Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-02-21
Good Manners and Good Citizenship.

Good Manners and Good Citizenship.
Public profanity is exceedingly de-
grading and indecent. No gentleman
will be guilty of using profane LAM
guage on the street, in public con-
veyance, or other public place. If
this statement is true, there are null
titudes of persons moving about in
public places who are not gentlemen.
1t is gratifying to note the fact that
more attention is being paid to this
evil than formerly, Profanity mayap-
pear to many to be alarmingly COM
mon, but vast Improvement has been
made in society in this respect. In
nearly all the States of the Union
there are civil statutes which make
it an offense punishable by fine or
Imprisonment, or both. 1t is true
these laws are not generally enforced,
but they are not repealed for the rea,
son that they express the sentiment
of the better class in every commune
ty, and they are left to stand as a wit
ness against practice which is de-
moralizing, indecent, and injurious
to society.
The Mayor of an important city in
Pennsylvania has determined to do
what he can to put stop to the pub
lie use Of profane language by order
ing the police to arrest every person
who offends in this particular within
the city limits. A great cutlery will,
of couse, be made against this proceed
ing. 1t will be characterized as an at
tempt to improve the manners of
men by force, to make men religious
by executive power. A Philadelphia
paper, commenting on this effort of
the Mayor, refers to the Oaths which
Shakespeare put into the mouths of
some of his characters, and the fact
that George Washington sometimes
used such language with great effect.
We do not live in the time of Shake
speare or Washington. Froude tells
US that Queen Elizabeth was accus>
toned to interlard her conversation
with the most shocking profanity,
especially when speaking on affairs
of State with great politicians; but
probably no woman, of prominence
in England or America could be
found so wanting in good taste and
moral sense as to indulge in such lam
guage under similar circumstances
now, and such cOarseness and vulgar
ity in connection with official bust
ness are rare even among men in our
day.
The prevalence of profanity even
among the higher classes in England
at the beginning of the century is re-
ferred to by Robert Mackenzie in his
book, entitled The Nineteenth Cen
fury. "Profane swearing" says he
twas the constant practice of gentle
men. Ladies swore orally and in
their letters. Lord BaXford offered
to lady at whom he swore, because
she played badly at whist, the suffic
lent apology that he had mistaken
her for his wife. Erskine, the mode
forensic orator, swore at the bar
Lord Phurlow swore upon the bench
The king swOre necessarily. Society
clothed itself with cursing as with 6
garment" 1t is gratifying fact tha
this general coarseness of manner:
has given place to conversation fal
more refined, chaste, and elevated
But it is not merely question o
manners. Few, perhaps, are aware
that speaking lightly and profanely
of Almighty God or of the Holy
Scriptures is an offense against thu
law of the State. These laws have
a deep significance. Those who
enacted them believed that respec
for the Creator and for His revelation
was essential to good society. Thu
oath which is employed in all on
Courts and in the induction of publi
officers into their positions as tn,
chief means of eliciting the trutl
from witnesses, and securing justice
and righteousness in administration
is based on the supposition that mel
fear God. Without this the oath i
: worse than useless,
DR.. Fenner's Cough. Honey will re
lieve any cough in one hour. Equal
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