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For Uit* *iViii|>TJUicc H.uinc i*.
Th3 Anti Liquir Law.
NUMBER SIX.
The. Liquor Traffic is a great pecuniary
evil to the public .
We propose, in the next place, to j
show, that “the sale of ardent spirits is 1
a public evil; and that u prohibitory
law could be made < flicuciwus in ma
terially diminishing it evils.”
Part Ist. The sale of ardent spirits!
is a public evil.”
Ist. “It is a great pecuniary evil to
tho public.”
Tho truth of tliis prop >sii iju will be
sullicieittlv evident Iron the statement
ofa few (acts. The “loiirth annual re. •
port of tho American Temperance So-’
city—-“l > erinuni*nt Documents,’’—page j
78, estimates- that tho use of ardent j
spirits costs the llniied States, annual
ly, @18,000,000. This well uulhenti J
cateil fact alone calls loudly upon gov- J
eminent to protect the iudustlious, so- j
her people of tie- land, from such enor
mous and unnecessary taxation. IJovv
many public schools and houses of
worship might not 818,000,00!) anuu-;
ally support? I low many orphans!
might this amount educate and rcndci j
fit for useful citizens'? How many j
public improvements might be made, j
by tho prosier use of this amount annu
ally ? Vo Christians of tho land—
whose prayers n cend upon the breezes
of night to heaven, for the conversion
of the heathen—what wonderful tri
umphs might not your religion achieve—
how many heathen souls might bask
in the sunshine of the Christian bible—
how many dark, benighted portions of
the worl I might ho illumined by the
glorious effulgence of the gospel sun—
by the annual use of such an amount of
wealth ? Vet all this is sacrific'd to
the idle wind—nay, infinitely worse—
to an infernal volcano, which continues
to desolate the land with its destructive
streams of lava !
Hut b l us he n little more minute.—
A few months hack, the following ficls
ware collected and published by a citi
zen of Philadelphia : The use ofardent
spirits sends annually, in that city and
C unity, “3000 persons to tho alms house,
10000 to prison—ooo to the insane asy.
lum—and 20000 before mayors and
magistrates—creating an annual public
expense of @IOO,OOO. To this amount
add the yearly expenditures of private
benevolence asylums, hospitals, &c.,”
and you have nearly half a million of
dollars, annually robbed from the peo
ple of Philadelphia city and county, to
support this infernal liquor trallies!
A few years ago, the city of Phila
delphia received into her treasury, for
licenses to sell ardent spirits, the amount
of s7ooo—and paid out, directly, as
the immediate expense of the liquor
traffic, #13,000! One year, New
York received, for the sale of licences,
#'22,000, and puid out, for the liquor
traffic, #400,000 !
At the South, we cannot obtain ex
uct statistics of this kind, as they can at
the North, llut we cun make, in re
gard to some particular counties in
Georgia, some safe statements, which
ought to awaken every friend of the
public treasury. A few months past,
it wasstated in the “Temperance Ban
na,” that the sale of ardent spirits
costs Elbert county, annually, #lB,.
000. It would be unreasonable—nay,
it would be an insult to that county —to
suppose, that she receives more than
#‘2oo, per annum, for the sale of li
cences. lam credibly informed, that
a few years ago, Greene county ro.
eeived #4J for licenses, and paid out
#BOO, for disturbances created at the
places whom liquor was sold.
Besides these startling facts, it is nn !
undeniable truth, that there is not a’
single respectable calling in the land, 1
but what is injured and embarrassed by
the trade of the law abiding, liberty
loving Kumseller. Who constitute the I
largest part of the insolvent debtors, I
by whom the merchant is swindled of!
his goods, and iiis useful and necessary
business clogged iid hampered !
Victims of the liquor traffic. Who are
the majority of the sick upon whom the
physician must attend without reward,
while his own family sutler for the com
forts of life, which Ids industry de
serves ? The victims of the liquor
traffic ! Who fail to pay tlio lawyer’s
fees, the carpenter’s hire, the black,
smith’s accounts, ami the farmers notes?
