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THE WAS H lI\ r GTON IA
AUGUSTA, AUGUST 19, IS4B.
Washington Total .Abstinence Pledge.
4Y, i those names are hereunto a ruicjcd. desirous
Os forming a Society for our mutual benefit,
and to guard against a pernicious practice,
tokich is injurious to our health, standing and
families, do pledge ourstltes as, Gentlemen,
not to drink any
Sptrltous or Malt Liquors, Wlue or Ct*cr.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE.
Rev. W. T. Biuxtly, Dr. F. M. Robertson,
•• NV.J.HaRD, Dr. D. Hook,
" C. 8. Doo, S.T Chapman, fisq
Geo. F. Pierce, lOames Harper, Esq.
Col. John Miu-edoe,
Encouraging Prospects.
Our enterprise is still gaining ground,—
about fifteen new subscribers have greet
ed us during the last two weeks. Let
our friends in the country do their best for
us and the Augusta Washingtonian will
be established at once on a comfortable
and stable footing.
Our table of Prices Current.
We call the attention of our subscri
bers, especially in the country, to the ta
ble of prices current at Augusta, regularly i
publishdHn this paper. We can speak
with great confidence of its correctness.
It is weekly submitted to the careful in
spection of some of the best informed mer
chants of the place, and is, we are sure, 1
equal in all respects to any similar tables
published in the city.
To “the Committee appointed to report bu
siness" for the late Temperance Con-'
venlion at Penjield:
Gentlemen— (
There was one resolution offered by |
you to the Convention which has seemed f
to many persons to contain a covert impu- (
tation upon the Augusta Washingtonian, (
though we cannot bring ourselves to be
lieve that any such imputation was intend
ed.
“ Resolved, That the members of this
Convention be requested to act us agents
tor the Temperance Banner, and become ’
subscribers themselves; and also to aid <
in the circulation of all other temperance i
papers published in our state that may be ,
deemed worthy.”
Now, we say most sincerely, that we ,
would rejoice in the increased circulation (
ofthe Banner, for wo consider it a labori
ous and able co-worker in our good cause,
and wO regard the means proposed for (
that end in the resolution as in every res- |
poet legitimate and suitable. It is the
latter part of tho resolution to which the ,
objection lies. The gentlemen of the ,
Convention are requested “to aid in the ,
circulation of all other temperance papers •
published in our state that may be deemed t
toorthy .” Now it so happens that the A l - f
gusta Washingtonian is the only other
temperance paper published in the state. j
The language of the resolution amounts, (
therefore, to a declaration by the Conven
tion that it is a doubtful matter whether
this paper is worthy of the patronage of
temperance men. We cannot, fora mo- (
ment, suppose that the resolution was
framed with any such design, and we are *
sure that the excellent and honorable (
gentlemen of the committee that drafted it, ,
will not delay to disclaim so unprovoked !
und insidious an attack upon our fair name.
We request, therefore, gentlemen, an
explanation of the ambiguous language to
which wc have referred. We will be
glad to hear from you by communication
through this paper, or through the next
••Temperance Banner.”
In behalf of the Editorial Committee ol
the “Augusta Washingtonian,” yours, &c.
C. S. JDod, Chairman.
' &
Our Paper.
W 0 have some things to cncourago us
in our editorial labors amid all the toils
and vexations incident to such an under
taking. Our cause is hated by some, it
is unpopular with others, it is wearisome
to others still; —but to not a few it is very
dear. A well sustained spirit of philan
thropy is the exponent of a character of
nobler traits than we commonly meet
Among men, and nothing but this spirit
* will make one a steady Adherent to the !
temperance cause, and a uniformly active;
of its progress. Yet there are
Uuch in our city and state, and we rejoice in
jthe encouragement which they give us by
[good wishes, and, occasionally, by some
more substantial proofs of friendliness,
j A good word from a brother editor now
and then helps us on amazingly. Our
subscription list, too, is slowly enlarging.
All we have to complain of, or to fear
from, is the tardiness of our friends to come
;up to our help. Every reader must see
that this paper is no money-making con
cern. There is no paper of its size pub
-1 lished in Georgia or Carolina for less than
! two dollars per annum, and the enter
' prising publisher must suffer a considerable
1 loss by the year’s operations unless the
friends of the undertaking will promptly
patronize it, and send in their subscrip
tions. We believe that few families could
expend a dollar more advantageously than
by procuring with it the “ Augusta Wash
ingtonian.” And this the writer can say
without laying himself open to the charge
' of self-adulation, for it is said with a just
confidence in the eight gentlemen with
whom he is associated rather than in him
self, and it is said, also, in reference to the
goodness of the cause which this pnpcr[
espouses, and the value of the principles
w hich it advocates.
The State Convention.
“ Resolved, That the propriety of holding
another Convention at some central place in the
State, some time nest fall, be submitted to the
Committee appointed to write the Address, and
they arc hereby authorized to iix upon the time
and place ot holding said Convention.”
“ The above of Prof. P. H.
Mell, of Penfield, John M. Ashurst. Esq., of
Pnlnam; Rev. J. H. Campbell, of Jones; tj. L.
