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We extract the following articles from a work
entitled “Permanent Temperance Documents"”
published in 1835:
So sooner is a person brought under the power
of intoxicating liquors, than iie seems to be proof
against the influence ofall the means of reforma
tion. If. at any time, the truth gains access to
his mind, and impresses his heart, by a lew
drau hts of this fatal poison, the impression is
almost sure t> be effaced. Hence the notorious
and alarming fact,>Ciat a person addicted to this
vice is seldom icnewed in the temper of his mind
or even reformed as to his outward character. *
* * Most persons given to intemperance, pro
ceed from one degree of wickedness to another,
till, having been often reproved, and hardened
their necks, they bring sudden and remediless
destruction upon themselves. And tin y destroy
not only themselves, but a multitude of others.
The intemperance of a father has extended to
three, four, five, and even to seven of his chil
dren. The intemperance of a family has extend
ed its contagion through a neighborhood, and its
baleful elfects have been felt by numerous indi
viduals and families. .Many persons, in all
classes of society, have been destroyed by this
vice; and no one is free from danger. A i'ather
has no security that his children will not die
drunkards; and no security that the evil will n t
be extended through them, to future generations.
* * * A.I persons, especially the young, must
continue to be exposed. Dangers meet tnem in
the street; overtake them in business; follow
them to their dwellings; attend them in the pri
vate interview, and in the social circle, and assail
them wherever thuv go; and without a chunge
in the sentiments and practices of the community,
the evil must continue to increase, till ttie anima
ting prospects of this great and mighty republic
are darkened, its precious institutions ruined,
and thousands and millions of its population
borne 011 a current of liquid lire to a world of'
wo.
Ardent spirits is composed of alcohol and wa
ter, in nearly equal proportions. Alcohol is com
posed of hydrogen, car horn, and oxygen, in the
proportion of übout 13, 52, and 35 parts to the
hundred, li is, in its nature, as manifested by
its ellocts, a POISON. When taken in any
quantity, it disturbs healthy action in the human
system, and ill large doses su Ideniy destroys lile,
k resembles opium in its nature, and arsenic in
itscdecU. And thougn when mixed with wa
ter, as in ardent spirits, its evils arc somewhat
modiiied, they by no means prevented. Ar
dent spirits is an enemy to the human constitu
tion, and cannot be used as a drink wnnout inju
ry. Its ultimate tendency invariably is, to pio
duce weakness, not slreiiglo; sickness, not
health; deatii, not Inc.
• # *
Ardent spirit, as a drink, «s not needful. All
men lived vilunui it, and all the business of tile
world was conducted witoout it, for thousands of
years. It is not thrie Hundred years since it
began to be generally used a's a drink in Great
Britain; nor one hundred years since it became
common in America.
More than a million of persons in this country
and multitudes in other c >untries, who once dui
use it, and thoug h it needful, have, within live
years, ceased to use it; and they have found that
they are iu all respects better without it.
This fatal error, that anient spirit is for men
in health useful, did not prevail generally among
the mass of people in this country, till atior Un-
American Revolution. In that mighty struggle
which gave hirth to a nation, and in tne numer
ous hardships and dangers to which the soldiers
were exposed, they were turnished by trie gov
ernment, with a portion of this poison, under the
fatal delusion that it would do them good. The
consequence was, as, under similar circumstan
ces, it ever must be, the diseased appetite which
this poison creates, was formed by great num
bers; was carried nut b$ them, at tne close of tin
war, into the community; and was extended
through the country.
At the close of the first half cen'ury of our
national existence, this diseased appetite had be
come so prevalent as to demand, annually, for tts
gratification, more than sixty million gallons of
liquid fire. And while it cost the consumers
more than thirty million dollars, it caused more
than three-fourths of all the pauperism, crimes,
and wretchedness of the community. It also
greatly increased the number, frequency, and
violence of diseases; and according to the testi
mony of the most intelligent and judicious physi
cians, occasioned annually the loss of more tuan
thirty thousand lives. The loss of property oc
casioned by the consumption of ardent spirit,
amounted, in forty years, to a greater sum than
the value of all the houses and lands in ttie Uni
ted States, forty years ago. The use of it caused
a destruction—and, there Is reason to fear, for
both worlds—of more than half a million of men.
