Connecticut western news., 1880-09-01


 is not village in our land that is not prob- ably infested by individuals of character or characters, every we'll wisher of society would gladly banish, with all their baleful influence. For lack of name adapted to their charac- teristics, we will call them men. In the lan- guage of the Psalmist, They go to and fro in the evening; they grin like dog" "In the evening they will return, grin like dog, and will go about the city" The language over- heard and reported as used by them, and be- traying their conduct, causes one to feel that if the poor brute could reason, he might feel degraded by the comparison. Our otherwise moral, attractive, and delightful village and township is not an exception among other To- calities, to the existence of this class. The simple 'igrinning like dog' is of little con. sequence to any but themselves. But there is an influence that goes out from every in- dividual through his real character, that helps to make and form the character, the reputa- tion, the moral and intellectual tone of the place we live in, and each and all of us are judged more or less by the reputed character istics of the place they inhabit, and make their homo. Efforts to reform this class re- ferred to are perhaps useless, and attempts to do this, Tn most instances, is casting pearls before swine. It seems useless to present to them the beautiful qualities of the man. hood they so misrepresent, but it is not use- less to watch and warn those who are too young to be yet initiated into an acquaintance with the deeds they themselves boast of com. hitting; to show that meanness, low sus. picions, cowardice, unmanliness, degradation of character, ignoble purpose to drag down to their own level all, or any who can be brought within their influence. The question often comes up in the minds of those who would save even the most degraded from the never ending misery they bring on them. selves, "What can be done to save them 2' Nothing. There have always been, and al ways will be generation of vipers, malicious malignant, unbelievers in virtue, unselish. ness or true goodness in any form, iron whose froth, age. childhood reputation, tho possession of every Christian grace is nc shield The self destruction of such seeml | inevitable. The low sentiment of fear seems at least the only appeal effective with them There is difficulty in dealing with this class They have friends often whom we do no wish to wound; friends who do not suspec the extent of the wrong they are doing them themselves, or society There are thos, whose self interest clashes with any effort t. separate them or their baleful influence iron the better portion of society, and there ar those who lack courage alone to attack tn
 
 who, though they would be ashamed to b known as the originators or abettors of sian der, are not sorry to have their small reven ges gratifed by those who are not so desirou to preserve decent reputation for truth an
 propriety. Again we feel that wrong punish es itself in the end that retribution is sure a
 last but it is not the penalty to the wron doer, but the salvation of the tempted we ar to labor for, and the protection of societ against the injustice of inso'e1ce and scands , and defamation, rolled like sweet morse under the tongue of the defamer. It is question again. whether it might not becom the duty ofa self-sacrifcing lover of peace an earnest and conscious promoter of good | of justice, to bring before the proper tribuns , these offenders against truth and decenc , and right, to purge society and it's moral al , mosphere of these pernicious members an their influence. Send them to 'stalk thei !. talk" to walls of stone. Let truth be told no honest mind should or would object to tn expression of any honest persons opinion 3 the wisdom or unwisdom of one's acts in pull lie life, of measures adopted for this or ths s purpose. We are all free to act on our ow 8 principles so long as they do not interfel B with the heaven-giyen rights of others, br when strangers are driven from our village the base conversation and conduct of any il U dividual or individuals of our own communit, and an injury done to its every inhabitant, | D foul utterances of few, and private charactt profaned by these, it is time to think seriou Q ly of the duty of roofing out the peIpetratol
 as nuisances in ourotherwise pleasant, nor
 little village. X.