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- vice an 4 immorality a sure indication of,
decay m the social and political system.
Whatever causes, therefore, have been!
pro Juctive of evil in time past, will, if in
pe, ation now, be,productive of like con
sequences. Among the earliest symp
toms of decay in the pillars upon which
rested the famed governments of antiqui
ty, 'was the spirit of discontent that
occasionally excited public opposition to
t(iehdminiHtra|don’of the law. I The purer
tilings of the soul having been swallow
el up in luxurious indulgence, and the
pleasures of sense having gained an as
cerdancy over moral and intellectual
deairea, the public interest was neglected ,
and internal feuds and disseniions were !
generated; to escape from the evils of
.vfeich the several republics tmaiiv tool; j
refuge in the arms of a military despot- j
icm. Lest the same catastrophe should
Fwfai the institutions under which it is j
cur good fortune to iive, and whiofe are 1
so condusive to the promotion of man’s
happiness and prosperity, let us take
warning from the signs of the times, and
endeavor to escape the rocks upon which
were wrecked the ships of state in olden
times. That a kindred spirit to that
which preceded the downfall of ancient
republics, obtains in our land, none can
doubt. From every quarter of the union
daily intelligence i 3 received of the oper-!
ations of the government being disturbed j
by the spirit of discontent. The columns
of the public journals, those winged mes
sengers of intelligence, aro filled with
accounts of murders, thefts and .forge- j
lies. Indeed such has been the preva-:
knee of vice and crime in the country,
i«r the ftw last'years, that, they seem to
have been incorporated into the etiquette |
of the dny| and in order to obtain adtnis-1
siou into ■ tbshionable life, it seems to
have’been importantjjthat public funds
should have been appropriated to private j
purposes, or that the life of a fellow
citizen should have been sacrificed to
gratify a false conceived notion of honor.:
In the good old days of innocence and
simplicity, the [term ’squire was used to i
denote sterling worth and integrity.—;
But in modern parlance, defaulter, is
synonymous with gentlemen, and he who
bears the appellation occupies the first
place iu society* To the patriot and
Christian, the most alarming feature in
the signs of the times is the impunity with
which the honored of the land violate
the law, and escape its penalty. Thqf ;
crime should be sanctified by the charac
ter of the transgressor, and, in conse
quence, escape punishment, is evidence
of a decline in public morals ominous of j
evil to free institutions. Such has been
the leniency extended by those entrusted i
with the administration of the law, to
the rich and respected, that it has passed
into a by-word—that he who has friends
and money is beyond the reach of the
law. And though lam loath to admit it,
yet there is truth in the remark. Though
the rapidity with which vice and crime
have advanced in the country for the last
few years be well calculated to awaken
fear and apprehension as to the perpetui
ty of our institutions, yet the signs of the
times are not without indications of a
reaction calculated to sooth those fears
und apprehensions. Thesame kind spir
it which has led us, dry-shod, through so
many seas of trouble and difficulty, has
again moored upon the land, and awa
kened the people to a sense of their dan
ger. A kindred spirit to that which
resisted British tyranny in seventeen
hundred and seventy-six, now operates
upon the minds of the people, disposing
ihcm to resist the progress of vice and
immorality, which are by far more op
pressive ami injurious in their tendency
than political tyranny.
In April, eighteen hundred and forty,
the cause of Temperance, phoenix-like,
arose from its own ashes with renewed
life and energy, and with almost electric
rapidity has extended its genial influence
to every section of the country. Like
the spirit that preceded the days of revo
lutionary memory, it seems to have
sprung up almost simultaneously in the
extremes of the country! Though op. i
posed by prejudices the most violent,
growing out of the mistaken zeal of those
who battled upon the principles of the
old system—yet, upon understanding the
true nature of the new Temperance Re
form, those prejudices have disappeared
“ like mist before the rising sun.” That
Intemperance is a fruitful source cf
orrmc, is established by a consideration
of the causes that give rise to many of j
the cases that are daily spread upon the
criminal records of the country. To j
spill the blood of a fellow-citizen, or to
filch from him his property, are deeds j
revolting to the better feelings of the j
soul; and it is only when those feelings j
have been lulled to sleep, that courage
can be assumed to do either of the deeds.