Smith, Esq , of Oxford, and G. M. Paine, Kiq.,
of Watkinsville."
We arc glad the Penfield Convention
has taken this subject into serious consid
oration; and with all due respect would
urge upon the Committee the propriety 01
designating Milledgeville as the place, and
the 2nd week of November as the time.
Our reasons for this were offered in the
last number of the Washingtonian, and in ]
a previous number we specified a variety
of topics on which information might be
collected and forwarded to that body.
We also called upon our co-laborer ot
the “Banner” to publish that article, and
second our efforts in the good work. As
this request has not been complied with,
we must presume that the article has cs
caped the eye of our usually prompt and ,
vigilant brother. We doubt not he will ,
redouble his efforts and fire up his zeal 1
afresh in this truly benevolent and praise-'
worthy undertaking. True, wc are
considerably the junior, and should conse
quently treat our senior with due defer
ence and becoming respect; still we hope '
that the story of Joseph and his elder
brethren will not be found applicable in the 1
present case. Though our sheet is deci-1
dedly larger and much cheaper than that 1
of our cotemporary, and though it has been 1
received with great favor by the friends of !
Temperance, we are not ambitious 01 |
taking the lead in this or any other mat- <
ter. Our object is to do good—not to 1
gain either gold or glory. Our desire is
to see the greatest possible results from ‘
the means used to promote sobriety and
good order in the community. Our con
viction is, that ifMilledgeville were select
ed, and a general call made by the Com- .
mittec of the Penfield Convention upon <
all the Societies, and the proper means
taken to give publicity to the matter, a 1
Convention could be assembled in the
State which would result in groat and I
lasting good. Under that conviction we <
have acted, and still act, and with the as-1
sistancc and concurrence ofthe numerous 1
friends ofthe cause wc hope to succeed.
Frequency of Temperance Meetings.
It is often a question of interest, and of
great practical importance, how often
temperance meetings should be held. It
is a question on which there is room for
difference of opinion, and on which, also,
zealots may angrily dispute so as to cause
alienation and division. On the one hand,
if meetings arc too frequent they become
burdensome, and nobody will attend them:
on the other hand, if they occur too seldom,
interest declines, and the temperance so
ciety is forgotten. It is no easy matter
here to get exactly midway between Scylla
and Charybdis.
We are decidedly of opinion that meet
ings as often as once a week are advisable
only when there is special excitement on
— » ■■■. J=J
the subject; in tfiis case they answer an
i admirable purpose, and have been exceed
ingly useful in this city. Unless there is
i quite a lively state of feeling, meetings
■ every fortnight are too frequent. Month
• ly meetings, with particular care to have
them well attended, and with equal care
• to have the audience not disappointed by
• a meager entertainment, are in our opin*
. ion far better than more frequent meet
r ings, unless, as before observed, there be
s some special call for them. And if it be
s difficult to get up a spirited temperance
■ meeting a3 often as once a month, (and in
■ many places it is not only difficult, but
i impossible,) it would be better to lay out
■ the whole strength upon quarterly meet
! ings, one of these being the anniversary
sos the society. Far better have four good,
• lively, interesting meetings, than a hun
■ dred that are embarrassed, meager and
1 unsatisfactory. A temperance meeting
i that is a failure, does more harm than a
■ little.
In Augusta perhaps the following plan
! for a year’s campaign would be as wise as
any that could be adopted,—at least it
i may not be deemed unworthy of consider
ation :
1. July 4th—Anniversary.
| 2. October—2d week.
3. Christmas Holidays.
4. March—lst week.
5. May do.
A larger number of meetings we do not
think could be i cdl sustained under pre
sent circumstances in Augusta ; and as to
a real stiff, awkward temperance meeting,
it is an awfully tiresome affair. Give a
smart fire and then withdraw for a while
if need be—but sluggish, doZing, half
hearted attacks only strengthen the enemy
by persuading him of your weakness.
Religion and Washing ouianlsm.
The fears of tome excellent people
have been, we hope unnecessarily, exci
ted at what they deemed an opposition to
religion on the part of men engaged in
the Washingtonian movement. Indeed
these fears have in some instances assum
ed shape and voice. A writer in a North
ern paper holds the following language ;
“The proposal to divorce the cause of
religion from that of temperance has
been repeatedly and distinctly urged by
speakers and writers for the last two
years. The witty things, and the silly
things, the good things, and the bad
things, arguments in favor of temper
ance, and flings at religion, have, like a
compound potion, descended into the sto
mach of the multitude together, and ne
cessarily produced more harm than good.”
Upon this the editor of the Worcester
Waterfall remarks:
“ Such things, it is possible, may have
come under the immediate observation of
the writer. He may have been in such
meetings. But we can assure that gen
tleman, that in all our experience, so far
as the Washingtonian cause has been
adopted, it has been different; our meet
ings have been opened by prayer, and the
solemnities of religion and its joyful prin
ciples have borne a conspicuous part in
the exercises, and have been fostered
with utmost care. Our teachers of
religion have adopted the Washingtonian
principles. The Washingtonians, many
of them, in thankfulness to God, have
raised their hands before the multitude in
praise to him, as the author of this great
and noble wqrk.”
