The Washingtonian, or, Total abstinence advocate. (Augusta, Ga.) 1842-1843, October 01, 1842, Image 1

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OR, VOL. I.] Tili3 W ISHINETONIAN. PUBLISHED BY JAMES McCAFFERTY, TWICE EVERY MONTH. Office on Macintosh street—opposite the Post Office. ft , . TERMS. f* or a copy, for oue year, One Dollar ; for six | : fopic’?, to one address. Five Dollars ; for ten copies, to ISjr o.if a 1 Jr* ss, Eight Dollars—and so in proportion. X\ I’aynicut in all cases to he made in advance. /" Ail communications by mail,must be post paid, k to receive attention. Y'P * MMH ——— II II !■■■■—l—ML-L—— The Dru kard’s Bible. President, said a short, stout man, with Ka go i.l-auinored countenanre, ail a florid com - ; (flexion, rising . s toe last speaker took his seat.— ■ I have been a tavern keeper. ’ fe/A At tins anuotin .lent there was a movement \ Hut' ; u - 1 * *• whole room, and an expression of j interest. Yes.olr. President," tie went on, “I have Hfchi en .t tavern keeper, and many a glass I have ; P*fe"ld to you, and to your Secretary there, and to t ‘ dozens ot others that I sec here' 3 —glancino a- T" round upon the company. " 1 hat’s a tact, ’ broke in the President, “nia- , ny a gin toddy and brandy punch have I taken J ’« at your bar. But times arc changed now, and I we have begun to earn- tile war into the enemy’s ; * cainp. And our war has not been altogether ! unsuccessful, for we have taken prisoner one of the rum sellers’ bravest Generals! But go on friend W., let us have your experience.' 1 , “Asto my experience, Mr. President,’ the ex-1 tavern keeper resumed, ‘in rum-selling and rum drinking, for I have done a good deal of both in my time, that would be rather too long to tell i to-night—and one that I had much rather forget than relate. It makes me tremble and sick at 1 heart, whenever I look upon the evil Ihavedonc. | 1, therefore, usually look ahead with the hope of doing some good to my fellow men. But there is one incident that 1 will relate.— j . For the last five years, a hard working mechanic, | with a wife and seven small children, came regtt-1 iarly, almost every night, to my tavern, and spent the evening in my bar-room. lie came to drink, of course, and many and many a dollar of his hard earnings went into my till. At last he be came a perfect sot —working scarcely one-fourth of his time, and spending ah he earned in liquor. , His poor wife had to take in washing to support herself and children, while he spent his time and j the little he could make, at my bar. But his ap- i petite for liquor was so strong, that his week’s '■% earnings were usually all gone by Tuesday or AVednesday, and then I had to chalk up a score % against him, to be paid off when Saturday night • came. This score gradually increased, until it amounted to three or four dollars over his Satur day night’s pay, when I refused to sell him any more liquor until it was settled. On the day at'-! ter I had thus refused him, he came in with a 1 neat mourning breast-pin, enclosing some hair— j no doubt, I thought, of a deceased relative. ' Phis ' he offered in payment of what he owed. I ac f cepted it, for the pin I saw at once was worth i double the amount of my bill. I did not think, nor indeed care about the question, whether he I was the owner or not; I wanted my own, and in j t my selfish eagerness to get it, I hesitated not to i take a little more than my own. I laid the breast-pin awav, anti all things went j on smoothly for a while. But he. gradually got j behind hand again, and again I cut otrhis sup- j ply of liquor. This time he brought me a pair of brass andirons, and a pair of brass candle-sticks, \ and I took them and wiped off the score against! him. At last he brought a large family Bible, j and I took that too—thinking no doubt I could j sell it for something. On tiie Sunday a tier wards, having nothing to \ do— for ! used to shut my bar on Sundays, think ing it was not respectable to sell liquor on that day—l opened this poor drunkard’s family Bible, scarcely thinking of what i was doing. The first place 1 turned to was the family record. There it was stated, that, upon a certain day, he had been married to Emily o I had known Emily , when 1 was a young man, very well. and had once thought seriously of offering my self to her in marriage. 1 remembered her happy young face, and seemed suddenly to hCar a tone ; of her merry laughter. “ Poor creature!” I sighed involuntarily as a thought of her present condition crossi d my mind —anil then with no very pleasant feelings I turned over another leaf. There was the record of the birth ol her four children; the. last had I been made recently, and was in the mother’s hand. I never had such strange feelings as now came over me. I felt that l had no business with this , book; but I tried to stifle my feelings, and turned over several leaves quickly. As 1 suffered my eyes to rest upon an open page, these words ar- ’ rested my attention. TOTAL ABSTINENCE ADVOCATE. AUGUSTA, GA. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1842. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; whoso is deceived thereby is not wise.” 1 his was just the subject, that, under the feel ings I then had, I wished to avoid, and so 1 re ferret! to another place. There I read: “ Who hath wo! who hath sorrow! who hath wounds'? who hath babbling? who hath redness ot eyes? They that tarry long at the wine. A 1 last it bifeth like a serpent, it stingeth like an ad der.” I felt like throwing the book from me; but once more I turned the leaves, and my eyes rest ed upon these words— “ Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink; that puttest thy bottle to him and makest himdtunk.” I closed the hook suddenly, and threw it down. Then, for half an hour, I paced the room back wards and forwards in a state of mind I never before experienced. I had become painfullycon scious of the direful evils resulting from intem perance, and still more painfully conscious, that i had been a willing instrument in the spread of these evils. 1 cannot tell how much I suffered during that day and night, nor describe the fear ful conflict that took place in my mind, between a selfish love of the gains of my calling, and the plain dictates of truth and humanity. It was a hout!) o’clock, I think, on that evening, that I opened the Drunkard’s Bible again, witti a kind of despairing hope that I should meet there with something to direct me. I opened at the Psalms, and read two or three chapters. As I read on, without finding any thing directly to my case, I felt an increasing desire to abandon my calling, because it was injurious to my fellow men. Al ter I had read the Bible, I retired to bed, but could not sleep. lam sure that during that night 1 thought of every drunken man to whom I had sold liquor, and of all their beggared families. In the brief sleep that 1 obtained, I dreamed that I saw a long line of tottering drunkards, with their wives and children in rags. And a loud voice said— “ AVho hath done this?” The answer, in a still louder voice, directed, I felt, to me, smote upon my ear like a peal of thunder— “ Thou art the man !” From this troubled slumber I awoke to sleep no more that night. In the morning the last and the most powerful conflict came. The question o be decided, was— “ Shall I open my tavern, or at once abandon the dreadful traffic in liquid poison !” Happily, 1 decided never to put to any man’s lips the cup of confusion. My next step was, to turn the spicket of every keg or barrel of spirits, wine, beer, or cider, and let the contents escape on the floor. My bottles and decanters were likewise emptied. Then I came and signed your Total Abstinence Pledge; and what is better, never rested until I had persuaded the man whose Bible had been of so much use to me, to sign the Pledge likewise. And now, Mr. President, I am keeping a Tem perance Grocery, and am making restitution as fast as possible. There are at least half a dozen families, that mv tavern helped to make poor and wretched, to whom I furnish a small quantity of groceries every week, in many cases equal to the amount that used to he spent at my bar for liquor. Four of my oldest and best customers have alrea dy signed the Pledge by my persuasion, and lam not going to rest, until every man that I helped to ruin, is restored to himself, his family, and so .-"'''’"indian Temperance Lecture. V In one of our late numbers, wo published an ac count of the formation of a Washingtonian Soci ety among the Choctaws. The spirit of the refor mation has not, however, been confined to this tribe. The Creeks have taken up the matter, and are endeavouring to free themselves from the slavery of a habit, which has been entailed upon them by their white brethren. We arc indebted to the kindness of a subscriber, for the sub joined copy of a temperance lecture delivered lately, by one oftheir most celebrated chiefs. Gen. Mclntosh It wil we doubt not, be read with interest. — Ch. Total Abstinence Banner. From the Arkansas Intelligencer. Among the different laws passed at the recent Creek council, and indeed we might almost say the most important, is one in relation to the intro duction of whiskey into the nation. The Creeks passed a law at the meeting of their council in 1841 which was intended to stop the great traffic in whiskey among their people, but which failed to accomplish the desired object. The Chiefs, head men and warriors, seeing that this grand enemy of their people wa.s gradually extending his power over them, and carrying along with him his usual trail of evils, determined to make another effort to banish him from their