As a soponfick to the feelings and a:
cordial to the conscience, recourse is had
to intemperance: and when the felon is
arraigned before the bar of justice, the
pled is not unfrequently made, cither in
justification or extenuation of the offence,
that it was committed under a sudden
(■T-T-a-Tcr n ‘u* a«. twjjbjbwi. .JUn-jhui&M *■t
transport of passion, or in consequence of
mental alienation, produced by a iong
| habit of intemperance. To make an ap
: peal to vour sympathies by dcpictiag the;
condition of the unfortunate tenants of
; the mad-house, is not in accordance with
the modus operandi of the Temperance
Reform. It appeals only to judgment,
j Suffice it, then, to say that intemperance
i is productive of insanity—That (he influ
ence of alcohol upon the physical system
is injurious, is attested bv the medical
world. And the sympathetic relation
ascertained to exist between man’s physi
cal and intellectual nature, is the channel
| through which its poisonous influence i 3
: communicated to the mind. As it makes
the “ rebeliou3 blood to come irregular,
and speak strange f'aneie3 to the soul”—I
so does it people the mind with Gorgor.s,;
Hydras and Chimeras dire. Not only
is intemperance productive of crime and
(insanity, but it is also the source from;
which flew the bitter waters of poverty,
disease and death. Mark the end of that j
man who commits himself a victim to
intemperancel With prospects bright
| and promising, he may enter upon the;
stage of action—Fortune may have been
lavish of her gifts, and surrounded himj
with every thing desirable to give ease,
comfort and happiness—Nature may j
have blessed him with superior physical ]
! and mental strength and beauty ; yet, j
1 by the use of ardent spirits, his days are ■■
prematurely ended in poverty and in j
shame. As the stately edifice is reduced!
! to ashes by the devouring flames, so is
the noblest form and most towering in-;
i tellcct destroyed by the consuming iuflu-;
ence of alcohol. Whoso cheek has not
! been coursed by the tear of sorrow upon
j beholding some kind friend or relative
prostrate in the dust, or raving with the
fury of a maniac, induced by the influ.
jence of alcohol? Yet, strange to tell,
i objections have been conjured up against
the temperance reform, even by those
who have been most sorely distressed by
the sting of intemperance. Bound down
to earth by the power of alcohol, or en
j raged with maddening fury by its influ.
I ence, we not unfrequcntly hear individu
als clamorous in the cause of liberty, and
justifying the use of liquor—even justi
fying to the extent that it inspires the
soul with energies capable of mental as
well as physical deeds of noble daring.
If the use of liquor finds a justification
in such reasoning—then is the constant
use of the exhilirating glass justified, be
cause, under its influence, the individual
exhibits many fantastic tricks. In order
ito a just conception of the propriety of
! the use of any substance, its remote, as
j well ns its immediate effects upoh the
system, must be considered. In tracing
the history of alcohol, it cannot fail to be
observed, that for many years after its
discovery it was only used by physicians
in ministering to tho wants of the afflict
ed. Having ascertained, by experiment,
that it was an active poison, it was used
with great caution, nnd only upon extra
ordinary occasions. But, instead of
measuring out, nnd taking it, as was the
custom in those days, by grains, scruples
and drachms, it is now furnished by the
pint, quart, or gallon, and there are but
very few scruples to the dram. That a
temporary feeling of happiness and con
tentment is produced by a glass of wine,
rum, or brandy, is readily admitted. If
to the first, a second and third glass are
added, tho cares and troubles of the
world arc soothed, and the individual is t
at peace with himself and the sorrows of
life. Beguiled by alcohol’s seductive :
influence, he fancies himself as rich as
i Croesus, and imagines Elysium to be
within his reach, and in striving to obtain
it, he swallows down glass after glass un
til his mental and physical energies are
paralyzed, and losing his self-sustaining
power, he fulls to tho dust and gives ut
terance to strange and incoherent expres
sions. On awakening from the slumbers
produced by the influence of alcohol, in
stead of experiencing that refreshment
which is imparted to the system by sober
and healthy repose, the head is racked
with Veriest pain ; a morbid condition of
the stomach is produced, in consequence
of which the appetite is lost, and feverish
and sickly sensations induced. There
may be pleasure in getting drunk, but it
is more than counterbalanced by the
pains of getting sober. The immediate
pain and sickly feeling experienced upon
recovering from intoxication, do not con
stitute the finis of the evils to which
intemperance gives rise. Like the fabled
: box, alcohol contains within itself many
I diseases, the seeds of which are deposited
1 upon its being taken into the system;
| and though they may slumber for awhile
in the system, yet in process of time they
j will as surely develope themselves, as
doesthe seed that is sown by the husband.
