The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-01-19
A Public Scandal

One Of the worst lhdicutlohs We NV
vet had Of public decentralization was :,
exhibited in the streets OF our mftro- "
polls the New Years. The vice OF IN =
toxication has heretofore been almost :,
wholly monopolizcd by the men; but y
hereafter there is, it would appeF, to DC =,
less difference between the sexes II -
this particular, and the consumption OF i
spirituous liquors has received u new :
impulse from an entirely unexpected |
source. For some mcpast there nave !
been mysterious hints that social NOR :
ality was at y very low ebb, and certain :
features in the style Of dress were i,
severely criticised in some OF our city
journals. However, as "progress Is
the watchword now in everything eX
ccpt principle and virtue, the evils de-
nouncel have continued to grow Ap"ce,
and in some respects we have already
surpassed the most notorious clies OF
the Old World. II is not, we believe
the task Of the journalist to deal with
these loathsomc subjects in Their de-
tails, and it is to be regretted that some
Of our papers do so; but such as force
themselves on the public attention can
not be passed oyerin silence. Ci such
{ n character is tho painful exhibition
that took place in New York on tne
, day referred to, when women OF other
wise respectable appearance literally
t rceled through the public t~horoughIarcS
, as they proceeded from house TO house
I making their New Years calls. Had
there been q few isolated cases OF the
kind. the matter might have been
nassod over without remark, hut it
was too general to permit it to remaln
, uuuoticed. In some instances the IN
n toxicated persons were not . Vhah
70 sixteen years old, and the sight pre-
u sented was disgusting in the extreme
What homes these unfortunate cEeN-
lures represent, where l!ccntious in,
t du!gcnco usurps the place OF PARENTAL
N authority, and the old and the young
rs arc alike stepped in crime.
1t is sad reflection that while ire
h. country is oycrshadowed hy an inla-
" nous conspirators, who are plotting
i. the overthrow OF its freedom, the great
OF est license prevails in society, and men
II and women fling off the restraints i'm
Of posed by general respect and Puoi(
or opinion. The liberty to do right j;
II. SUPERSEDED by mr~ostrainc0 license
ell and the good and the virtuous long lol
ny the day when M shall recognize t(
y, principle Authority in the Moral Il.
or well as in tie Political World. How
ever much people may differ az to th'
rn cause Of this Generalization, there i
no controversy in regard to the char
acter Of It's effects on the rising GeMer
alton. Here in New York, il what w
M hear be true, the prolific source o
all many social and moral evils Is to b.
W, found in our public schools, those mucl
M Wanted institutions which were to CIV
all us q race Of beings superior to an
that had yet been seen on the eArtli
nv Rua we must confess we do not care u
= speak Of what we have been told Il
this particular, and will content our
selves with the expression Of the hoi
,on that the people will n day take III
nd question Of the education Of tlies
.lIr children out Of the hands Of politician
70 into their own. We would warn tlci
that there is no time to be o t ii the
Aka would check the evil before 1t IS to
ave late,
no That the war has been largely in3trl
,cr, mental in ~aggrWating these evils an
.or in promoting the increase OF crime
too patent to admit Of q doubt. "
ons know that when the fever WAS at il
our height Washington was lt2rally & sin
cy- Of pollution, ard il can hardly be "ti
nd to have undergone any change when "
an. consider that one branch OF the Nattol
,si. al Legislature at least is ruled and q
oud rected hy a notorious sonsuall8t. il
ncc men like this one who are, each In h
,al- own sphere and within the circle Of |
NIX. influence, atraining every norvo to Or:
all the country down to the abyss Of dc
relation into which they have iaIlt
Shall they succeed? The people III
nav. answer these questions. They cana
ear afford to remain snpincly indiilere.
Ont, Nllllc IlOI Why IiNh N'NiN'N ''N W.
nan, children are going to destruction.
# Of is time they understood that there c
will be no reliance placed in public Nir;
d at that has not private morality 1oI
aonc foundation. So long as our rulers
pay ]yirtuous, so long will onrlaws be jus
n as and cquitably administered but s
suc their administration into the hands
must unscrupu,ou5 and designing men a
very not only the public interests must
Won fer. but the character OF the PEG
when cannot help being iniuriousIy affect
sell Il The repnlsiye sight presented in
man streets Of New York . few days
b in will, if Radicalism extends from
political field to the social circle, eN
tuaIlv be witnessed. in other cities
ng. sides u own. Political and social
mt to mor,lization generally go hand
fully hand.