The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-04-30
ROLL OF HONOR.
Custom a Law-maker.


live ahoald hear Of a government wher,
the subjects were compelled to yieldbU
questioning obedience to the most unreas
enable and injurious laws, and to mode
their actions, words, and even thoughts &C
cording to the caprice of their roIer,5a ans
more than this to change their habits AM
tastes a. often as the tyrant suggested it
We should be filled with indig nation a
such Injustice and with pity for the victims
If we were shown the numberless iucon
veniences and miseries these SUBJECTS en-.
drred, and were told that each year life and
health were destroyed, and the better feel
ipgs of the hears were trampled under foot
in the attempt to obey these arbitrary laws.
every feeling of our nature would condemn
such cruelty and every effort would bo
made to libcrate these unfortunate subjects
from such hopeless bondage. Yet just SUCH
tyrant in many cases is custom; no single
country OF state is her empire, but the
whole world her realm and though she is
not alike arbitrary and cruel to all, yet there
are few who are not sometimes made to
feel the l0ctght of the chain with which she
binds her subjects.
She has many ways Of enforcing her
laws and strengthen her influence besides
forees She can appeal to sups ussitien, pzfHe
or vanity. She can whisper to the ambitious
''you must obey or lose Che powersaud tih-
husnce you so much desire, ''and to the sen
sitive ''you viii be thought 80 singular and
she will tell them of the sneers aud uu-
kind remarks that will be mads till they
yield, often in spite Of their better Judgment.
II she caunet effect change at once she
viii do it gradually, and awe cannotsf4 il to
observe how heartily some of her less
willing subjects embrace tire custom they
at first declared uncomfortable G4ElI
Let us notice some of the restrictions
custom imposes upon ciyiizedsseeie She
fOrbida q the wealthy to msss ~ epI gsqsFthe
brother whose hand is rougheued by toll
though his heart is just as pure tsad1lis la
tellect as noble a. theirs, neither must he
break the great law that makes labor de
grading, however much health or house
hold comfort may demand it. And does
she not teach as often to SAINT our hearss
against the voice of suffering aud withhold
tue help SO much needed rather athsnasteD.
aside from the well path she las
marked out We haze noticed only the
evils resuitiug from custom, we would not
forget that there are advantages also.
Many of her laws help to make society
betteg and more united aud bud the people
of nation in closer brotherhood
Wherever man may wander, the Gus
toms of his native land are held in fond re.
menlbranoe and many of them still kept
in practice. 20 'yaaEoa
Ansrioa he's won uisuy victories for
tT,,tit sud right and doue u,ueh togdessrvi
the proad lille of free. Would IL uoe add
s.iiI more to her victories aud make her
moro truly independent il she would breek |
away from the slavish allegiance soenstor,t
and Fashion that biindly obeys every man. '
date whether reasonable or NOT p rs I
Let her ask herself why foreign CUSTOMS
and fashions are more adapted to American
wants than foreign forms Of goyernrneu;.
Let her cling to the customs that elevate,
and uri.s seciety and with steady iruiuess
resist every tsndsncy to yield to -theesyre-
quire.nsnts which . cultivated ;nf.Iiect
shows 70 be weakening or injurious Then
will Custom, whs might be tyrant be al
servant and helper.