The victims of the liquor traffic! All
of these trades are highly essential to
society, and they are all consistent and
harmonious among themselves. No 1
one of them flourishes, ut the expense, j
or to the injury of another. But the l
trade of the rumseller is entirely un-1
necessary and useless to society, while 1
it is at war with every respectable call
ing. And, yet, when we talk of pro
liibiting tins irallicso destructive to the
best interests of the community, we are
answered by the erv of “Liberty ! Lib
erty ! Liberty won by Uie blood ot our
fathers!” No! our fathers never
fought, that one or a few citizens
should be allowed to set up any busi
ness, which tends to embarrass every!
other member of society, iu the pursuit |
of his honorable and necessary occupa
tion. If tiie people of Georgia have
that love of real liberty, which burned;
in the hearts of our revolutionary sires,
they will not, much longer, submit to
the tyranny ol the Jeu>, useless and im
moral, over the inuny, ustj'ul and hon
orable.
, 1 * ,e ,ra de of the rumseller sits upon
“ f w 'ieiv. and. like the
ORGAN OF THE SONS OF TEMPERANCE AND STATE TEMPERANCE CONVENTION.
I yet, the laws of Georgia license this
I traffic. Government, deserting the itn
mu'able principles of justice and real
I liberty, turns loose upon us this direful
enemy of social prosperity and social
happiness, and smiles with adulterous
love upon liisdestructivc career. Yea, j
the heartless rumseller rests quietly |
under the spreading palm-tree of the |
license law, and smiles complacently
and dares to dream of heaven ! Oh !
how much it reminds me of his father, 1
the devil, when lie glide Jun i glistened
in the bowers of Eden, beneath the
balmy shades of Paradise !
From the statements, which have
been made, what un enormous expense j
lo die public does the liquor traffio aj>- !
pear ! It must he rein inhered, 100, i
that this expense is paid by (he sober, \
industrious, useful citizen, whose own j
business is injured and clogged by the J
very traffic, which he, is required to
support. And still, in spite of the in.;
calculable expense which is utterly in- j
separable from tho existence of tins j
trade, s nne persons, with uuaccouritaihe j
lolly, talk of the revenue arising to the
country, from'the sale of ardent spirits J
“() temporal U mores!” A will ■
might they
‘Seek mellow grapes beneath the ley Pole,
Seek blooming roses on the cheeks of Heath,
Seek substance in a world of fleeting
shades.”
Revcnuo arising from a trade, which
is ut war with every useful calliirg in
society, and which robs tho sober peo
ple of such erormous amounts! You
might as well talk of an ambrosial
odour rising from the smoke and stench
of hull !
Will the people of Georgia—the good,
honest, induslrioiiHcitizens el the “Em
pire State of the South”—submit to
such unjustifiable robbery? Surely,
they cannot much longer submit tamely
to he so grossly deprived of their sa
cred rights ami so violently robbed of
their property.
ALBERT ALONSO.
For the Temperance Banner.
Mr. Editor :—1 am an occasional
reader ofa paper printed in Covington,
Ky., called the “Southern Baptist Mea
sengcr,” which is devoted to the “serv
ice of tho Old School Baptists,” and, of
course, opposed to all those liberal
ideas, and benevolenteuterprizes which
have so much distinguished the pres
ent age, and contributed so largely to
the spread of civilization, of happiness,
and of Christianity.
There is an aitiole in tho No. for the
15th April, so peculiarly characteris
tic, that I cannot forbear giving the
readers of the “Banner” a little glimpse
of it. It begins by setting forth, that
“things are continually developing
themselves to the understanding of the
wiiter, to prove that the march of Anti-
Christ is onward; and every tiling that
can he devised, by the man of sin, is
put in practice.” This may he true ;
the writer may not bo mistaken in his
“understanding,” as to the general prop,
osition he lays down. We differ with
him, however, in that ; but this is not
the game wo are after at present. Oar
object is to examine the proofs and il.
lustrations, which l:e gives of the la.
meutahle progression of evil, of which
lie speaks. Flic first is, that this “An.
.li Christ,” this “man of sin,” has,
“within the last few years, inscribed
temperance oil his banner, lo beguile
the unwary, and many unsuspecting
persons have been duped.” This is
one of the steps in the rapid inarch of
“Anti-Christ!”
Now, that is too bare-faced ; old bac
elms himself, could not have stood an
idea of that sort, with alibis besotted
impudence, he would have blushed to
; hear one of his votaries indulge that
’ strain. “Anti-Christ has inscribed
temperance on his bannet, “to beguile
j from ,” what ? Why, from the
’ most anti Christian indulgence, that ever
disgraced man, or ollbnded God, —from
I the most loathsome and beastly prac
tices—from the most degrading and
damning pf vices. 4 And many unsus
pecting have been duped !”
