The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-09-04
AMERICAN INCIVILrTY.
What DIR. j. G.. Holland Has to Say on
the Subject.

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What DR.. j. C. Holland Has to Say on
the Subject.
There is, most undoubtedly. some.
thing in the political equality estab
lished by American institutions which
interferes with the development of civ.
ility among those who occupy what are
denominated the lower walks of life.
1t is hard to see why this should be SO.
One would naturally suppose that polit.
ical equality would breed reciprocal re-
spect among all classes and individuals.
nc less than self-respect. Certainly
there could hardly be better basis of
good manners than seIf-respect and re-
spect for others yet, with everything
IN our institutions to develop these, to-
gether with a respect for women which
is entertained in no other country with
which we are acquainted, it is not to
be denied that among the workers of
the nation politeness is little known and
less practiced. A man who steps into
Washington market, with good coat
on, looking for his dinner, Will receive
the utmost politeness of which the STALL
keeper is capable, and this will consist
IN calling him boss Ga boorish con-
cession to civility for the sake of trade.
The courteous greeting, the "Sir," and
the Madam" the civil answer, the
thousand indescribable Differences and
attentions, equally without servility or
arrogance, which reveal good manners,
are wanting.
Lit all comes, we suppose, of the fear
| OF those who find themselves engaged
III humble employments, that they shall
virtually concede that somebody some
" 10 hat
singular that they should voluntarily
take course that proves the fact that
they are so unwilling to admit to them
selves and others. The man who un-
dertakes to prove that he is as good as
gentleman, by behaving like boor,
volunteers decision against himself
while he who treats all men politely
builds for himself position which Sc
cures the respect of all whose conduct
is not condemned by his own. The
American is a kinder man than the
Frenchman, and better natured than the
Engllshman, but the humble American
is less polite than either. One of the
charms of Paris to the travelling Ameri-
can grows out of the fact that it is one
OF the first places he visits, and that
then, for the first time in his life, he
comes into contact with a class of hum
BILE people who have thoroughly good |
manners. He is not called sFboss, - or |
hoss." He is himself put upon his |
good behavior, by the thoroughly cour- |
teous treatment he receives among rail- |
way officials, shop-keepers, walters at |
cafe and hotel, cab-drivers, etc. The
I" bien Monsieur" and "bien Mad |
anne, which responds to ones requests
in Paris, is certainly very sweet and sat |
isfactory after 9" ALI right, boss you
can bet ont
Where the cure for our national trou- |
BILE is coming from, it is hard to tell. |
There was time, fifty years ago, when
there was degree of reverence in Amer
lean children, and at least a show of |
good manners. Great respect to those |
of superior age and culture was then
inculcated, and at least formal courtesy
ex cted. Those of country breeding
who are old enough remember the
strings of school children at the road
side, who arrayed themselves for the
formal exhibitions of courtesy to the
passenger. Certainly all this training
is done with, and such a sight as this
we presume has not been witnessed in
America within twenty-five years.
Even the men and women--fathers,
mothers, and teachers of fifty years ago,
had receded from the courteous habits
of previous generations. In the old,
colonial and even later days, great re-
spect was paid to dignities. The
clergyman was reverenced bcause he
was clergyman, and occupied the su-
preme position of teacher of the people.
He was reverenced not only because of
his holy calling, but because he was a
scholar. All this has gone by. The
if he is a good fellow, is
very much liked and petted, but the
old reverence for him, and universal
courtesy toward him, are unknown.
Are the people any better for all this
change? We think not, and we do not
doubt that the change itself has much
to do with the habits of incivility of
which we complain. Men must have
some principle of reverence in them, as
4 basis of good manners, and this priuci-
pie of reverence in the modern Ameri-
,an child has very little development. |
He comes forward early, and the first
hing he does in m1ltitudes of instances (
s to lose his respect for his parents,
Indeed, courtesy toward parents is in
10 way exacted. Poor men and woman
ry to give their children better chances {
han they had themselves, and the j
children grow up with contempt for
hose whose sacrifices have raised them I
o higher plane of culture. They call
he teacher "Old Snooks," or cold {
3umble," or whatever his name may 6
Happen to be. It is not unjust to de-
lare that there is in America to-day no t
ttempt distinctly and definitely made, {
o cultivate a spirit of reverence in c
hildren.
We acknowledge that we have no faith i
n any attempt to reform the manners 9
# the adult population of the country. J
Dur efforts to make sober men out of
runkards. and total. abstinence men ]
ut of moderate drinkers, are failures.
ntirely out of children. We can raise 8
ulture, than by adult conversion, a :,
thousand to one. So it will be in this :,
natter of national politeness. The !;
arents and teachers of the country can :,
i've us a polite people, and this by the a
ultivation of the principle of rever- 4
nee not only, but by instruction in all Fl
he form of polite address. With a 9,
lumber of things greatly needed to- a.
ay in home culture and school study, n
his matter of training in good manners n
not the least. Indeed we are inclined :.
D think it is of paramount Importance. +
t should become matter of text books Il
once. A thorough gentleman or 81
ady, who has brains enough to compre- n
end principles, while proficient in a,
ractice, could hardly do a better ser II
ice to the country than by preparing a a. a.
ook for parents and teachers, as at q, a.
nee guide to them and to those who ~
re- under them. Children must be =,
,ained to politeness, or they will never r
g polite. They must drink politeness q
with their mothers milk it must be n
zacted in the family and neighborhood r
slations, and boys and girls must grow II
o gentlemen and ladies in their de- n,
or our nation can never n
e thoroughly polite one-polite in Il
,ul as well as in ceremony, and kind in ~
anner as well as kind in heart