| man in the fall, upon the return of the
! spring season. As the viper strikes its
deadly sting into the hand that would
nourish it—so does alcohol, under the
deceptive promise of happiness and con
tentment, destroy social, domestic nnd
individual felicity. In nothing is the
wisdom of the Creator more strikingly
displayed than in the immediate pains
and penalties imposed upon the violation
iof either a moral or physical law. As
man, because of the capacity with which
he is endowed, capable of distinguishing
between good and evil, is vested with
! discretion as to his course of conduct,
i the pain and suffering immediately con
| sequent upon the violation of tho laws
; instituted by the Creator for the moral
and physical government of his crea
; tures, are warnings of a greater punish
i ment yet unfelt, well calculated to influ
ence the mind of the individual just
embarking upon the perilous voyage of
transgression. As the mariner is advised
iof the rocks and 3and-bars to which he
is approaching, by the faint light that
i issues from the light-house—so is man
J warned of his transgression by the pain
and suffering immediately consequent
! upon even the slightest violation of na
| ture’s ordinances. Nor is the goodness
| of the Creator less strikingly exemplified
lin this respect, than his wisdom : Were
; it otherwise, no antidote could be opposed
! to the action of poison ; for no intimation
I would be given of its presence until the
I system was sunk in death. The great
j source of human knowledge is experience.
Mod, with his finite powers, cannot de
j terinine the nature of a substance by
j merely looking at it. He can only asccr
i tain its properties by observing the man
! ner in which it affects, or is affected, by
! other substances—hence, he uses or re
jects this or that substance, according as
| it has been observed to produce a healthy
ior pernicious effect upon the system.
! Were it not for this provision in his gov
| ernment, the Creator might, with propri
ety, be charged with cruelty and injustice.
Whatever is in accordance with the laws
instituted by the Creator for the moral
and physical government of his creatures,
is productive of no injury ; and it is only
when a moral oi physical law is violated,
that the body is racked with pain, or the
mind with remorse. After a day of well
doing, the shades of evening come with
peace and quiet to the soul, and not an
unpleasant thought disturbs the slumbers
of the night. By a due observance of
the kind and quantity of exercise suited
to the system, health and strength are
imparted to both mind and body. The
pain and disease, then, consequent upon
intemperance, afford evidence that alco
hol is a substance not designed by nature
for the use of man. The many evils
which result from intemperance, I have
not time now to consider : Suffice it to
say, that it is not only injurious to indi
vidual health and standing, but also to
national health and prosperity—that it
scars the conscience, and nerves the soul
to deeds of blood and cruelty—that it
obliterates the line of distinction between
man and brute, by paralyzing the ener
gies of the faculties designed by the Cre
ator to render him lord of creation—that
it hurls him from that high estate which
is but little below the angels, and entails
upon himself and family poverty and
want—that it produces a moral lassitude
ill suited to the perpetuity of republican
institutions; and, like the Simoon of the
desert, carries ruin and death into the
domestic circle. By its “effacing fin
gers, are swept the line where beauty
lingers.”
As the mind of the patriot and philan
thropist is interested, while contempla
ting the nerve and resolution with which
the friends of civil and religious liberty
opposed the powers of tyranny and des
potism in seventeen hundred and seventy
six—so must their souls he gladdened by
| the success with which the cause of tem
perance has been favored. As the spirit
;of that period winged its flights to other
I climes—so has the cause of temperance
been transported to distant lands. Upon
the eastern continent and the isles of the
sea, has the banner of temperance been
unfurled, and around its standard, accord
ing to the best estimates, have been con
gregated ten millions of the earth’s in
habitants. Nor has thecause yet reached
its meridian, and began to decline, as has
been the anxious prophecy of some : the
missionary in the cause of temperance is
j still abroad in the world, armed with the
: power of truth, and clothed about with
i the panoply of that peace, happiness and
! contentment, which has been carried to
the mother and the infant. Os the pro
gress of temperance in our own country,
an idea may be formed by a considera
tion of the diminution which has taken
place in the consumption of ardent spir
its. We are informed, that in 1831,
there were consumed, in the United
States, by a population of about twelve
millions, seventy-two millions of gallons
of ardent spirits, exclusive of wine and
malt liquors. Though the stream was
somewhat hindered iu its progress by the
efforts of those who battled upon the
| principles of the old system, vet those
! efforts were finally bore down by the
flood-tide of intemperance, and the two
lor three years immediately preceding
the revival of the cause (in 1840) are
conspicuous in the history of the coun
j try for the quantity of ardent spirits
consumed. In 1841, wc arc told that
s there were consumed, by a population of
l more than seventeen millions, but seven- j
31 ty-one millions of gallons, including
i i w ines and malt liquors—showing a vast j
r; decrease in the quantity of stimulating
i j liquids consumed. To the curious, an
, | interesting enquiry arises as to the means
. by which such a change has been effect-!
