Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-10-24
FAMILY TIES THE LIFE OF
NATIONS.

SO4lkAy " cNAARahAA@S ~
philosophy, there is m great truth which
he has made the basis Of all politics and
social ideas, and into which all other theo-
ries mus, flow, and by which they must
be tested. Il is this: that the family "
the social unit; not the man alone. as the
head of the family not man or woman
separately; not the children as the hope OF
the future, but the man, his wife, and tho
children of their union form the social
unit. For the good and the promotion
Of family prosperity, all Governments and
other powers and forces Of the social state
exist, whether political, intellectual or re-
lisious. I, is true that Compile did not
frst discover this. 1t formed the basis Of
the religion Of Abraham and the whole
Jewish system. The Chinese Govern
msn,, the best preserved Of the ancient
system, is based professedly on this prin-
ciple. and now seems falling into decay
through the practical neglect and subver-
SION Of it. The most ancient Of the Vedas
were written at 4 period Of Indian history
so ancient that family religion and wor-
ship were the highest known, and before
temples and caste had begun to grow.
This great principle lies at the basis Of
all true social relations; i. O., that they all
are valuable exactly in proportion as they
promote the growth and the prosperity OF
the creates, number Of families side by
side; a republic Of such, with equal pro-
lection TO all in the enjoyment Of their
rights and liberties. All the right Of prop
rrty exist, for the family, according to the
views Of some Of the ~protoundest lawyers
and thinkers, and the great ends Of gov
eminent may therefore all DO summed up
in the protection Of all the persons and
property Of the State. The great sourcs
OF corruption in the governments Of tho
Old World il that some inferior institution
has become idolizsd, and interferes with
the protection Of this higher, highest law
Of all earthly institutions. In Greece,
ancisntly, when the few free men held all
the rest as slaves, and, stepped in wealth
and luxury, sramplsd on the family ties,
decay followed. The greatness Of military
power, riches and glory, swallowed up
everything else in Rome, finally proved
fatal TO family ties and virtues, and de-
stroysd the Roman Empire.
The feudalism Of tho dark ages became
inimical to family virtue and family ties,
a. the condition Of the French mobiles to
the time OF the revolution showed, and it
therefore fell. In England family rela-
tons have been better preserved and fos-
tered among the middle classes. and they
have fourish.d, but both birth and wealth
have created an arissocrscy that enables
the few to srample on the family ties OF
the lower orders. These are kept by low
wages so poor that they cannot rise, can
not support 4 family in many Of the farm
Ing and manufacturing districts, and the
laws made by the rich alone favor this
state OF things; the rich get richer and
the poor poorer. So long as nations re-
main free, and without too wide distInc-
tons between rich and poor, they become
rir.uous and prosperous, and increase rap
idly. But the very increase, Of riches
concentrating into the hands Of the few,
is unfrisndly 10 the family life Of the many,
unless the dangers are toresesn aad pro-
yidsd against by careful training and cor
rect public opinion. In Europe troops Of
servants are kept in cslibscy to wait upon
the rich, unable to form family ties Of
their own.
This sudden accumulation Of wealth is
the greatest danger we have to fear, and
the loss OF our republican simplicity Of
manners and purity Of morals. In cities
wealth becomes concentrated in larger
fortunes and the separation Of the ex-
.remes Of society increases. In just that
proportion the number Of marriage, de-
crease. Business life and club life, and
political life, and the life Of pleasure, over
shadow the quiesor happiness of the fam
lily, and perver. the social life Of the peo-
pie. The pleasures that can DO partaksn
Of by the whole family together are the
most valuable, and those that cannot be
thus enjoyed, with few exceptions, are Of
very questionable utility or morality.