The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-03-02
THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOrENTS.

The Inconsistency and folly of fash
ionable" appeals to public charity in
behalf OF Institutions, laudable enough
in themselves, but which the ordinary
impulses of humanity in our large cities
should sustain by liberal and voluntary
contributions, is forciblv shown in the
character Of an entertainment now be-
ing advertised in New York city. The
educated and affiuent are ready enough
to organize societies to protect weak
and defensrless children from the inhu-
man and bru' al treatment of debauched
parents and guardians. These socie-
ties are doubtless admirable enough in
themselves, and through their agency
many helpless and destitute waits of
humanity are rescued from associations
as degrading to their morals as injuri-
Gus to their heaths
But the humane societies, for the pre-
vention of cruelty to children, need not
contine their field of philanthropic labor
to the novels Of the poor and degraded
They have an ample scope for mission
airy effort among the palaces of the pre-
tentious and wealthy. The popular
Children's Carnival " is fully worthy
the attention of some Jealous Bergh
inspired with a higher love of his race.
1t will doubtless he, as they generally
are. a brilliant and attractive scene.
Thousands Of the delicate scions of New
York aristocrarv, the darling Titles ones
over whom fond and fashionable moth
ers 90 into ecstasies of maternal de-
light, will be borne in scanlv raiment
to the crowded festival. The fairy
scene will be perfect. Hundreds of
admiring friends will crush and crowd
the paradisiacal infants until long after
the ominous hour in which church wards
yawn, and to which, very soon, many
of these same earthly fairies will be
borne as the penalty of the fashionable
parental folly. Educated but weak
mothers will look smilingv and com
pacently on and wonder how parental
kindness could devise higher methods
of Juvenile enjoyment If Mr.. Henry
Bergh, however, were to appear sud
denly upon the dazzling scene, and,
armed with the majesty and authority
Of the law, We're to lay in arrest his
phllanthroplc arm upon each partic
pant, silence the tiddlers and turn off
the gas, what indignation would echo
DER Murray Hill But vet the act
would be one Of pure humanity to the
children Of these worshipful devotees
at the altar of fashion
Commenting upon these carnivals,
through the excitement and late hours
of which are sown the seeds of so many
latent and contagious diseases among
children, sensible New York daily
remarks "that if the highest medical
authorities deprecate the assembling of
children at any time in large crowds.
what would they say to this fairy spec
tacle of hundreds of babies clad in Cos
samer and carried, at the very hour
when they should be in their beds, to
make show for the town until long
after midnight? The condition of a
child's tender mind and body after it
has passed through this furnace of foul
air, excitement and pampered vanity,
can he easily imagined. But it is diff
cult to understand how an association,
having for its avowed object the heal
| ing of diseases, can contrive and exc
cute a scheme so deleterious 10 both
health and morals: and it is impossi-
bic to understand how any mother can
hold public charity so near to her
heart as to sacrifice to it the well-behg
of her little child"