3 led. In the language of an eminent
I ' American statesman—“ W r e are in the
- j midst of a revolution.” Public opinion
. is fast undergoing a change, and is now 1
■ i in a transition state, from vicious indul- .
tigencesto moral and intellectual desires,
f j The decanter of wine, rum, or brandy,
i that once sparkled upon the family side
? board, or decorated the festive table upon :
t j the return of the anniversary of our In-j
i dependence, has been superseded by the 1
I I pitcher of cold water. Friendship, in-!
! stead of being awakened by the miscalled I
. t social glass, is now being revived by a <
; | rehearsel of the events of by-gone days : ;
I i In a word, the change has been wrought
: bv the magic of the temperance pledge.
[ The rapidity with which the cause of
i temperance has advanced, is indicative;
> [ of a state of public mind favorable to its ; <
: still further progress; and, indeed, such j ;
is the character of the times as to afford
, a powerful auxiliary to the further sue-i,
eess of the cause. It is common for'
■ families and nations to mourn the adver- *
1 sity with which they are sometimes visit-!
! ed. Overwhelmed bv the immediate
v # i
i magnitude of their afflictions, they think
; | not of the future good of which those 1
afflictions inay b#productive: Humbled i
to the dust by sorrow, they wail the fate j
that oppresses them, unmindful of the
fact, that all things are ordered for the
best. As occasional indisposition im-1 i
i presses us with the value of health—so 1
does occasional national adversity re-i 1
, mind us of the virtues under which wc '
prospered, and unfold to our visions the <
, emptiness of the gewgaws by which we (
: have been deceived. The adversity, (
therefore, with which we have been visit
, ed as a nation, instead of involving in
gloom, should enliven the feelings of joy *
i and gratitude with which we have as- i
’ sembled to celebrate the return of the |
I anniversary of our Independence. To
: many within these walls, the return of (
t this day is attended with increased de- .
i light: to them, it is the anniversary of a 1
, second deliverance—a deliverance from 1
t the power of a habit, more oppressive
i and injurious than political tyranny.— ;
> In obedience, then, to tlje injunction j 1
, inscribed upon your banner—“ Hold fast j
. that which is good,”* and “ Sink or
, swim—survive or perish,” lend your en
t| crgics to the promotion of the cause of '
| temperance. Though upon the banner
: that floats high in the breeze, the names
i; of ten millions of the earth’s inhabitants <
ibe inscribed, yet the number is small
when compared with the many who arc j,
still entangled in the meshes of intem
perance. Philanthropy, then, as well as
i the cause of civil and religious liberty,
claims the untiring perseverance of those !
i who are warring against the ravages of i
intemperance. In conducting the war- ,
; fare, the friends of temperance should ! j
always observe a decent respect to the
feelings and opinions of others. To in
voke the power of the sword, or the spirit
of persecution, is not in accordance with
the spirit of the age in whicli we live.
, Indeed, we arc warned by the failure of j
i the efforts of those who battled upon the ,
principles of the old system, that an un
due portion of zeal is a consumptive spark '
. in the cause of temperance, well ealeu- 1
lated soon to consume its very vitals, i
l Only clothed about, then, with the power
of truth and prudence go forth to battle, (
and be assured that “ a monster of such
. hideous mien, that to be hated need only
i to be seen,” cannot long withstand the
. assaults of reason and persuasion.
i
* Upon the banner prepnred for the occasion, was re
presented a pitcher, with “Cold Water” inscribed
upon it in capital letters -, and also the following as the
motto of the society—“ Hold fast that whichis good.”
I OHN MILLEDGE, Attorney at Law,
’ ** office in the Law Range, will be thankful for
i any business entrusted to his care. He will prac
; tice in Burke, Scriven, aud Columbia counties.
Augusta, May 20, 24 ts
IJR. JOHN MILLEN, Office No. 147,
I North side Broad-street, below Eagle and
) Phoenix Hotel, Augusta. [June IU ly
QUARLES E. GRENVILLE & CO.