Though no exact account had been taken in
this country, it was known that it had destroyed
the reason of a great portion of all the maniacs in
the land; and had lessened the reason, as well
as weakened the bodies, blunted the moral sus
ceptibilities, and hardened the hearts oi all who
had freely used it.
Os seven hundred and eighty-one maniacs in
two hospitals in Great Britaiii,three hundredand
ninety-two were made such by intemperance.
And had the inquiry been as carefully made in
this country, the result might have been sub
stantially the same. The use of this stimu
lant had, in many cases, earned a predisposition
lo insanity, not only in those who used it, but in
their children, and children’s children.- A ten
~dency to this disease, and many uthers.occasion
ed by strong drink, had become hereditary', and
; was transmitted from generat'on to generation.
A diminution of size and stature, a decrease of
' bodjly and mental strength, a feebleness of vis
ion, and a premature olu age, told of a disease
that had seized on the vitals, and wasconsuming
the energies ol life. The use of this liquid was
| causing a general deterioration of body and
■ mind, and was threatening to roll its curses, in
: broader and deeper streams, over all future gen
-1 erations.
Yet, notwithstanding this, such was the nature
iof this poison, and such its power to deceive those
I who used it, that the opinion was almost univer
! sal, that the use of it was salutary, and to labor
ing men needful.
Trotter, who had as good an opportunity and
was as well able to judge as any man, had indeed
said, “ I hat of all the evils of human life, no
I cause of disease had so wide a range, or so large
j a share, as the use of spirituous liquors; and that
| more than half the sudden deaths were occasion
ed by them;”—and Altman had declared, “That
art never made so fatal a present to mankind as
the invention of distilling them.”
Willan had said, “That the use ol thes* li
quors, in large cities, produced more diseases
than confined air, unwholesome exhalations, ind
the combined influence ofall other evils;”— «nd
Paris, “ l’hat the art of distillation must bore
garded as the greatest curse ever inflicted on
human nature; and that ardent spirits produce
more than halfof all c'lronical diseases.”
Darwin had testified, “That when chronical
diseases arise from the use of ardent spirit, tjey
are liable to become hereditary, even to the tlird
generation, and if the cause is continued, to in
crease till the family become extinct."
Frank had declared, “That the use of these
liquors ought to be entirely dispensed with,on
1 account of their tendency, even when takexin
small doses, to induce disease, premature old igc
and death;” —and Chcyne had stigmatised than,
as being “ most like opium in their nature «id
operation, and most I ke arsenic in their deletiri
ous and poisonous effects.”
Mosely had said, from his own observation,
having resided in the West Indies, “That (ar
sons who drink nothing but cold water, or make
it their principal drink, are hut little affectedly
tropical climates; that they undergo the greatest
fatigue without inconvenience, and arc notso
subject as others to dangerous diseases;”—aid
Bell, “That rum, when used even moderatejy,
dways diminishes the strength, renders mfn
more susceptible of disease, and unfits them for
any service in which vigor anti activity are r
qutrcU; and that wc miglit as well throw oil irto
a house, the roof of which was on fire, in order
to prevent the flames from extending to the in
side, as to pour ardent spirits into the stomach,
to lessen the effect of a hot sun upon the skin.*’
Munro hail declared, “That a man had no
more need of ardent spirit than a cow, tr a
horse; and Kirk, “ 1 hat fifteen out of twrntv
eases of liver complaint, were occasioned ly the
useol it; and that men who had always been
considered tein|>erate, had, by using it,sh rtened
life more than twenty years.’ 5 He had also given
it as his opinion, that the regular and respectable
use of this poison kills more men than drunken
ness itself. Barkhausen had testified. “That
he had known persons affected even with deliri
um tremers, who had never been intoxicated in
their whole lives.”