country. We hope they may be successful. The last law provides that no person shall bring spirituous !i quors into the Creek nation except for his own use, it being deemed too great an infringement of the liberty of an Indian to prohibit him entirely from importing the “ critter.” This law further provides that any person violating it shall be pun ished as follows: Fot the first offence their li quor shall be seized and spilt, for the second of ienco their liquor shall he seized and spilt, and the person offending shall receive twenty-five lashes; for the third olfence, the liquor to be spilt, and the offender to be handed over to the law makers of the t own to which he belongs, whose prerogative it is to say what the punishment shall be. With the Creeks the punishment for the third offence is generally death. This law was introduced and warmly advocated by Gen. Chil ley Mclntosh, an intelligent, worthy, and influ ential Creek Indian, from whom we obtain the substance of his speech in favor of the passage of the law, and which is nearly as follows. “ Gentlemen of the Committe: —You are now in full council; and the special business at present before you is to enact a suitable law, interdicting tile introduction of whiskey into our nation, — Whiskey is a bad thing—it is an evil spirit, we know that it is evil, and that it has been the bane ot our country; and it has caused the ruin of our people. “ The strength ofour people is like the oak in the forest; the limbs, the leaves, and the fruit are green and rich; its branches are heavy and line, and under its shade the wild animals rest, and the birds sit upon its boughs; so with our young men; their limbs are. strong, they are swift, an 3 their hearts are very brave and wise; they are a shelter and protection to their wives, and their children sit in their arms. “ But the lightning of the storm, when it opens a bright path through the black cloud, can strike the oak, and lay its beauty in the dust, bring low its strength and grandeur. “So the lightning from the evil fire-water strikes my people; then they reel, stagger, and fall; they stab their friends, and are no longer a protection to their lodges; they cannot stand in the might of manhood, but, they wallow in the mud like a beast “Brothers, the evil spirit is mighty; it makes my people howl and groan upon the ground—and the whitoman, us he passes by, says, “ Here lies an Indian dog—he is drunk,” and the warrior who feared no blow, lays still and cannot defend his honor. “ AVarriors, who of you is not brave—who of you is not wise—who ol'you is not swift—who of you would fear to strike a foe ? Your arms are long, anil may reach your enemy—your cunning is great and can hide you from him,’ but the evil spirit is strong and cuts the heart~it consumes the life ofthe hcart--anil who is brave with an eaten heart ? AVho can stand and the fire-water burning his veins ? Can the warrior touch him and not fear—can lie take him into his bosom and not fall ? The warrior has love for his home, his people, and his honor; the evil spirit has none and seeks to destroy the warrior’s. AVho will suffer it—who will he tamed by the hot liquor ’till lie is like a kicked dog. AVho will not lift his arm and say this enemy—this fire-water shall begone | and shall destroy no more? AVarriors, your strength, your wisdom, your cunning says, touch no whiskey; husbands, fathers, and brothers, your love, your happiness, your homes, cry against the evil spirit, and your young children are fearful—who shall teach them bravery, wis dom. and love if the father be dead in liquor! “ Brothers, our brave and great red brethren, the Cherokces and Choctaws, have passed laws prohibiting the traffic in fire-water. They arc wise—their chiefs are cunning, and they scent the enemy. This law is doing them good—their lodge hearths and their fields arc green; they sit down in peace and rise refreshed. “ Let us follow their example. If we make a good law on this subject, and carry it into effect, our people will also smile—our children will laugh, our women be strong, and our nation will be happy. “ Brothers, I do not wish you to keep your heart closed; 1 wish you to open it wide that good may come in, and drive out the evil; I wish you to speak your minds freely like men—like warri ors—like counsellors; my heart is white; I love my people and my country; whiskey is their ene my—it does much harm, and makes enemies of friends; therefore I hate it. AVithit nty people are bad and weak; without it they are good and strong; without it they would tie good warriors, good husbands, good fathers and good citizens. “ Brothers, pass this law against whiskey, and drive the fire-water far from your heart and na tion; let it never more wet your lips— then will you become great and happy.” “No oue past Reclaiming.” When Wright