’ i II OOIvSELLERS and Stationers, 244
"I - *"* Broad-street, offers for sale, at wholesale 1
l i and retail, a large assortment of School,Classical,
. : Medical, Law and Miscellaneous Books; togeth
i er with Blank Books, Paper, Paper Hangings,
! Q.uills, Metallic Pens, Fine Cutlery, and
Stationery of every description,
5 Music, Musical Instruments, and every article
3 usually called for in a Bookstore.
I Lnv and Medical Libraries furnished on the
most liberal terms.
Schools, Academies, and Literary Institutions
5 supplied at the lowest prices.
:I June 10 Its
; I "keaiedy for wok ms.
5 : fTHIE Compound Syrup of Pink Root,
* prepared by the subscriber, from the origin-
II al receipt of the late Dr. M. Antony.
; | This pleasant and safe preparation is recom
mended, as one of the effectual remedies for
' j expelling Worms from the system. For sale, in
5 quantities to suit purchasers,
t: July l 1 tf] WM. HAINES, Jr.
Tin in w—mmmmmmmmsMmmmmmmmmmm—mmmm
J- - ! 1 " ! T»
THE WASHINGTONIAN:
AUGUSTA, JULY 22, 1843.
tl'ashington Total .lbs tint nee Pledge.
TTc, whose names are hereunto annexed, desirous
of forming a Society for our mutual benrft,
and to guard against a pernicious practice,
which is injurious to our health, tlandintr'and
families, do pledge ourseltiS as Gentlemen,
not to drink any JPfc
Spiritous or Malt Liquors, Wine or Cider.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE.
Rev. W. T. BranTly, Dr. F. M. Robertson,
“ W. J. Hard, Dr. D. Hook,
“ C. S. Don, S. T Chapman. Esq.
“ Geo. F. Pierce, James Harper, Esq.
Col. John Mii.i.edge,
To Correspondents.— “ Philo, ” will
will appear in our next. “D. L. R.”
and “L.” on file, for consideration.
ftCr The Editorial Committee of the
Washingtonian will meet at the Presby
terian Lecture-room on Monday evening
next, at 6 o’clock. The gentlemen will
please be punctual. ,
{£7* The paper on which our present
number is printed is of a superior quality
to that formerly used. It is from the
Greenville Mill, S. C. ; and we take this
occasion to remark, that the proprietors
of that establishment—Messrs. IJuxßaM
& Blakeley —-arc deserving of all praise
and patronage, for their enterprise and
energy in their undertaking. Printers
from tire interior will do well to cive
them a call.
It may be proper to remark, that our
entire stock for the year’s publication is
in store, and our patrons may therefore
rely upon the punctuality of out issues.
The many and great advantages which
the prevalence of Temperance principles
has conferred on land should serWe
as a powerful with those who
are yet lukewarm or indifferent, to con
vince them that it is their duty, as good
citizens, to unite with the friends of the
cause in advancing its interests
Let us briefly notice some of the ad
vantages which have been conferred on.
his city by the temperance reform, since
the first temperance movement in Febru
ary 1829—from which we may form an
idea of the benefits which other commu
.nilies, similarly situated, have received
from the same source. At that time, and
[for two years afterwards, the number of
from intemperance, among the
•white population alone, was ascertained,
pith a near approach to certainty, to be
twenty-five annually. Some portion of
the city was disturbed almost every hour
of the night hv Bacchanalian broils, and
and our youth were, by the use of intoxi
cating drinks, rendered incapable of
maintaining that “ prudent, cautious self
control,” which the rustic Bard of Scot
land truly says, is “wisdom’s root.” In;
addition to these evils, and many others,
which can be more easily imagined than
described, the actual cost of the intoxica
ting liquors then consumed in the city
has been estimated to have been greater
by $30,000 annually than it is at pre
sent —though it is still so considerable as
to amount to a heavy tax on many of our
citizens.
The embarrassments of the times have
been felt by all classes of the community,
for several years past; but the pressure
of these embarrassments would have been
incalculably greater, if we had not bc
,comc, before their approach, compara
tively, a sober people.
The country expects every man ac
quainted with the facts thus briefly stated
to do his duty. Let every friend of the
cause attend temperance meetings, when
in his power—but at all events pay for a
Temperance paper, an efficient means of
aiding in the good work. To those de
sirous of promoting the cause, by procur
ing acceptable information, accompanied
by interesting miscellaneous matter, the,
Washingtonian will be found to be a
cheap and efficient organ within the
j reach of all. We hope and trust our
friends will be active in extending the