Duped ! How? To “dupe,” means
“to deceive—to trick-” Well, then,
they have been tricked out ofdrunken
ness, into sobriety—tricked out of lodg
ing ut “Spralls,” into a comfortable
home of their own, —tricked out of beg-1
gary and want, into plenty, and a little
to spare to those “unsuspecting” ones
who are yet to bo duped in the snipe
way. If this be the work of “Anti.
Christ,” we are constrained to record
j our obligations to the author of the arti-1
ele, under examination, for the infer-!
| illation, and we shall, for the future, j
j treat that “fell spirit, I ' —that “man of j
sin,” with more respect than wo have
hitherto accorded to him. We are glad \
he has taken anew banner. He has
done much injury lighting under the
tlag of iulempt runce, we hope, if he
has faced about iu this matter, he max
have time to repair, at least, one tithe
of the harm lie lias done heretofore.
The writer proceeds—“and now that
people's eyes have become open in
part, and they can no longer get their’
mo.iey by fair speeches, they are de.
i terminod to bring in the strong arm of i
the law to make them nolens coleus. —
•'To make them — ” what ? We can’t
! get at tlie idea, exactly, here,
i He says, “there is a cause for alarm
’I in his State,’ (Tennessee.) Because
■j “a large Convention of Maine Liquor
! Law families, has recently been held
in Nashville, and very strong resolu
tions to ’ enfo.ee that abominable law
*'upon the people of Tennessee. 1 very
• “..n if i|„. nuihor ha s ever
would thank him, in his next, to point
out the odious—“ abominable ” feature
in it.
That general way of characterizing
,ny thing as abominable , that whole
sale denunciation, may have its effect
; upon the prejudiced, and unthinking,
hut reasoning men want some proof of
a thing, hefare they cun give it their
assent. They waul eoine data upon
which to form an opinion of their own.
This Convention, compos.-d of“7lev.
L). D’s., M. D’s., and Lawyers and
such drones upon tho public,” (as
[ they are respectfully termed,) furnish-
Is to the imaginative author, a subject
| ofsnfiousconsideration, viz: “whether
| me Lord is going to let the man of sin
[overturn our liberties, as a nation, I
| through the effort!sm (?) of the mother
jof harlots, Armiii'anisin.”—“How fai
the Lord intends thorn to go on, and ac-1
icomplisli their purpose, in the over-1
throw of our liberties, I cannot divine,” j
■ Preachers, doctors and lawyers then,
I nave a deliberate purpose to overthrow i
the libi i lies of our country, and tin
: evidence is, they are sober men, and j
j want others to he sober too. Very !
j conclusive proof, that, of treasonable |
; design, and we don’t see why, with
, >uch evidence at hand, our alarmed
friend does not take steps to arrest and
, prosecute the parties, and thus avert
in its incipicnoy, the threatened calami
ty. But it is against the clergymen
particularly our author makes these
I grave charges. “They even have
been,” he says, “the inveterate ene
mies of a republican government —
would make us bow at their shrine,
<&o.” “Then, (when that time comes,)
farewell old Baptists, you will he driv
en into the caves and dens of earth,”
&0., &e. How this is to cotpe about,
i can’t exactly foresee. However, the
bible speaks of a time, when “they who
are drunken, shall he drunken in the
night,” (that they may conceal their
degradation,) and this muy he what
our author means, thinking a cave will
do, even in the day time, to conceal the
shame of those who are drunken, and,
we apprehend that when that time
comes, these places will he the resort
of those who can’t wait till night.
Hut, friend “G ‘anriwn,” you may
quiet your fours aboui ihe overthrow of
our liberties by the spread of temper
ance principles. M.mi wre sober in
the ‘‘Jays that tried men’s souls.”—
Those who “fought, bird and died” for
the liberties about which you talk so
largely, were sober men. To know
what liberty is, a man must he sober.
He can’t appreciate it—lie can’t use
it—he lias’nt got it, if he is not a sober
man. We must he sober men, or we
are slaves, and that of the most menial
and degraded sort. Think again, of
ibis subject, look at it with delibera
tion, and wo fear not, you will seethe
error, and the evil of your position.
