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■ ka srfjtjttmr-micrj?. ■■■r " , ia. , va*a r * i - 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