The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-03-01
The Rising Generation.

We copy the following able and
truthful article from the Washington,
I'd. c. Sunday Gazette
There is no subject which should en- I
rage the attention and solicitude OF the
American people more than the devel-
opment and culture of the youths OF
botl, sexes throughout the land. And
vet a moments reflection upon their
present status reveals, beyond cavil,
an almost criminal neglect in this re-
gard. Fathers are so immersed in bust
ness or politics, and mothers in idle
gossip. or attending on,e sorosis where
fancied wrongs aided by fevered i'm
aglnations are dilatel upon by uneasy
spirits anxious for place and power.
that their children have to drift along
without gnide or council.
1t requires not the pencil OF a Co
garth or the pen of a Shakespeare to
portray, in vivid c%olnrs, the ultimate
consequence oftlis abnormal disregard
OF tIc ibolfi Ciid VI oHSii'HCS -
but too apparent at even this early day
to the most casual observer. A walk
through our thoronShfares reveals the
effects of the causes before mentioned
Youths of tender years may be seen
smoking tobacco with a gnsto savoring
, of long association, while blasphemous
..l:1 ,,.l .tha,
=: with a rccklessncss fearful to contem-
; plate. In years gone by, alas, eve fear
never to return" the adult who would
have belicld such Il specticle as this
would have expressed his honest sur
prise at such precocious depravity ;
but in our present age of progress the
very guardians of the peace witness
:, daily such scenes as these, if not ap-
t provinsly, at least without reprnof. In
i the higher circles the young idea, abon-
donel by its parents, who find Il more
# corsenial pursuit in intrigue aud
triv"lity than in the moral training OF
- their Otfsprings, is soon drawn into the
vortex of youthful dissipation, from
which result the thousand evils that
IS beset mankind.
Fathers, Mothers, you are a%ccounta'
e ble for all this! TO you is given the
l. noble heritage of guarding and cherish
= ing from vice and folly the offspring "
your loins. How have You executed
Il this Heaven-gifted trust? Do yon ac
a the part of the faithful shepherd towart
yonr weak flock Have we exaggera
p ted an iota the present co ditlon of TIL
IS youth In America? American freedom
d now implies unlimited RIGHTEOUSNESS
l. look around you and perceive its effect
ot on all hands. Crime is on the increase
so Virtue has almost ceased to he an oh
III icct. Stimulants are consumed by be
inys whose number is legion. and caste
is from the buOr TO the exquisite, impreg
he mating the germ of loatl,some mora
of and physical disease, and Pandora
he box which feeds all 'lle Ills flesh is hti
ly to-. Religion, too. has lost its iallOwe
o. influences, and is in substance but a
ly idle m%ockery, the cloak crafty sconl
ire drels nse TO covered deeds that will II,
lie bear exposure. And yet in this mae
strom of corruption and iniqnil
ng parents permit 'heir young ''ee
d. mingie; yea, encourage them in VIII
they please to term, making them Il
quainted with the ways of the wOrl
nts AS if the world, to its sorrow, o
Tho not have the misfortune of KNOWN
his some of them too o To lobby sill
red cessfnlly; drive extortionate bargain
to become the iead-centre of some sn
er- %cesstul ring; in a word, so to speak,
gouge ad Hbitum, has become the ord
of the day, and any who may have
pe- spark of genuine manhood not yet ca
re- sumed by modern progression is SIT
EN- matized as an old fogy.
'eo' The only remedy that we can see
'm- this nnenviable condition of the DO
are polite and moral, is to %iegenerate g
the rising generation, and instil into tn
IL something of the spirit of our TO
ills. fathers; and though it MAJ not
ralHruble to have these nlcerons mo
sores thus laid bare to exposure.
ank ia a"'I snch r.liaf as ha mav de-
fa- needfui for the recnrpration of his
ri : t'tnt, regardless OF now na',se".s
remedy. may be, provided the ailm
lscu demands the application.
A Few "C0HtingcHt Expenses