Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-09-13
THREE PHASES OF SOCIETY.
NO. 2-AMERICA.

rs possible, ana then the lntermeul-
ate objects in which the more deli
cate shades of difference may be
noted. Having therefore in our
last weeks paper sketched the sal
lent features of French society, we
now undertake the distinctive char
acteristics of American society by I
way of contrast; for no two things /
can be more strikingly contrasted |
in all their features. It may be !
anticipated that as we gave the |
French system an unqualified con-
domination, unmixed approval will
be accorded to its opposite, the
American system; but the evils of
one extreme are generally counter
balanced by others belonging to its
opposite, and twill sometimes even
happen that "extremes meet" and
the same evils in each case are pro-
duced by opposite causes. Perhaps
we shall find something of this as
result of the present comparison we
have now undertaken. The features
so strikingly contrasted in the social
arrangements of France and Amer
lea are as regards unmarried females
their total seclusion from society in
France, their complete control of
society in America, while married
ladies have almost retired from the
exercise of social influence in Amer
lea, whereas in France they and they
only are recognized as constituting
society. Contrast could scarcely go
further, as it affects the whole struct-
ure of society in both countries. We
have Investigated some results of
the French arrangements in our for
mer paper; we propose the perilous
task of probing some of the weak
points in our own social system in
the present. 1t is task we would
gladly abstain from, for it is a
thankIess one. We could write a
much more popular paper if we
were to fill it with euphuistic COM
pliments, but we believe that plain
speaking is urgently demanded by
the existing state of things, and, as
an honest journalist, will not shrink
from the task.
The leading subject, then, of the
present paper will be the reckless
way in which girls from their earli-
est youth are entrusted to the care
and protection of youths equally
inexperienced of the opposite sex,
unprotected and without guidance
from the only source where safe
protection and guidance can be
looked fOr-the sOlicitude of moth
ers or other experienced relatives Of
their own sex.
We intend to avoid all vaguenes>
and uncertainty as to our meaning
and with this view will commence
with a statement of some of what
we deem the Objectionable socia
arrangements which are only posi-
BILE in American society.
1t is only in American society
then, that girl may form thu
acquaintance and accept the atten
ton of young men unknown to he
parents; that she can accept invita-
tiOns from acquaintance so formed
to attend public entertainments il
their company and under their sol
protection; it is only here that I
girl feels mortified at going to sucl
places with her mother and othe
members of her own family, as j
she were thereby placed i'm the posi-
ton of a wall-fower; picnics, moon
light or daylight, got up eXclusivel!
by young unmarried people anC
attended by them are an eXclusivel.
American institution; it is only il
this free country that young ladie
can take rides in buggies or othe
carriages, by night or by day, witt
young men introduced to them b,
other young men and unknown t
said young ladies' parents. VIVA
we call our parlOrs are peculiar t
the United States. There is tn
salon in French house, the draw
ing-roOm in an English one, bu
they are rooms for family use, il
which family reunions take plac
and visitors to the family are re
ceived at stated periods, but the ide
of room set apart for the youn
ladies of the family to receive thei
gentlemen visitors tete-d-tete, tn
rest of the family being CAREFUL,
excluded, would be looked upoI
with unmingled surprise in an.
society in Europe or America ex
cept that of the United States; ant
that surprise would be convertet
into dismay if it were proposed tina
the young gentleman visitor shoult
sit alone with his young lady enter
tainer in the parlor aforesaid 70
hours after the family have retire,
to their beds. Young sgentlemel
are constantly invited by youny
ladies to visit them in America
while in all other countries tn,
parents alone give such invitations
and then the invitation is to visit
not One of the young ladies, but tn,
family in general, and individual
visits of the latter sort are onl,
countenanced when an actual recog
nized engagement exists and Ia
been formally announced to the rel
atives and intimate friends of thu
family, and an engagement so sane
toned is an agreement which can
not lightly he withdrawn from
without discredit. To make thi
distinction palmer, it is only il
America that unmarried gentlemen
visit young ladies; everywhere els,
they visit families in which they
are allowed to become acquainted
with young ladies. and only admit
ted as special visitors to a singl,
young lady under very strictly de
fined sanctions.
Taking these as the salient point.
,I;er;po{;xrn Of AYnaricaO gppinty- 4