Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-01-08
HONOR TO PARENTS.

fragment IN laSt week isSue VI Lie j OF
eign Press, has excited considerable
newspaper comment and controversy in
Paris. The scathing article written by
the brilliant Albert Wolff for the Figaro,
which we made the subject Of trans
lation, has been answered with almost
equal power in De Voltaire by
"L'Homme Masque." The writer does
not indulge on this occasion in fancy,
poetry Or sentiment, bnt in iron facts
ami has article is so terrible that we can
only translate small portion ofit,--the
remainder being too Naturalistic.
"Young man of the nineteenth
century, if thy mother has been for thee
visible incarnation upon earth of Vir-
tue and Honor, of Devotion and Love ;
if thy heart opens to sweet memories OF
her, and cxhales the incense Of tilial adj
Grafton; if thou knowest of haught i'll
this world more inetfably beautiful than
thy mother, more celestially sweet than
thy mother, more ideally pure and per-
feet than thy mother:-then read no far
thcr. What am about to say snot for
Thy ears. Believe, and be happy in thy
belief.
oBut am thinking of these wretched
ones who drag the ball and chain of tilial
piety through the rough ways of the So
cial labyrinth, and who dare not break
the links of that chain. am dreaming
of those who suffer the unjust law OF Il
respect that is imposed, of love that is
enacted. of submission that is coditied.
| mourn for the man who believes HIM
self to be forced and who forces himself
to love-even when nature herself cries
out against tito reverence,-even
when Justice forbids, the wretched be-
incs. who have inflicted life upon
hlm...--.
mo. no.. every fertile woman is not
mother; every man who has begotten
children is not, by that fact alone, a
father it is an error OF society; it IS u
deception of the law. Morality is only
the heroic exercise of love; maternity is
the virtue Of fccundity, which proves Its
honors and exalts its nature. Let me
tell you that there are females which are
not mothers;-yes, there are even some
who devour their own young.
NO ! would only give the title Of
Mother to the woman who has been
true 20 all those duties Of which the vast
and divine programme is contained in
the single word Maternity. ----. How
can you expect that the youth who
learns that the woman who gave him
birth has not only grossly betrayed the
honest man whose name she bears, but
has even been accused of conspiTing
with the enemies of her country and
tamperng with treason't how can you
expect, Irepeat, to compel him to show
her those marks of respect and tllial
veneration axacted by your feroclons
conventionalism Oh! | have heard
your sentimental and theatrical argu-
mentation whatever horrible or
abominable crime she may commit, a
mother is always a mother for her child.
That is a fifth act platitude, very con-
yenient to follow through the voyage of
life, and which costs no more than to
buy the Sublime at cheap bargain.
Stupid, vulgar, false and wicked, such
is that maxim of yours. | do not say
that filial love for an unworthy creature
does not exist under such circumstances;
note that well. | only say that no one
has the right to impose it upon us as a
duty; and when the law says to me,
'honor thy father and thy mother re-
ply to the law-'willmgly, but suaran-
tee me that they shall be worthy of
honor. ...a.s. ..lasa
For after all it is a bargain of dupli-
city which is entailed by the modern
family What law sanctions the duties
of parents to their offspring. Absolute
ly none. Their good will and pleasure,
forsooth! -.... If the father be fclon,
will the legislator permit the child to
chang his name and create for himself
anew departure of honorable response
bilityl Never in the world The son
of Troppmam mist not only bear his
fathers name, but he must even respect
him! Why, it is idiotic. The parents
are always sacred the children, never.
The mother sells herself; she is to be
respected The father disgraces his
manhood he is to be adoredw ----
The writer concludes by q trightful
picture of the corruption of French
society, which he characterizes as uni
versal, and says that if the present con-
ditions continue the meaning Of the
.o,.1 .F,n,i,r, will have bppn FORGOTTEN