Kush had maintained, “ That men in all kinds
of business would lie better without the use of
spirituous liquors; and that there are hut on» or
two cases in which they can be used without
essential injury;”—and'Chapman, “That the
evils of using them aro so great, that the cnqty
dig of Pandora’s box was but the type of u hat
has been experienced by the diffusion of these
liquors among the human species.”
Uthers had given a similar testimony, and de
nounced the use of them altogether,"except it
case of necessity. But, with many who profess
ed to adopt this rule, the difficulty was, the neces
sity, in their estimation, came every day, Th
consequence was, if they and their children did
not become drunkards, they raised no barrier to
that tide of drunkenness which was sweeping
through the land.
Judge Hale, after twenty years’ observation
and experience, had declared, ‘‘That if all tin
murdeis, ami manslaughters, and burglaries, and
robberies, and riots, and tumults, the adulteries
fornications, rapes, and other great enormities,
which had been committed within that time, were
divided into live parts, four of them would
tie found to have been the result of inteiine'-
ance.”
Should all the inhabitants of the United States
cease to use intoxicating liquor, the followin'?
would be some ofthe beneficial results, viz:
1 Not an individual would hereafter bectmea
drunkard.
2. Many who are now drunkards, would re
form, and would be saved (rom the drunkard’s
grave.
3. As soon as those who would not rtform
should he dead, which would be but a shortiime,
not a drunkard would be found, and the whole
land wouffl be free.
4. More than three-fourths of the pauptrism
of the country might be prevented; and also
more than three-fourths ofthe crimes.
5. One of the grand causes of error in princi
ple, and immorality in practice, and of all dssi
pation, vice and wretchedness, would be remov
ed.
6. The number, frequency and severity of
diseases, Would lie greatly lessened ; and the
number and hopelessness of maniacs in our land,
be exceedingly diminished.
7. One of the greatest dangers of our children
and youth, and one of the principal causes of
bodily, mental and moral deterioration, would be
removed.
8. Loss of property, in one generation, to an
amount greater than the present value of all the
houses and lands in the United States, might be
prevented.
9. One of the greatest dangers to our free in
stitutions, to the perpetuity of our government,
and to all the blessings of civil and religious lib
erty, would be removed.
10. The tfficacy of the gospel, and all the
means whieh God has ap|>ointed for the spiritual
and eternal good of men, would be exceedingly
augmented ; and the same amount of moral and
leligious effort might be expected to produce more
than double its present effects.
11. Multitudes of every generation, through
all future ages, might be prevented from sinking
into an untimely grave, and into endless tor
ment: they might be transformed into the divine
image, and prepared, through grace, for the end
less joys of heaven.
l‘d. God would be honored, voluntarily and
actively, by much greater numbers; and with
greater clearness, and to a greater extent, would,
through their instrumentality, manifest his glory,
No Wonder. —A friend tolls us that he at
tended the meeting of the Washingtonians in the
city ot'Baltimore a few weeks ago. As usual,
the meeting was opened by reading the Pledge,
and an invitation to sign---this was followed by
a general rush for the Secretary’s desk. A rum
seller at the farther end of the room got up, and
asked leave to say a few words. “ You Wash
ingtonian boys,” said he, “ have got all my cus
tomers but one, and there he is signing note!
Guess its no use to open shop any more, so, with
your permission, “ I’ll sign too!’’ This was re
ceived with immense cheering, during which the
rum-seller walked to the desk, and entered his
name on the book.
“ The Deacon for me.”— “Papa,” sail one of
his boys to the Deacon, “ I had a funny dream
last night.”
“ Well, son, what was your tunny dream V'
“ I dreamed the devil came into your store.”
