The Russellville Democrat., 1875-04-01
SOCIAL DEMORALIZA-
 TION.

look, on our right hand and on our left, here in this place and there in that, in the high places and in the low places, every where that we can turn our gaze, we see unmistakable evidence of the de- moralizing social tendency of the times. The corruption and viii lainy, which peryades our politi- cal system of late years, seems to have shed out such a baleful and unwholesome influence. that the whole atmosphere appears to be pervaded with the poisonous seeds of excess and dissipation 1; and this evil seed seems to be taking root and growing and bud ding and bearing fruit in our so- cial system. While the corrup- tion and gross depravity of the politics of the day has awakened the whole people to sense of the necessity for reform in matters of government, and while the press of the country by it's assid- uous and constant warnings to the people, has started the work of reformation so much needed to purify our political system, it would seem that there is little effort being made, and few to raise voice against the fearful tide of vice winch threatens to sap the very foundations of our social system. The whirlpool of vice, excess, extravaganza and disipa- tion in society rages on, and all classes and conditions-the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the high and the low-plunge with reckless avidity into it's tur- bulent, surging vortex. The standard of morality is debased, and the whole moral tone of soci- ety seems to be at fearfully low ebb. Even the church and chris tianity seems to be laboring un- der the disadvantages of a deadly lethergy, and her light seems to. shine but dimly and with a lurid and fitful glare, which only too well betokens a sad state of de- moralization, even there. All over our land we may see the evi- dences of the universally threaten ed decay of morals In any of our public journals we may see it recorded. Pick up one of our great city dailies and morning after morning we will sec new and startling disclosures of crime, fraud, excess, debauchery, van dallism, vice, and general deprav- ity. The bold head lines of mur- der; arson; assassination; suicide; mysterious death; malpractice; Q new scandal; tale of crime and woe; bold and daring robbery; another heavy failure; convicted of embezzlement; diabolical out rage upon helpless girl; too pround to beg, too honest to steal; malfeasance in office; missing bonds; five shots at his father; the pistol in .Willett street; q sad, sad case; tempered with; &c. &c., have become so common and frequent, as to scarcely startlettlli,e' morning reader; and only attract @..tehtlon on account of the morbid desire of the read ing public for this kind of materi- al on which to feast the demoral- ized appetite.
 The New York Herald in a re- cent editorial on the present apa thetic condition of public morals makes the following reference to the great Brooklyn scandal to il- lustrate the low ebb to which the moral tone of society has receded; to-wlt:
 For weeks the daily food of ev- cry household this side of the Pacific coast has consisted of five or six column of fine print, con taining details of which the large majoity of readers should be en- tirely ignorant. This trial has educated the boys and girls of this generation ill matters which spread a universal blush of shame on the cheek of the American people. It has prematurely de- veloped youth and disgusted old age. It has filled the Post Office with tons of obscene literature, and dug wide channels for a per feet freshet of slang. Ten thou sand sermons cannot rub out the foul impression already made. So far-reachirg is this pestiferous in huence and so demoralizing is it that it is the topic of conversation everywhere--in the office, on the