New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-29

1 selves, Dy th9ir silent and indisputsbla
fruits. were doing much to diminish THU
opposition. and that the class of white
people who saw in them the only salvation
Dispatch -
l. Psychology Of sexual Msralisy. :.
] It Is very easy to condemn lapses Of
virtue, and unfortunately most of the dis
! cussfons shat grow out Of. q. great scandal
like the Beeeher case end with fresh CON
l domination of the wrong-d0eR instead of
I making the wrong doing the starting point
I tor profitable psychological investigations
I 80 delicate and so woven in with thick
! tracery OF fender and beautiful associa-
tons that it is hard to deal with them in
! the old, scientific way as topics for physic-
logical examination OF metaphysical
I scrutiny. They are little understood by
even the prsfoundess philosophers OF
human nature, and are invested with a
mystery which Psychology has done little
to clear away. It is singular fact that the
men and Eomen who slip on the path
Of virtue are emotional and often
religious Ia nature. They are not
scept'cs and disbelievers, hut devo-
tees and enthusiasts They are
not mathematlcians and philosophers, but
poets and preachers and the dreamers of
0feaWs. bhere seems to be real and init
mate connection between the sentiment that
azores and prays and the passion that fires
'ne Dlood and sends the thoughts astrav
and trips the feet on che path. It is for the
best reason that clergyme1 arc SO often in
vowed II scandals; for The elements of
pody ani mind that fit them for profess
sionai success feed directly upon and draw
their vitality from emotions which are to
.he passions what cream is to milk-what
the sparkle is to champagne. 1t is not be-
cause ministers are bad men, but .becanse
they are so good in important respects-be-
cause they have an excess OF symra.hr.
sentiment, emotion. imagination; because
they nave the qualities that fit them for
lnelr olhcc and make elOguence possible
that they sometimes err. Moreover, thew
are Drought into close relations With PEG
pie OF the same impulsive aud emotional
semperameqts, and an acquaintance that
begins with prayer ends IN License. 1t is
not enough to condemn nest -hiding-its
pathology should be understood.
another singular feature connected with
this class OF crimes ia that they are 80 often
committed BY people in and past middle life.
IL Is an unquestionable fact that the young
are more virtuous than the old. It was
urged as an argument for the defendant in |
,1 recent scandal case that it was improb-
aD'e that one who had borne an unsullied |
reputation till past middle life shonld then |
stoop to the vices Of hot-blooded youth. But
prominent officials in our courts cav that the
plumber of respectable men past maturity
who are guilty OF Offenses Of this kind ia
surprisingly great. Dr. johnson said that
young men have more virtue than old men.
and for the reason that if their passions are
strong they have strong moral faculties to !
.ein them in. A. writer in the A,rAires of
and Neurology Tor July attrib-
ties this strange delinquency to the decline
II the n oral faculties in old age, even when
he Intellectual faculties are vet active
md brilliant. when the worm ia
;nawlog at the roots the topmost twigs are
ne FIRST to witber. When the brain
= dephosphorized moral courage first gives
way: IN any theory of the scandal, the
want OF moral courage on the part of the ,
hief actor has been everywhere conspicu-
us and has been II eely and fully confessed.
lmldity and IrresOlutiOn in those who in ,
outh ano middle life were courageous and G
trong are the best of all evidences of a
lew wearing o1t of the cerebl al forces. i
ND these symptoms may appear long BIT t1
IRE tho muscles OF the intellect exhibit I
ny marked decline. sAter thirty.fiye a | q
ian gets tired Of being honest and wo-
IAN Ut being virtuous,' says Dean Swift. r
MS 10 an eXaggeration. bus sugge SIS q 8
reat Pathological fsct which biography i,
'uf1rns:" Old men go astray because con a
ieuce Grops It's check before the passions 2
'oi, and they are often astcnished to- find 4
els desires running wild even when they /,
I'VE too firm q b, Id on their Conduct 10 ! 81
IloW their leadlngs. An eminent physi- o
an recently testified that men. past their r
'ime often confessed this fact to their med h
al advisers. r
lntemperance has been pronounced dis f,
Sc, and in some cases it has been success c1
liy treated as such. 1t is a question how E,
the improper relations of the sexes are | ia
result Of moral disorder. 1t is conspicu. RI
sly certain than men and women remark- G.
lie Ior piety and sympathy ana poetical | re
'Vor are often deficient in moral feeling. Il
melody has said that saints will steal. IL
10 most devout prayers are often the worst 81
ers Some of the most eloquent men in ut
story have been profigates Demosthenes q
nted courage and Cicero INDUCED in the of
'es OF his age. David's matchless lyrics G.
We embalmed and immortalized his frail. W
9. The careers of Goethe and Napoleon dc
tray no suspicion that either had con- al
ence and Don Juan gives deathless fame of
a !ibertine. Who shall tell how much Of vi
license OF the world cores out Of dis. | FL
Tered gangha, or abnormal circulations. fl
q deterioration of tiesue, or some uusu.- III
TED cerebral decay affecting the moral Fl
ure! Admit the sin and punish it to tbA |
most; then why not get the science of the mr.
: Why is it that .charaet ,rs t. whom All
world is so much indebted in art, and wi
try, and eloquence, and devotion. and mn
lanthr0py, and craftsmanship are so co
n e.uFie,. With vices ie is hard to forgive | RI
n when they can be partially excused ca
S question goes la * int vast and as on
nntrodden field, which morality as well Fr
choi"gy requires should be explored fol
c forA Graphic. ms