“ The devil V
“Yes, Pa, the devil; that he found you draw
ing a glass of gin for poor A mho Jones, who has
tits, and broke a little baby’s arm the other day,
because she cried when he came home drunk.
And I thought the devil came up to the counter,
and laid the end of Iris tale on a chair and leaned
over towards the barrel where you were stooping
to draw it out, and asked if you wasn’t a deacon !
And 1 thought \ou didn’t look up, but said you
was; and then he grinned, and shook histaleiike
a cal that has a rat, and says, “ that ’ere’s the dea
con for me I” and ran out of the shop laughing so
loud that I put my fingers into my ears and woke
up.”
The deacon quit the traffic, and joined the
Washington Temperance Society.
Success to the Vermont Girls.— Among all
the efforts in the cause of temperance, from its
earliest inception to the present day, we have
heard of no means, whether in the social circle
the closet, the pulpit or the forum, thatcquals the
soil, persuasive and touching eloquence of the
Vermont Ladies, who, it is said kiss the lijts of
young men, to see whether they have been tam
pering with toddy.
The Danville Reporter thus attests his admi
ration of the invention: —Chronicle 4* Sentinel.
We presume that the young gentlemen in these
parts, who belong to the Washington Ttmper
ance Societies, would have no particularobjection
to the introduction among them, of a similar
method of testing their fidelity to their principles.
Many, too, would be induced to become good and
true Washingtonians just for the sake of submit
ting to the test, who would do it for nothing less
than the kissing part. It’s a ‘‘dreadful pleasino"
thought, isn’t it 1
Thunder Storms.— As we are so often visited
by these storu.s, which are usually of great severi
ty, and seldom pass over without some damage to
life or property, the following facts relating to
them, will be read with interest by those who
have never bclore met with them, and will serve
to refresh the memories of those who studied
these principles in their philosophy.— Sar. Geor.
Thunder Storms . The distance of a thunder
storm and consequently the danger is not difficult
to be ascertained. As light travels at the rate of
about 6ti,420 leagues in a second, or nearly 200,-
000 miles in one second of time, its effects may be
con idered as instantaneous within any moderate
distance. Sorted, on the contrary, is transmitted
only at the rate of 1,142 feet in a second. By ac
curately observing, therefore, the time which in
tervenes between the flasli of light and the begin
ning ol the noise of the thunder which follows it,
a very accurate calculation may be made of its
distance, viz: when you observe the lightning,
and ten seconds elapse before you hear the thun
der, you are two miles out of danger; if 5 seconds
elapse between, one mile out of danger; but it
you only distinguish one second to elapse be
tween the lightning and thunder, then you may
estimate yours. If only 1,145 feet from the danger
ous fluid, ayd the nearer to the light you hear the
thunder within one second, you may count your
self in danger; by having a knowledge of there
things these is no better means of reiboving appro
hensions. li the thunderrumbiesseven seconds
you must be aw are that the electric fluid has pass-’
ed through space from the atmusphere to the earth
a distance of nearly one mile and a half. Some
times the fluid skips from one cloud to another
before it comes to the earth. There is no dan
ger to be apprehended from the thunder, but that
it operates as a warning when well calculated.
Cheltenham Cronicle.
More Gentlemanly Language.— fn reply to
the Hon. Mr. Arnold, of Tennessee, the J7on.
Mr. Weller lias jublished a card, in which lie
says:
“That the ‘goat from Tennessee is a swag
gering bully, a low, a ulgar blackguard, destitute
of alllionorable principles;’ that he is excluded
from the ‘ society of gentlemen,’ and can ‘excite
no feelings but those of pity and contempt.”
Honorable gentkman indeed ! The veriest
ragabond in Georgia would feel himsel disgrac
ed by us ng such language in relation to another
of his own stamp. The people must keep these
“bull dogs” at home, and send men to Congress
who evince a desire to maintain the dignity of
their own character, and that of the country.
