The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1872-03-28
Tha Social Evil and the Ballot.


,Ths Social Evil and the Ballot.
The social evil is another national
rsimo OF such fcrrfrI Irevalruce as to
llr-a:en to rro9a}a jnIrme0: from
heaven, like that Which ,is,.r. lie doom,
&C. tits of the Plain. Could female suf-
fiase BE the dcath-tlow to this hydra
headed monster, whichiufests not only the
Ierncn uiarsl.es Of society, but, With sub
tie. intrusive power, creeps steulthily
forth, seeking to'poison, also, tho spark
ling fountains OF domestic bliss, and too
/ often, alas, sicceed, The club of a
Hercules would barely avail t. copeIwth
such dragon. hs in tie matter OF in-
tenn perance, SO is this: legal onaetments
do but little, even in tie way of repres-
sion; still less in the way Of moral elsva-
J tnln. 1t is the.sld story over. agaiu; max
iu3 clean the 0Gisiie OF tue cup and plat
ter; the whitel sepulchre, full of dead
uen'y bones and oi. manner Of uucleaness.
/, is the mo.ai and religious potency Of
woman tha, must be brought into requi,j-
tiou To- insure genuine roformutyry results.
The root OF evil lies far back-hack even
o. he d,ors Of it. Mothers must becot
nut :uculcasc in their children the prin-
c;p,es o, truth and yirtue. The more
time they can secure to themselves for
these disciplinary activities, ana the moro
conscientious fidelity they bring to the
work, the more surely and rapidly will
they approach the miilenial days Of social
aud national purity and peace. Careful
training viii bride evil propousitios.
4 MD the shifting eX perioncns offugacious
centuries, the q,d-ia blamed promises Of
fhc fashioned Bible have a 5marveIopsIy
r'hPhasio sq4sapf sSF tiP4 theqlsq!Sqs ~
.alf who takc't..e pains TO, test them; AND
none is more luminous with proof or ir--
raaiatcG with evidence than that hiuging
upon the training Of children. Let moth
crs onfold their children in the mantle
Of an uplifting, prayfuI affection, aud the
qhoats Of hateful memories will never
haunt the evening twilight Of life In
the matter Of social regeneration, the
dashing comp de main of the ballot will
never accomplish what the Epationt, So
we're, wol-1isciplined strength Of the
guiding maternal arm may do, directed
and energized by God-given faith and
love. Prudent, well-advised mothorly
diplomacy, need not fear to cope with the
Eeenest political Machiavelian pstutersss.
The -ocial evil has IT, r6otin the ftabls-
ness dfid incfiieicnsS Of araternhhautbo7i-
ty and trainine. -Asin fhe State. so in.
tho family: the hwi to be resp ected must.
be Oheyed, and it's executors must COM
makd reyereVce ard esteem by enforcing
ohcdient parents than children in this
progressive age, and Just here lies the Sc
quel to so much Of this moral tcrglversa-
tioa aud rnbushing shame. The genera
ton just hand will he the logical Sc
quanco Of rhe generation Of to-day The
ballot cannot overthrow the despotism Of
Natures Jaws and penalties. Education,
not legislation, is the safest security
against inebriety or carnaity. Diamonds
are best ground by their own powder; 10
character is bost moulded by character.
-- - --
Twonty-SiX Years Am0ng the Ncad.
Thcre died in Paris, just III time to
have his name ir,cluded in the obituary
OF 1871, u somewhat remarkable person.
His name VS. Charles Francis Fertc.