One word more, Mr. Editor, and 1
close. Is it not strange, thut in this
day of enlightenment and intelligence,
men will erne tain opinions like those
we have been reviewing? A man
without experience—without observa
tion, and without learning, might he
excused tor any opinion. But there is
no excuse for those who enjoy these
advantages, in entertaining opinions’ so
utterly opposed to all that is reasonable,
as well as to all experience, except
prejudice—and tho man of such preju
dice, 1 verily believe, is more to he pit
ied than the ignorant. Hut we hope
these errors will pass aw iy. VVe hope i
soon to be able to say to this feature, of
the “Old Baptists —farewell.” We
say nothing against the church in other
respects. We know many of its mem
bers, and we like them, think them
good men. But this one idea, of class
ing the temperance reform as anti-chris- [
tian, is utterly and inexcusably wrong. 1
It will kill off-—(an i it ought to do it)
any sort of Christians who adopt it. It
may have suited a darker age of the
world, “but the days of that ignoiancc
God winked at” and they are gone; i
and with them, ought to go, all such
heresies as the above.
“QUODLIBET.”
April I Dili, 1853.
For the Temperance Banner.
/>’/•:>. Brnntly :—1 see anotherlengthy
epistle in the “Banner” from the pen j
of one Mr. “Investigator.” I can as
sure you that he is not a tool for want!
oftaleut, but he has played the fool |
most miserably in his c unmunications— j
or else he must conclude ‘hat every •
! reader of the “Banner” is a great fooi. |
Do you suppose ho thinks he can!
make your uutn -rous readers believe }
that he only intends to convince and do j
good, when from Ins first sentence, he!
Mms evinced no little shrewdness in
! pouring forth the legit mute offsprings
of u heart filled with the black and pu- j
irid waters ot’ envy, malice and strife.]
As well tell me that there is a holy
, devil. 1 do not blame you, Bro.
tl., for giving him u place in your col
umns,--let him snort and stand on his
pastures as dees s nne others of the lonu
| eared braying tribe, as much as he
! please-, lie is welcome to all he can
effect. But one tiling Ido blame you
: for; after his first articlce he was re
-1 plied to in a short article by “Castiga
; lor.” You seemed, I thought, to rath
er to be inclined to choke Castigator otf
because, as you said, it was not best to
be personal. If you give “Investiga-
I tor” room to say what he please, do let
J the other side have, at least, a fair
showing. lam anxious to oe “Casii-
I gator's” “Mere anon,” and let it be us
~ personal as his article liny he—so he
‘•'ii4it,p truth, (and I think lie will,)
let it all come. Let him have it “Cas
tigate r” I think “Jacob” will also
appear again in a short time.
Truly and fraternally yours.
EQUALITY.
April 13th. 1853.
Jasper County, 18th April, ’53.
Mr. Editor :—Please find two dol
lars in advance for two copies of the
Banner; —on? directed to S. J. Shy,
i the other to myself. Address Shady
Dale, Jasper, Ga.
Although 1 have not taken a drink
ot spirits for twenty-three years, yet 1
have never been a subscriber to the
Banner. But on reading the commu
nication of “Salamander I’ettas,” in
I reply to “Investigator,” where he says,
“many of your subscribers in the coun
ty of Crawford, in this State, have or
dered the discontinuance of the Banner
because they believed you sided with
your correspondent,” &.c., 1 felt deter
mined to throw in my “mite” towards
sustaining an independent and impar
tial Editor. I have ever been in favor
of free and open discussion, and op
posed to nroscription for opinion sake,
hatii in church and State. Truckling
editors and muzzled presses are, in my
estimation, like “rotten apples,” worth
less, or worse ; arid if Free Masons and
Odd Fellows are disposed to abandon
you for an exercise of that independ
ence which ought to ho the delight and
pross of every freeman, and desert the
cause of Temperance on such a slender
pretext, it reflects nothing to their con
sistency or credit, to say the best of it.