Keep all “swaggering bullits, and low, vulgar
blackguards,” out of Congress, and.ourword for
it, the business of the Nation will be transacted
in at least one-fourth the time it is now. and our
Country will once more regain her former spot
less reputation. —[Southern Miscellany.
Tricmpu or Socthkbn Mechanics.—We have
learned with great phasure, that the Charleston
and Columbia Ran Road Company, alter trying
the best Steam Engines, that could be obtained
from abroad, have discovered that they eon have
better Engine* manufactured in South Carolina,
and by native mechanics, than they can obtain
any where else. Ihe Company has its engines
now manufactured in Charleston, and the In ad
workman is a native of'Charleston. This speaks
well for Carolina enterprize and industry.
And while on this -übject, we would advert to
mother and kindred branch of industiy in the
upper part of this State. V\ e have seen'at Mes
srs Polock & Solomon’s Ftore, in Columbia, a
very large assortment of Kails, hen, &c. from
the Nesbitt Iron \\ orks in Spartanburg District.
We understand that the mechanics who have
used these nails and imn, say they arc of the l est
quadty, and that no better can be obtained. And
as an evidence of the high reputation of the iron,
as well ns workmanship at that factory, the Go
vernment has contracted with the Company to
manufacture Cannon Balls for the Army and
Navy.
Now these sources ofwealth, and fcr the appli
cation of industry in our Stale, are of but re
cent development. And it maybe, that the vervr -
pressure ot “hard times,” of which so many
Lomplam, will cause our fellow-citizens to search
al cr the many yet unexplored mines of wealth
that exist in our S<ate. For years past, when
either extravagance or had management, or rnis
ortune. caused pecuniary embarrassment, it has
been the custom of our citizens to fly to the iicrt
prairies of the West to repair their crippled for
tunes, and many too, in despair of succt ss at
home, or impatient of the slow accumulations of
industry, rushed hastily into Western specula-
U°" 8 > ,lie *'°P e of carving speedy fortunes.
But it has been found, that pecuniary embarrass
ments and hard times, press close upon the heels
ot ex Havana nee and idleness in the fresh West
as well as in the South, exhausted as it has been
thought to be.
Much ot the spirit of enterprize and industry
now beginning to be manifested in South Caro-
Itna, are owing to these severe but salutary les
sons, which we would learn only in the school of
experience. But we believe that, as vet, not one
ten;h part of the resources of our State have been
developed. Each year will open new channels
ot wealth, whenever the love of home shall be
come sufficiently strong to induce us to try every
iair expedient foi accumulating propem, before
we can consent to burst the ties which should
bind us to our own, our native State, and to the
mends of our youth, merely for money.
[ Temp. Adrocatc.
Intrepidity Rewakdid.--- A Gold Medal ha®
been subscribed for and presented to a schtol-boy
belonging to the “ High School,” Charleston, for
preserving his school-mate, some time ago, from
drowning. On one side of the Medal, which is
ot the Oval form, is nscribed, “Reward of a
generous and noble action.” and on the reverse.
I o Master Benjamin Jenkins, for gallantly
rescuing Master Warren Andrews, from a wa
tery grave Carolinian.
The Alexandria Gazette of 10th instant, says—
“We understand that as soon as the Exploring
Squadron.(now daily expected) arrives in this
country, they are to pioceed up the Potomac, to
Washington, where theircrews will be discharged
and theco lect on of curiosities,&c., now onboard
ofthe vessels, delivered into the hands of the Gov
ernment.—Sav. Georgian.
The Cashier ofthe Planters’ Bank of Tennes
see, ha! very suddenly become a Texian volun
teer. taking with him some $20,600 to appropriate
to the patriotic c use!
The American Consul at Cape Hayti, and the
whole of his family, were destroyed by the late
earthquake at that place.
The sparkle of a gratified wife’s eye will go fur
ther than a ton of anthracite—it warm* the heart.