The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-21
HIsTORICAL PROFANITY.
Instances when an Oath Served n
Good Purpose and Was JustifiabIe.
From the Hartford Courant

Good Purpose and Was JustiGabIe.
From the Hartford Courant.
The fly and the mosquito season. I'M
usually ripe, suggests the subject Of pro-
family Not that the subject is dependent
on any season, only there are times when
some of us are more or less Indifferent
20 IL. A large portion of the words we
overhear as we pass along the streets. in
summer or winter, are oaths, coming to
be uttered almost unconsciously by boys
and men and coming 10 fan almost I'M
needed on the ears OF the listener They
are more plentiful than the lies they fire.
quently are intended to ornament; from
being the mere decoration, they have be-
come the superstructure, the lie mean
while maintaining its original proper
tons.
Debating societies which continue to
discuss, lis lie ever 1ustlhable?" never
take up the same question for swear
words II would be a waste Of time. View
It as we may, from the aesthetic or the
moral standpoint. oaths have passed into
the every minute language. IL would be
necessary to modify the question for de-
bate so as to read this way: Can an
oath under certain conditions be pardona-
ble?' Then the conditions might be such
as are suggested by the mosquito season,
typographical errors, a slump in the mar
ket legislative interference with the
states well being. teaching billiards Greek
or rowing, and the like. In all debates
OF this kind. II our memory serves us,
the argument IL clinched by going into
history and hunting out precedents.
Thus, the father OF his country, who
never told lie. IS on traditions record
as having uttered one oath. AS we look
around. we find that we have to stick
pretty closely TO American history for our
presidents, inasmuch as Mon Dieu"
Colt i'm Himmel' and "Sacristr' across
the water are considered not to count
Passing then through the sulphurous at
mosphere which is said to have surround
ed "Old Hickory" we come down to mod
ern times without many authenticated
cases. The civil war was prolific, how
ever. IL furnished two. One was when
Gen. Sherman was called forward to see
personally what IL was that INSTRUCTED
the path or his army. He had discounte-
nanced profanity in general.
When he reached the spot in question,
he found q team Of obstinate army mules,
their driver not using "cuss words" be-
cause within the hearing of the general.
and they themselves firm as the everlast-
ing hills. After an aide had explained, the
driver was allowed to swear. The mules
Immediately resumed their journey, and
from that time the general is said to have
believed severe language was a necessary
part OF muleteers equipment. That's
the story.
The other instance Is preserved IN an i'm
mortal poem, "Sheridan's Ride" How
the declaiming school boy will forever ring
out those words. He washed down the
line with terrible oath" Sheridan was
inspiring a whole army. he was turning a
crushing defeat into a famous victory, he
was winning undying fame. Many an
otherwise clean-mouthed officer or trainer
has said that in emergencies a good
oath" Is all that will bring men 10 their
senses. But here comes Gen. George A.
Forsyth in the July Harper's and puts
Poet Read In the class of fiction writers.
As a young aide Gen. Forsyth was with
Gen. Sheridan most OF the time on that
memorable day at Cedar Creek. He was
close 10 him as he dashed down that re-
formed line, and he takes occasion 70 say
emphatlcally that there was no "terrihle
oath" or any other kind OF an oath. Sher-
idan had a word OF cheer for officers and
men here ana there, and they were inspir-
ed to their heroic deeds by the very sight
OF their leader.
So it may be that the story OF WASH
ington's oath Is apocryphal. Jackson may
not have INDUCED In sulphur and sherman
may never have given his sanction to Lam
guage prescribed In decent society. And
thus, therefore, II may be that just a.
much can be accomplished with mosqui-
toes or men or type or legislatures without
profanity and the conditions under which
IL IL admissible may exist only In the fan
cy OF the benghted.