You, Mr. Editor, have manifested your
impartiality by publishing both
sides of of the question, as every
candid man should do. Now suppose
outsiders should follow their example,
and desert you and tho cause of tem
perance, because you published the
trash and Iwatlle of your numerous cor
respondents on tho other side, what
would they say ?—or rather, what
would they not say ? If those institu
tions are what these scribblers pretend,
what have they to fear? Why shrink
from scrutiny ? If, from the nature of
their obligations and penalties, they
may he made engines of mischief and
corruption, the people ought to know
it; —why not do as the “Sons” have
done, publish their obligations to the
world and let the public mind be satis
fied; fori suppose, if there be any
harm in the institutions of Free Mason
ry and Odd Fellowship, it originates in
the nature of their obligations and pen
alties. 1 could say much.
i’lease excuse me for the liberty l
have taken, and believe me yours,
Respectfully.
G. T. SPEARMAN.
P. S. I omitted saying thut lam in
favor of legislative action against the
license law, and always have been.
It is the only reliable remedy.
G. T. 3.
Temperance and Politics-
Snne of our political editors, who
profess to bo Temperance men, express
regret that the Temperance question
should be introduced into the political
arena. Party edi ors are of course
bound to oppose any and every move
ment calculated to disorganize their
respective political organizations and
deprive tlioin of the “cohesive power of
public plunder.” But, gentlem -n
Whigs and Democrats, what course
would you have honest Temperance
men adopt to secure the prohibition of
the Rum traffic? We have tried everv
constitutional method, and made every
effort consistent with the dignity of
freemen, and-what has been the result?
You ha ve treated our thousands of pe
titions with disrespect, if not with ab
solute contempt. You have driven us
from the doors of your Legislative
Halls, without a hearing, as if we were
your servants, instead of vour masters.
What, then, are we to do to crush the
Monster Vice which is sapping the foun
dation of public morals and endangering
our liberties? There is but one resort,
and that is the ballot box, more power
ful than sword or bayonet—the free,
man’s best and surest defence against
the encroachments of the rum despo
tism—and to the ballot box we will go.
1 ou, gentlemen politicians, have driven
us into the political arena, to meet you
upon your own ground, and light you
with your own weapons; and when the
time for action arrives you will find
us organized, “armed and equipped”
for battle. The fill of the people has
gone forth, and the doom of the rum
power is sealed. Tim Temperance
banner lias been unfurled, bearing on
its example folds the expressive motto,
lota!prohibition of the liquor traffic, and
under that banner the people will rally
in the majesty of their strength and
bear it onward to certain victory. As
we stated last week, anew element
has been introduced into politics, and a
’ formidable party is about to be organ
ized for its support. The people are
ripe for action on this subject, and pol
iticians will soon witness a demonstra
tion of popular enthusiasm in Pennsyl
i vauia in favor of the Maine Law, that
no earthly power will be able success-
I fully to resist. As well seek to bind
thechainless and unbidden wind—
“Arrest the torrent’s headlong course,
Or turn aside the whirlwind's force.”
Harrisburg Crystal Fountain.
-d IV ew Duster. —Glasgow stonema
| sons are beginning to wear moustachios,
j on tne so ire of health; as recommended
I by Dr. Allison, the Klinburgh profes
sor, who regards them as a preventive
if breathing the fine dust which so
much injures the mason, and shortens
life.
fiffllE IAMM.
PJGHFIELD.APRIL 30, 1553.
§3P“ See List of Premiums for New Sub
scribers, on the first page.
EXTRA PREMIUM.
Desiring to extend the circulation ot the
Banner, and to procure the means of giving
it anew dress and otherwise improving it,
we will give a copy of Harper’s Pictobiai
Bible —worth Twenty-five Dollars—the
most spLndid edition of the Bible ever pub
lished—to the Agent who will procure the
highest number over one hundred of New
Subscribers to the Banner, between this
date and the 4th of July next.
Pine Bread.
Our friend Emory, of the Woodville Steam
Mills,favored us last week with a sample of
Corn Meal, ground at said Mills, which tve
have no hesitation in pronouncing to he of
a superior quality. It was remarkably white
and free from the least particle of grit, and
for hoe cake and muffins, we have not found
its superior. VVe understand the Flour Mill
will soon lie in operation, and hope and be
lieve our neighbors at Woodville may suc
ceed in their enterprise.
‘•lnvestigator,” &c.
