The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-12-06
NUMBER no.
h CUSTOM.

- t~S H1AN1-SA tAc .ASEAStsNU NFa1ctse@
Il Cu4tonsessas been called the sun
written and oertainlyl it i'm 4
!. well entitled to the name, if strict !.
\ observance determines . law. The
monlds. which society forms, shape
J tonr every act. Wessitnulase ithattof
whiclr we doonot feel lin ORDER TO j.
4 conform to the'Figids rules Of ofsconyen.aal
tionalism. We think ourselves for +,
tunate if we can say in defense of
this or that act. sit is justified by
established usage" In this, weseFrl;s p
because we give to others the right
which belongs alone toaiourselVess
We shirk responsibility By delegat-rai
ling to others the duty of making
rules which shall govern our action.
EOften, by misinferpretation. the laws
of reetiulde are sse.aRgelyperpert
and made toharmonize with custom, sg
when it is not desired that custom s.,
shall harmonic with rectitude.
l. Our actions show that we are IN
flaenced more by others than we
would willingly confess. .iaalllAnaaf ai.4
/ Acts in themselves 1perniciotis,
are made not only admissible, but n
even commendabie by. the smile of 7,
popular favor. Easy, good-natured,
and ind ifferent, we do not desire togdt
turn the stream sof preju6ices fallod
upon ourselves by opposingsf.thead
popular will even 4 although that q
VIII may justify very questionable
pursuits. Expediency, not right
controls. This should not be- Gus -
tom. itself. may need 9reconstfucliw
tiop-n 1t Ian incompetent rguideaiF
which, if we follow, may lead US .in-,.,
to mazes Of Uncertainty aud error
from which we can find no departure.
1t Is defective lens, giving bhtJ1
false and distorted views and qleEiv4.lt
ing the boundaries Of right but ill-,ns
defined As some one has well ex-
Slgl ~ 10 a8ov IE1olosla adf bla
Custom does often reason over-rule
j And only serves for reason to the fooL"41 lliH
Do not however understand that
4 would condemn, any custom mere a
ly because it is custom. Far from
it. A due estimate should be placed
upon the opinions of Others Thatol
eccentricity. which arises from to-
taEdisfega-Cl for the views andllobs
seryancas Of our fellows, deserves
only our contempt. That open and
avowed dissent from universally re-
ceived opinion, which has for its
motives only the hope of notoriety,1
cannot be censnred too highlE4o
Either extreme should be avoided ef
While we should not yield to Gus
tom. as we bow to the DEGREES OF
fate, neither should we throw it
aside as worthless thing. pui'eA
It should have its weight, but. Ito
should never be allowed, to usurprf
the province ofthe judgement or the
conscience. Let good common-sense
prevail, then custom will assume its p
proper place. EdchDne is response
BILE for hisown acts. nor can the err
rors Of, his peighbor furnish an ex-se
cuse for his own, 1t is far better to
incur the charge Of eccentricity than
tamely adapt ourselves to the Vary
ing customs of the times. subjectasiS
Fthey are, to the whims Of afew- 1t s.
| is, Of best, but hard master. ruling
with an iron hand. Tie most des-
potic tyrant is not more unreason-
able i'm his demands. or strict in
| their execution. At times IT. COM
! pels the the sacrifice not onlyrof
happiness but health, not only, of
contentment but conscience, in or
der to satisfy its irrational demands.
| Although this be true. yet there are
those on every hand who willingly
subject themselves to itsfcontrolsa
! those who measure b our merit bYti
/ their adherence to its DEGREES No
more would they disregard. its die
tates than the native Of India his
caste. They are joined to their
/ idols, let them alone. Sooner nor'
later they will find. to their sorrow,
il that TOO often custom is,aa the APP
/ ples5of Sodom. only a deception and
| delusion. ~, F Il. e