The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-10-05
irrelerence of American Youth.


In his address before the Old School
Presbyterian General Assembly at St
Louis, on the combinations attitude
of Louisville Presbytery, Rev DR..
Thomas made the following allusion
to the alleged prevailing contempt for
authority:
The great want Of our age, sir, is a
spirit Of obedience to law; of rever-
ence for constituted aud legitimate au-
thority; Of respect for those who ex-
ercise authority, whether in the fam
lily, the State or the church. Let me
illustrate the habit and temper of
Young America, sir, by an anecdote
respecting the late Hon. j. L. Butler,
whose sobriquet of Sandy Hill was
familiar to politicians Of twenty years
since. He was invited to a Mission
Sunday School in the City of New
York. The Superintendent introduced
him to the boys MS the Attorney Gen
eral Of the United States, one Of the
most distinguished citizens of their ma
tive State, and an active friend OF
friendless youth, adding, while he
pointed to the clock, that Mr. b. would
limit his speech to fifteen minutes
Well, sir, they listened with fixed
attention, but they kept an eye on the
clock The orator, warming with his
theme, forgot the limitation of his
time, and had passed the bound only
a few seconds, when II tattored urchin,
probably newsboy, and so familiar
with political slang terms, suddenly
sprang up, and pointing to the clock,
exclaimed, Sandy Hill, your time is
outH That, sir, Is an illustration of
our respect for those in authority.
Our political papers practice and
cherish tins pernIcious and degrading
habit, Onr people speak famiiarly
and contomptuously OF the President
OF the United States Of America, the
highest dignitary on earth, as Old
Buck, Abe Lincoln, or Brandy
johnson Is it in the use of such
epithets that we fear God and honor
the king Is not this the conduct of
those that 'despise goyernmenty of
whom st. Peter says Prescriptions
are they, self-wiled; they are not
afraid to speak evil of dignitaries.
Sir, the tendency of our times per
haps it may be a natural abuse of the
nature OF our free institutions-is to
despise government, to cultivate n
spirit of INSTRUMENTATION. Why, sir,
if you will pardon me for relating it, |
had once curious exemplitication of
this Young Amelicanism in my own
household. 1t has already appeared
IN the public prints without my con-
sent, and, therefore, it may not be in
decorous to allude to it. had a lit
tic son about four years old, who, of
course, | thought a very bright and
promising fellow. During my tempo
rary absence from home for n few
days on one occasion, his mother re-
lieved the weary interval with reading
to him the story of the Revolutionary
war The little fellow treasured up
the scattered facts and anecdotes, and
of the battlefield, until his
youthful patriotism was kindled to n
flame, and his blood began to boil.
returned home late in the night, when
he was wrapped in slumber. He rose
later than usual While we sat at
break fast he came down and seated
himself by my side in silence. He
withheld the familiar welcom, the Gus
tomary kiss Evidently his mind was
engrossed with something. He sat
brooding his topic for few moments,
and then turning to me, he said;
8 Father, are you British? 2 My son,
said /, Il had the good or bad fortune
to be born in England, but like the
Iishman, | was brought over here so
early that became native Well,
sir, said he, his childish face all aglow,
and shaking his little fist at me; 'we
whipped you once and can do ii again.
(Great aDDlause.