We insert tiic commmunioation of our
Jasper Cos. correspondent, as we received
it, as it makes a good foundation for a re
mark or two from us. It is tiue we have
lost some Subscribers to the Banner, be
cause we admitted into its columns the
communications of “Investigstor.” This
has not surprised us, as we have some
knowledge of the whims of newspaper
readers. The loss of a few Subscribers has
presented no argument to convince us that
our course in the publication of the articles
by “Investigator,” was in the least wrong,
nor do we believe any person of correct
habits of thought will give much credit to
our offended subscribers, for the course
they have seen proper to take.
There is not an intelligent reader of the
Banner, who has paid attention to the sub
ject, but knows, we admitted the articles es
•‘lnvestigator” into its columns with “reluc
tance,.”
VVe were not ignorant of the fact, that
some of its professed friends would make
it the occasion of cavil; and we had no
doubt some of the friends of the institutions
objected to, would feel it incumbent upon
them to reply ; and we did not wish our
columns, at this important crisis of the tem
perance reform, to he occupied with extra
neous matters ; nor did we wish the atten
tion of our readers to be diverted from the
great and noble cause to which the Banner
is chiefly devoted. But we were at the
head of a public Gazette, and with our
notions of “free discussion” and the respon
sibilities of Editors and Proprieties of pub
lic Journals, in this country of republican
ism, we did not fuel at liberty to close our
columns against our correspondent.
It is well known to most of our readers,
thut the isolated fact, that the views of a
writer do not harmonize with our own, is
no just reason, in our view, to suppress
such articles, or to muzzle our press in
the case. Such are our notions of freedom
of the press, and our confidence in tho
power ot truth, that ourcolumns have been
open at all times to the opposers of the
temperance Reform. Opponents have been
invited to “show the reasons” for their op
position—and even the retailers of the oh
noxious article, have never beer, refused a
hearing by us.
It is aiso known, that we suffered blame
and tile loss of personal, as well as temper
mice friends, for uniting with and advoca
ting the Order of the Sons. “Investiga
tor himself gave us some hard knocks; but
he had the good sense to hold on to the
Banner, and we have not yet been con
vinced that we erred—certainly the with,
drawn] of a few hundred Subscribers, never
caused us to believe the Order of the Sons
was not a good institution.
W e are pleased to state, that the great
majority ol the intelligent and thinking
class of our readers, who belong to the In
stitutions objected to by “Investigator,” ap
prove our course, and ar., willing that their
institutions, and their claims to public favor,
should be subjected to the closest scrutiny.
They proscribe no man, on account of his
differing with them. And whenever they
do, an and whenever the proprietor of a public
journal, in tiiis country, is proscribed for
the admission ot articles questioning the
claims of any institution of man to public
approval, we feel no hesitation in declaring
it to be our belief that it is an evidence of
unsoundness, and that such institutions
ought to f ill.
.Hives! lirsudy.
Soma short time since, a respectable me
chanic in the county f Hancock, obtained
in the city ot Augusta, a quantity of the
above mentioned article, —look it home,
drank and continued to drink until lie died.
Nor did the mischief stop here. YVe are
informed that a brother of the deceased
succeeded as proprietor of the establishment
and that he is pursuing the very same
course. The fact is, he commenced upon
the very stuff that killed his brother, and
out of the same vessel. Now can it be
woong tor the authorities of this State, to
put a stop by proper enactments, to an or
der of things wiiich produces many results
of this kind ’
Public Electing in Sumter,
The citizens of Sumter County, are re
quested to attend a meeting at Americus,
on the firs’ Tuesday in May, ‘o consider
the question of the Liquor Tiaffic. Sever-,
j al addresses may be expected.
niiic Count).
VVe have just issued in pamphlet form,
the proceedings of a portion of the citizens
of Monroe county, in relation to the retail
ofardent spirits, and the action of the At
lanta Convention in February last. Tho
address to the Citizens of the county, is a
strong document, and so soon as we can
make it convenient, it will be spread before
our readers. In the meantime, we make
the following extract, and hope it will re
ceive an n%entive reading by friends and
foes of the question now before the peo
ple:—
“The whole question at last resolves it
self i do the right of society to protect itself
against any and every thing which disturbs
its peace, contaminates its morals, injures
its property, or endangers its health or
safety.
