The union Democrat., 1870-01-22
The Enect, OF pruakenac.s rpen Childreu

Differences of social rank and condition ex-
ert powerful influence upon these results.
The children of the rich may be weak, nerv-
Gus, excitable, and prone to morbid condi-
ticns OF mind and body, vet they have advan-
tages which thuse in lower life Rave NOT.
Tney have plentiful and hea!thful food. and
under ordinary circumstances they have a
well-regulated physical and mental education.
The practice of their parents is not constant
ly enforced both by example and sort Of
necessity: and the tendencies which they
have Inherited are not generally fostered by
an entirely depraved moral medium. Far
different is the lot of the children of the in
temperate poor. Both in the midst of ablect
poverty, misery and privation is their lot
from their earliest infancy aud their want Of
the common necessaries OF life, with completes
ignorance of its comforts promptst hem to the
commission of crimes and to the indulgence
of their hereditary tastes. to relieve their
immediate wants and sufferings.
And thus their impulsive nature, so far
from being checked by any moral considera-
tions, is placed in very hot bed for its evil
development. Yet, different as is their sta
ton. in one particular they are alike the
offspring of the confirmed drunkard, rich OF
poor, will inherit either the original wee or
some OF its countless protean transformations.
The external aspect may in one case be less
revolving and coarse than the other, but none,
as rule, can escape the inevitable law, writ
ten in the most hideous recesses of our nature.
in accordance with which the children do suf-
fer for the parent and even at the third and
fourth generation TIE taint is hardly wiped
away save by the extinction Of the line or
family. For the disease which leads to these
sad consequences there is but one eure-total
and entire restraint; so as to prevent for
long period any possibility of indulgence in
the depraved tastes and habits even this il
too often unsuccessful. For a time, under
this enforced discipline, a cure seems to lie
effected but when the subject of it is liberia
ted, he too often takes unto him seven other
devils, and the state of that man is worse
than at the first. 1t would, think, be waste
of time merely to point out the very obvious
practical conclusions from the foregoing con-
illusions and the duties which due recag-
milton of their truth entails both upon individ-
uals and society at large.
have entered thus at length into the sub
ject of intoxication as affecting after genera
tions, intending it as typical illustration Of
the mode in which all vices affect progressive
human welfare and because I believe that
the use ofintoxicating drinks, in what's called
moderation, is fearfully growing evil in our
country. With regard to other vices, | must
only briefly observe, that whatever has n ten
dency to lower the physical, intellectual or
moral tone of the parent has n tendency,
seldom lost, to exert a disastrous influence
over the future wel-being of the child. Let
the source Of degeneration be what it NAV,
the offspring will inherit body or mind bear
ing traces of imperfect fitness or balance,
which sooner or later will assert its presence
and power.-1 Physicians Problems.