Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1881-05-25
The Mortality of Society.

We confess that we have, at
times, had onr misgivings about the
moral progress of American society.
We could not well doubt its intel.
lectual and artistic advancement;
these are too patent to be gainsayed,
even. by the common observer. But
| our view of the current social moral.
tiles was, perhaps, to much limited
TO city phases; we may have been
postiOned here, in the midst of n
dense community, living, u highly
competitive and artificial life, I'M.
favorably to judge of the national
body. We shall be glad to know of
"A certainty that such has been our
case. The student of history knows
that in other times, society has more
than once witnessed its highest in.
tellectual eXultation linked with the
most abandoned morality. The age
of Pericles, Alcibiades, Lais and
Aspasia, was, in the accomplish
nents OF art, poetry and philosophy,
the golden age OF Greece. Then the
courtezan ruled the State. Rome
not more splendid in intellect than
when the rovels of Apicius aud
Lucullns We'd in attractiveness with
the cloquence of Cicero. France
was as proiigate as she was splendid
under the reign of the "Magnlficent"
Louisiana thus England, during
the period ofthe Stuarts.
The things that have disturbed
our faith in American moral growth
are the manifest departure of our
people from the simplicity of the
fathers; the corrupt spirit of our
modern politics; the slow but steady
increase of social castles and distinc.
many of orr youth of both sexes.
and the up growing of gen.
Grafton of almost manucrlcsS chill
drcn. Indeed. the disappearance of
manners among the Younger classes
has been the Saddest sign we have
noted OF the national decadence.
Judging from observance OF our city
liie,-aud the life of all our great
communities is similar-and who
would not come to the conclusion
that We have not advanced upon the
moraltics of half "a century ago!
Who believes the young of our day
are as Ingenious and modest, or that
Young or old are as simple manner
ed and reverent as their eyamplars OF
TWO generations agoi Is il not no.
torious that religion has more lax
devotees; that politics develop more
and worse demagogues: that public
trusts find poorer servants; that
commercial life exhibits greater
alterations and crimes; that crime
OF all kinds is more prevalent, with.
. out regard To ration OF populationi
We leave the reader To answer these
questions.
And yet, when recently put to a
New Englander-a man from among
the hills of NermOnt-the question,
"Are we not as "A people retrograd-
ing in morality" his prompt answer
was, mo, sir. 1t may seem so,'
said he, ''in Your cities, where your
population is Heterogeneous, and of
the poorer sort at that-and where
you congregate all the sharpers and
rogurs of the country to help you on
your artificial life, but ia does seem,
and certainly il not 80 out in the
country. Why said he, "our
churches and schools increased aud
improved in New England out of all
ratio with population, and so have
general manners aud morals. For
Instance | can remember twenty
five years ago, when there was "A
"tippler" in almost every family,
owning to the universal practice OF
rum .drinking-and when even the
deacons and ministers could get tip.
sy without much being said about
it. But now it is impossible to find
such one, and the minister who
should get drunk today would be
ruined. "Nhy sir he added, warm
ing up, "tbere isn't licensed place in
the capital of Vermont where a man
can get drink of liquor. Our far
mers are all sober men, and 80 are ouT
mechanics, and we have no idlers
aud loafers compared with what We
used to have. Cultivation Of land
and labor of every kind is done bet
ter and with their advanced morali
ty and intelligence, our New Eng
| LIN ars ara mora thrifty and ham,