and Pollard w r ere at New burgh, the following incident occurred, which is j but one case out of thousands that might be men- 1 fioned, tending to show that the most hopeless dvunkard may be reclaimed and saved from the wretchedness of intemperance; therefore, let no one despair. We copy from the Newburgh Ga zette. One Saturday Evening as Mr. Wright was lec turing on the Ferry Dock, a fortnight since, to a crowded audience, a poor drunken wretch, bare footed and lagged—so lilthy as to be disgusting to all around—staggered along and seated himself on the steps ot the Ferry House—so drunk as scarcely to be able to sit up. Even in this condi tion his attention was arrested by the remarks of the speaker, who, on observing him, appealed to t he audience with almost irresistible eloquence in behuif of the miserable drunkard! This mass of drunkenness rose—staggered to the box on which Mr. Wright stood, amidst the sneers and the scotls ot many, and as lie was held up, scrawled some illegible characters upon the pledge; this having done, he staggered back again to his seat, weeping and wringing his hands! “ Nonsense!” “foolery!” “humbug!” were the exclamations that were heard. He will never keep the pledge” —“hasn’t been sober for months!” “Is the greatest drunkard in Newburgh!” “He uill keep his Pledge” said Mr. Wright, “but if he fills, it is the fault nf the audience and the Tem perance community, into whose hands J commit him!” “ Well gentlemen,” continued the speaker, “at the close of Mr. Wright’s address that night, he came to me, being nearly sober, and begged for something to eat —had eat nothing all day —was almost starved—give him something to eat and made him promise to call on me the next Monday morning. Well Monday came, but he came not, the week passed by and he was not to be heard of, sure enough he had “ tricked ” us, and doubtless, was a drunkard still! A fortnight rolled by and I met a man this afternoon in the street, cleanly and neatly dressed, face shaved and with a smile accosted me very civilly and inquired if I knew him. Hooked a minute, and sure enough I did know him! It was the same that signed the pledge, butoh how changed! He assured me he had not I.isled a drop since that evening he sign ed the pledge, and now felt no desire to. The noble fellow had been absent for his poor wife and children, who had inhumanly been thrust from their dwelling by the cruelty of their land lord, in consequence of his drunkenness! He had earned money enough during the fortnight, and had restored his wife and children to the same home, whence they had been driven though the neglect of a drunken father and husband! But now they were happy and rejoicing with the pros pect, that one so dear could be saved from a drunkard’s grave!” “And,” resumed the speaker, “ I invited him to attend this meeting— he is here and his happy little boy besides him, and, I presume, is not ashamed to spea k for himself—” Here the speaker was interrupted by a man rising from his seat and with deep emotion, stri vingtogive utterance to words—“l—l—l am the man! and thanks be to God—unworthy wretch as I have been— with His help I have re solved never! never to taste the accursed thing any more!” Reader! can it be in thy heart to oppose the progress of this work 1 Will you— dare you, any longer in the sight of God! withhold fromityour influence and example ? Beware! Hurra! Washingtonianism still triumphant.—lt is the only thing in the world that will break up grog shops and rum-taverns, and stop tho mouth of tfic still. Legal interference only exasperates the rum-seller. Nothing but kindness, persuasion, remonstrance and the presentation of facts, will ever operate on those engaged in the traffic. Rum venders and makers are men, and many of them men of respectability and influence in the community, and we must, therefore, treat them with as much respect as any other class; onlvlet us never give countenance to their traffic. 'lt is with extreme pleasure we announce the good tidings that the manufacture of “ distilled damna tion’ 1 in Virginia, has already received a blow that will in a short time greatly diminish its pro duction. In proof of this we have only to state that manufacturers in the surrounding counties find so little use for their murderous apparatus, that they are compelled to send it to this city and sell it as old copper. Mr. Denoon. the enter prising proprietor of the Bell and Brass Foundry on Main-street, informs us that he has purchased a large number of stills lately, the owners, we believe, having become disgusted with the busi ness. One man, who was in the habit of manu facturing, annually, a large quantity of apple brandy, had to give it up because “he could'nt get any one to buy the stuff” This is the kind of force we use. Hurra! for total abstinence!— Tee-tolaler. [No. 9.