that sheds a halo around the
man, but that moral worth and talent sheds bril-
liant luser on the occupation, If it be laudable
one. Talent is dispensed by the Creator to the
creature, according 10 his will and pleasure, and
without respect to- persons. !, is to be found on
the shoemaker's bench and in the Court of Kings
bench. In the poorman's lowly cabin and in the
palatial mansion of the rich or it may be wanting
in either all of them. 1t it is the free gift from
to God, whomsoever he pleaseth to bestow it, and
who dare deny it, or even gainsay it, -
Iha,s thus far, been wandering through the
labrynths Of my subject and now return TO the
main track. 1t bas been asserted that Clarksville
can not become populous and thriving city until
manufacturing Is established and successfully
maintained This is certainly the true Iosition.--
endorse every word it. While it is also true, thai
we need professional men, merchants &C., &c.
to constitute grand whole, The latter, from tht
nature Of things, need no fosterng-they will al
ways take of themselves and preserve, in tact
their maximum number, OF that which is adequats
To the wants or necessities Of the community.
have been advocating Southern manufactures thco
retcally and practically, for more than quarter o.
a century past but, at this day, find that we ART
far in the rear of adverse public Opinion-tha
mighty engine which exercises supreme control
which prostrs,es and crushes out everything tina
dare oppose 1t, and to avoid such catastrophe, ",
are forced to step aside, behold and wonder full,
ICDnNlnceu, ny rcusOns hltchuy huuuctui anu ioi
existing circumstances, that home manufacturing
las il should be, in Clarksville and in the eniir'
South, is an utter impractieabiiy, and its ad
vocaey by few individuals without concentration
Of purpose, Is futile. But admit that mannfacio
ries were now built, with all the requisite ma
chinery and raw material at hand, a large numbe
of competent wprkmen must be inaugprated be
! fore active operations could be commenced. asl
J where are so many to be ob,ained2 Your answe
is, no doubt, from abroad doubt the policy O
profit of that idea for men, whose feelings ar
not with us, socially or otherwise, have no sym
palhy with us whatever, and the wooden horse
} ofea Let in nnawares and apart from this contu
gency, 1t would be world wide reflection on ou
past social system But as This particular point
a delicate one, beyond the comprehension or a(
justment by my humble abilities I leave ii f
: wiser heads to solve OBSERVER.
H.. l.. at..t