Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-09-28
The Circus-fts Influences and
Consequences.
Editors Keo,oec Courier:

Editors Keo,oec Courier:
"The circus is coming" is au expression
that may now be frequently heard repeated
on tho streets Of Walhala, and I suppose
the expression caffies with It eome truth,
judging from what may now be seen 10
passing along Main street. You have but
to turn your head to see mammoth board
ing extending for near zoe yards right along
iu the middle Of the street, and it covered
(exoept the middle section, which was put
up for another circus, which | learn has
"busted," and it would be blessing to tho
country if the other one should 20 tho same
way,) with pictures of animals representing
scenes that will never appear inside the
canvass or anywhere else; also by pictures
of that animal calling himself man, male
and female, In attitudes and dress highly
ridiculous it not absolutely Indecent; on the
whole, muking nuisanue which the good
people of Walhalla ought not to tolerate, and
| am surprised at the town authorities for al
lowing such nuisance to be put up in tho
middle of the street in the most business
part Of the towu,
Now having said this much as to their
advertising bills, Let US look at the moral
Cor rather the immoraD effects of tho
CIRCUS But arst, word as to public gatherA
| ings aud public amusements. Man is by
nature 80 eminently aocial in feelings, wants
aud habits, that frequent public meetings
arc essential to his happiness, to his Sc
curity-nay, to his very existence. There
are muDy causes that contribute to make
public gatherings necessity. Our political
affairs often demand them aud call together
large collections of the people. Nothing
so much couduceo to beget kind, benevo-
lent and phi'unthropio feelings and cons
duct, uotbing so much advances moral and
intellectual improvement, as these gather
ings and social meetings when brought to-
gether for good objects aud purposes and
struints, Men collected together in large
numbers not unfrcquently, under circuml
stances of excitement, lose their reason and
self-controI, aud often aid il perpetratipg
deeds Of Violence aod crime, which US ndi.
viduals, they would shudder at the mere
mention of.
Thousands of persons collected together
at villages and county court houses, to at
tend cirouscs, without any adequate police
to preserve order and prevent crime, and
with all the means, appliances and seduo-
tions to immortality and dissipation of every
kind, must Tend to prostitute and deprave
the public taste. Some one has said "the
circus performances are fit amusemcnts for
only children and negroes" but could DO,
assent to that proposition, for If the rer-
formances are not fit to be witnessed BY
grown up people, they are certainly less fl,
fur the amusement of children and the ignor
ant class whose minds would more likely
become irrevocably debauched BY the scenes
they would hear, and that, too, by the
know better. The Indecent dress and
coarse actions and attitudes of the per-
formers, male and female, the obscene jests
of the clown and the vulgar roogs aIways
heard in circuses, teud to anything but the
incubation Of good morals.
No plea or paIation can bo put in tc
excuse or justify the circus. It has pe
hidden typical or mythical meaning. Its
grossness and vulgarity are intended to
crafty tho W. gar appetite for what is gross
and vulgar, aud to whet and strengthen
that appetite by the food it administers and
sowing tho seeds Of ruin 10 many young
hearts. How parents eau take their
children to oircuses and subject them ia
the scenes und language there witnessed
and heard is more than l Gun conceive Of
and in many instances by those calling
themselves followers Of the meek and
lowIy Jesus, and suy that they have re-
nounced the world, the flesh and the devil
VINDEX
New ORLEANS September l4.-The
yearly statement of the National Cotton
| Ex ohnnna nf thn IInitod Ntn4oa fon 4ho .oo