The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-15
Whittier Drifting /?

criticism and comment when is evoked py the
manifest peryersons Of modern civ.llsauon.
thus attesting hopeful quckening OF the gen
i.eral conscience, We should, perforce, conclude
that the present age is destined especially tot
/ illustrate the poetical aphorism OF facle
descent to Ayernus'' Many Of the signs Of
the times, it must be confessed, are OF the
gravest import-such as may well excite the
distrust of even the most confirmed believers
| in social progress and perfection. Fromerery
| direction, from the world of fashion, finances,
politics. and literature. come the aceumulat-
ing evidences Of degenerac7 and demoralisa
1 ton.
According 10 the testimony Of the leading
journals Of the day, Paris, the great source
of revolutions, is taking the initiative in a
most remarkable movement The beau monde
of that capital is becoming absorbed in the
demi monde, having sought and obtained ad
mission within the precincts of that society.
1t almost surpasses belief that women Of
fair reputation, of good descent, and of high
repute in the best Partisan society should, for
the sake of an idle curiosity, condescend to
! desire an acquaintance with the life, manners
and customs of certain class OF women whose
| position and circumstances denote the very
reverse of purity and chastity, and who keep
"a kind of court which is attended by all the
men Of wealth and fashion between the ages ct
twenty snd sixty But Paris has reached the
climax of her peculiar form of civillsaton, and
carries within herself the elements of her own
ruin, WHICH cannot be far distant No society
il can exist long which is 50 rotten at its core,
where profigacy reigns and all sense pro
i prety is at discount
~. A Of T,o.>dpn fr,ifeh bet
Ter. A late number of London Society says
!. Not many years ago, it would have been
considered to be the very acme Of indecency
and impudence for any Of the thoughtIess
young men, who abound, more or less, IN ev-
/ cry capital, to recognise, or to appear even to
: notice in public, any Of those fair unfortu-
mates who lie in wait to hunt souls They
would have been distressed beyond measure
at The idea that their mothers or sisters should
suspect, much more know, of their having
formed any llaisons SO dangerous and disre-
putable But such tenderness of conscience,
such regard for the prophecies Of life scarcely
. remains It is no uncommon thing for young
man to appear in the park escorting a 'celeb-
. rity of this kind, and as he passes some lady
of his acquaintance, to lift his hat in courteous
recognition of her, as though there were moth
O ing to be ashamed of in his companion, MOI
is it rare for a popular character to appear al
t the opera, exquisiteIy dressed. and with some
s preense of modesty in her attire, IN one OF the
$ most conspicuous boxes, surrounded by he1
admirers, whose relatives witness their iniatu
$ alton from the opposite tier. Nor is ibis all
4 The very names of these women have become
so notorious that they are in the mouths Q
IS many of the fast young ladies of our bea'
q monde How they have come to such
4 knowledge let others tell but they speak Q
them, of their turn out, and their horseman
> ship, and note their dress and style, and Ca
a tell the Sixties ponies at distance, and tn
precise hour at which she drives into the park
.t how she wears her hat the color of her hors
9 and habit, and even 90 so far as to dress al
az ter her, taking their cue from her, as if the
envied her her power Of attraction. 1t is nc
torious that many of the changes which W
BY have witnessed, of late years, in hats and pet
a ticoats, have originated from celebrities {
a. this kind, and we fear it is an indication OF
at disposition, on the part Of our beau monde,
take a leaf out of the book of the beau mond
es of Paris"
hit In the commercial world, the general deca
n, of the old standards of honor and probty, ha
he become notorious in almost all the great Ger
1t tres of trade The words Of the Pail Ma
IS, Gazette, describing the great moral revolutlo
ne in British commercial circles, may be taken q
II, a general statement of the situation - else
C. where:
Al, "It is manifest to all. who have watche
n the varying phases Of commercial entcrprls
lfe during the last few years, that new cote
ed morality is being established for the benefit
&C. such of the community as engage IN trade
to speculation The erection Of any fresh stat
er dard by which society IS content TO Judge
er members, forms, always an Interesting lan
" mark in the history Of general principle
ife Even to the upphilosophcal public, WINK
tiy troubles itself with no abstract consideration
tal in respect of right or wrong, 1t cannot out De
M matter of some little moment, to discover tn
ed its nerception of the radical difference eXstl'
! a between meum and .tuum has unwltln
ar " undergone considerable modification. L
en-, events of the year 1866 have shown cleart
zen if the truth wanted any further demonstrate
hot that great change has already taken piat
cry The Stock Exchange, the railway compan't
lin, the turf, the tradesmen great and small, See
: a to have conspired together to prove to
nd, world that upright dealing is no longer nect
eT- sary to ensure success in business and respt
ii -
rer, failed that ioint-stock concerns have collapse
lar and great discount houses have gone by
to board that railway directors have JuggI
He with contractors, and contractors with
red public; that three year-od has run
,ar whole year at year-od nominations, a
dge false weights have become The rule rather tn
mi the exception These things are bad enou
in themselves, and worse on account OF
widespread misery and universal dlstr
ner which they occasion. But.a still more serlt
ing symptom remains. This is, that gentlen
ped Of high position and unquestIoned lntegl
in to use the cant phrase have lent The sa
ilng lion oftheil names to transactions which wo
rice not bear the slightest examination. One "o
suppose torrent of just Indignation wo
an t overwhelm the men whose fraud or carelt
ness had brought about such disasters. :
bit of it. They remain as they were, melt
oun- to Judge by appearance-less wealthy
less esteemed than before. We started
asserting that new code Of morality IS be
established The statement, perhaps, sea
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