Is then the retailing of spirituous liquors
an evil, and is it one of such magnitude as
to require legislative interposition? Who
doubts it? Who can doubt it? Who does
not know that it is the prolific source of
three-fourths of the urines and pauperism
and vagrancy in the country? There is not
a man, woman, or child in all the land, with
one grain of sense above idiotcy, who
doubts, or can pretend to doubt, the im
mense mischief occasioned by tiie traffic
in spirits. Nay, the business of retailing
s'ands convicted and condemed by the law
which gives it license. The retailer, when
he gets his liesnse, is put under bond to
keep an orderly house. The law pre-sup
poses that lie will not keep an orderly house-
Why? Why does the law judge him thus
harshly? Because his business necessarily
tends to breed disorder. His shop, which
contains his liquois, and in which he vends
them, is sure to be the scene of disorder and
tumult and strife; and the only way he can
save his bond,after making a man drunk,
who in a statu of inioxieali on is disposed
to he noisy, is to turn him out of doors, so
that the disorder may not he in his house;
but to what extent it may annoy all out of
liis house, neither lie, nor the law appears
to have any concern. What other avoca
tion in lite is put under bond to keep an
orderly house? Not the fanner, or the
merchant, or the lawyer, or the physician,
or the artisan. Why? Because none of
these avocations tend to break the peace of
tiie community; hut the license, which au
thorises the retailer to vend his insoxica.
ting drinks, is granted under full knowl
edge that his business, thus licensed by law,
will he sure to give rise to feuds and quar
rels and fights,—and with this knowledge,
the law first sells him tile privilege to make
men drunk,and then requires him, under the
penality of five hundred dollars, to sup
press, in his house, tiie noise and disorder
which will ensue, as tlie necessary conse
quence of their intoxication—and for the ex
ercise of a privilege, upon which the law
itself places its seal of condemnation, he is
charged the paltry sum of five dollars.
VVe live in an age of progress, of ad
vancement and improvement in all that per
tains to the moral, social, intellectual and
physical eond tion of man. This System
the licensing of retail-shops is the relic of
an age comparatively unenlightened on the
subject ot h mpcrance. It is behind the itn
prowmont so rife in our country, and is
wholly unbecoming the moral and religious
character of the community in which wo
live. Uliat Georgian—what son of tho
Empire State of the South” does not hang
his head with shame at this foul blot on
our statute hook? And who will not labor,
as far as his influence may extend, to have
it erased?
ESP Our correspondent, “Equality ’’
stands very high with us, and in a long in
tercourse, we have hitherto never found in
him any thing to condemn. We think,
however, in the short article published in
this issue of tiie Banner, our friend lias
•‘crooked ’ a little—lie lias not properly
curbed his temper. And in the intimation,
’h ;, t we desired to “choke off” Castigator,
we know lie has erred. An examination of
our columns wi ll also establish ihe fact,,
that great latitude has been given to re-*
plies to “Investigator.” At least Jive times:
tiie space has been given to replies, that
lias been occupied by die other side.
Americus Female Institute.
1 his Institution (we learn) is in a flour
ishing condition. The number of pupils is
one third larger than at this period last
year. Pupils are in attendance from six
counties, exclusive of Sumter. Tnus far,
there has been no sickness, and the affairs*
ot the Institute are represented as in a pros
perous condition. Ttie following gentle
men constitute the Board of Visitors for the
present year:
IION. G. M. DUDLEY, Samter Cos.
“ A. M. D. KING,
“ E. R. BROWN, “
“ It. KING,
DR. A. REES,
R.C. JENKINS, Esn 11
W. BRADY,
C. J. MALONE,
T. C. SULLIY'AN, “
R. WHITE, “ „
REV. YV KNOX,
“ J. R. McCarter,
“ H. C. HORN AD AY,
DR. W. BRUCE,
U . T. DAVENPORT. Esq
11. DAVENPORT, “ <•.
R.LUNDAY, Lee Cos
DR. E. A. WEEMS, “
MAJ. W. MAXWELL,
W. A. HAWKINS,
REV. YV MATHEWS, Walker Cos.
C. M. DAVIS, “ u <i
E. J. PLOYY'DEN, “ “ w
J- B. LEWIS, “ Dooly Cos.
L. BUTTS, “ “ “
Twenty-seven heroes of the Revo
lution passed away during the vear
1852, David Kingsoit. the last of that
Boston Tea Party, died in Chicago, at
the age of one hundred and seventeen.