Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-05-13
sun arRu.s AND DsYs.

the rapid degeneracy- physical, men K
tai and moral--of the rising genera
ton of females. E,lucatedto esteem
Ihshion rather than sound, practical
knowledge; to prefer Irritation to inn {
proving conversation and Idle forms
and ceremonies to frank and cordial
md unpretrnding sim (
certify, In their intercourse with So
eiety, they are sickly, morbidiy SEN I
timental and looh forward TO no high
or destiny than becoming some mans
wife. This being The one aim Off
their lives, weak and indulgent
mothers lend themselves to the ac-
eomplishment of that one idea. But
instead Of preparing their daughters
for the sacred duties Of wife and
mother, by the inculcation Of the
knowledge so essential to the proper
discharge Of the grave responsible
tiles they are 50 enger to assume, the
daughters are permitted to choose
their associates, to spend the day In
file moping, or mischievous gadding,
and the evening, In filtration and
tattle. W
With mothers tn sew, patch and
darn for them, and fathers willing,
Il able, to turn over to the milliner
the business Of providing the outward
adornments, SO entirely relied on as
the essential preparation to fit them
for the market, matrimonial, il 1t any
wonder that degeneracy In health,
in usefulness, and In that high moral
standard at. which all should aim, is
the marked characteristic Of the girl
of the period? So general is the APP
plication of these remarks, and 81
fnsidiOus has been the downward pro-
gress, that few seem to have marked
the stages of decline and, therefore,
accept the results without question
or comment as to whittier the evil Is
tending.
Let all such careless observers cast
their eyes northward; observe how
rapidly freeloyeism is forcing its in
famous doctrines into the very heart
Of society, rs indicated by the bold,
unblushing representative women
who discard the truest and most beau
.tiful attributes Of their sex, and then
ask If the present system of training
girls may not be the nursery whence
are transplantesi, into the garden OF
society, those nOxious woman's rights
weeds that arc choking out modesty,
purity aud every finer sentiment that
enters into the character of the true
woman, as wife, mother, daughter
In short, as the brighter and better
half of mankind.
We subscribe to the opinion that
man may be--perhaps IL, whatever
woman, by the direction Of her infiu-
cnce over him, may choose to make
him. However true this social axiom
may he, there can he no doubt that
man Is responsible, to large extent,
for the formation of woman's charact-
or, whether for better or for worse.
Without stopping to enquire how fal
the above positions are sustained by
reliable facts and observations, we
beg to disclaim any intention to
throw upon woman the sole respon.
sibllity for the poor male specimens
but too conspicuous, in the rising
generation. Perhaps tho evil, in both
cases, may he traced to the abandon
ment of the good, old-faslionet
system of making the moral training
Of both sexes, the business and pleas
IRE OF the home circle, and illustrat
ing the beauties OF virtue by the ex
ample and precepts Of parents. Il.
make home pleasant to children, an,
thereby wean them from, or disgust
them with, evil associations, IL to,
old fogyish for the present age OF pro
gress. The consequence IL, that HON,
Is the last place the boy desires to go
There he finds the mother peevlsh
from over-work, or engrossed Will
the latest fashion, or novel, and til,
father deep in schemes of money
making for the next day, and neithe
feeling interest enough to ask whcr
he spent the evening and who wer
his companions. With nothing +
interest, orstimulate his better natur
to efforts at Improvement, he returns
with feelings OF relief To his stree
associates, and almost before he
aware Of IL, finds himself the slave c
vicious habits-all the fruits OF parent
nj neglect and the absence, from hom,
of the cheering and restraining ~
ilucuces Of n mothers aud sister
love wisely directed to the develop
mcnt Of all that was good In the hear
of the neglected outcast, whose char
acter has horn formed for him, O
the street corners, and by those VIII
were ruined before him, by knowin
nothing Of home except ms n place I
cat and lodge, and nothing of paren
nj love. save its indifference, or Il
chidlngs for faults attributable |
criminal neglect OF his proper mor'
training. a-f.
With such girls and boys--tl
con,ing women aud men-to who'
the destiny Of the country Is about
he entrusted, upon what can III
patrlot-statesman base : hope f
the advancement o. cIvilizatlan an