We believe the“ Waterfall” is right.—
A few may, perhaps, have spoken lightly
of religion in temperance addresses ; but
we hold that temperance meetings gener
ally, and always [among have
been composed in the main, of persons
too respectable and right minded to allow
so great a breach of propriety, not to
speak of any higher principle. Our meet
ings, too, have been opened with prayer,
the Great God has been recognized as
ruler in the earth, and religion has never
Ibeen proscribed in our meetings. And
so ought it to be. While the Washing
tonian movement is not in any proprie
ty of speech a religious movement, yet
religion harmonizes with it. Having for
its object a moral reformation, proposing
to itself such great and beneficient ends,
religion must regard it as an ally. The
true and intelligent friends of religion, if
rightly informed on the subject, will al
ways'be found the true and ardent advo
• cates of the Washingtonian movement;
i “ on, on with it,” is their cry.
Washingtonianism invites the co-oper
ation of all, whether they be religious or
s not; but it would be very unfair on this
i account, to say that it is* an irrefighvs
» 1 ""1 1 ■■■'! ' -
i j movement. Men may lawfully and wise
-ily associate for the suppression of a par
ticular vice, or the carrying forward ot a
b‘particular work of benevolence, without
.!being agreed upon any other point what
ever.
We consider the case exactly analagous
r to that of the building of a hospital by
. private benevolent enterprise : it is per
. fectly proper to appeal to the community
» in its behalf, on the ground of Christian
? duty, and many will be moved by the ap
> peal, for they recognise the principles on
i which it is based. Upon others it would
t have no effect, and to them, you would
t appeal on the ground of philanthropy,
. economical principles, &c. Would the
most scrupulous Christian hesitate to pur
, sue such a course 1 Both grounds of ap
- peal are just and true, —and we 'are at
i full liberty to urge that which promises
r to be most effective with the particular
i individual. So with the W T ashingtonian
principles;—they are not contrary to re
i ligion, they do not renounce religion.—
! Those who can be reached, and they are
; many, by showing the bearing of intem
. perance, as a sin against God, upon the
present character and the future destiny
of the immortal soul, may be and should
be thus reached. By presenting such
considerations no man is harmed, no feel
ings are hurt, no insult is offered to what
any man holds sacred. Bkit there are
some who are not to be thus reached :
well, go to them, and tell them of the in
i jury to health, the waste of money, the
loss of character, and the domestic mis
ery that are all involved m the habitual
use of intoxicating drinks, and you thus
gain them. It would be a great wrong
to Washingtonianism to call it an '‘irreli
gious enterprise. Should it ever become
so, its deterioration, decay and dissolu
tion would be inevitable. Not only the
ministers and professors of religion, bul
also the large and influential body of re
specters of religion would stand aloof
from it, and its kite would be sealed.
The only thing that looked like oppo
sition to religion that we have observed
in the Washingtonian movement in Au
■ gusta, was a remark or two thnt fell from
the lips of a popular lecturer last Fall.—
We attributed this to carelessness, or in
advertence, and had scarcely a suspicion
of design against religion on the part of
the lecturer. It was rather a remark ca
pable of being understood, and we believe
misunderstood that way, than a real at
tack upon what the great mass of this
community, and of every audience at a
temperance meeting, hold sacred.
The Washingtonian movement, like
, the building of the hospital in the above
illustration, is a philanthropic underta
king, and all true philanthropy religion
sanctions, and encourages, and aids.—
The basis of Washingtonian principles is
not religion, it is simply a worldly regard
for our own temporal interests, and a be
nevolent regard for the interests of our
neighbors. The religious man may most
conscientiously unite with the man of the
world in promoting these great ends, and
rejoice to do so, glad that men should re
form from this vile habit, even if it be on
the low ground of expediency and self
interest. The truly pious and enlight
ened Christian will be delighted to ac
complish thus much, though he cannot
get men to be all that he would wish.—
Gaining this, he has gained more than a
little for the good of men, and he rejoices
therein while he hopes for more.
Washingtonian ism.
Mr. Editor, —I would take the liber
ty, through the medium of your valuable
journal, of making a tew remarks to those 1
who are truly Washingtonians. Being as
I trust I am, a Washingtonian to the core,j
I should like to express publicly my opin
ion as to what I consider Washingtonian
ism; and if I am mistaken, would take it!
kindly if some brother would show me my
error.
In the first place, then, it is necessary
to sign the pledge of total abstinence and
; thereby become a member of the Society,
i Secondly to promote by every means
. the interests of the Society to which you
- belong. Thereby as a matter of course
1 you are promoting the interests- of your
’ fellow men.
Adhere rigidly to the Constitution, and!
; by all means do not neglect attending the:
Society meetings,—but by every means in
your power endeavor to keep up the or
ganization. j
Now these I take to tyj the leading
5 points of Washingtonianism; nor can 1
t!consider any one a Washingtonian who'
- neglects the smallest of these points, how
. ever temperate he may be. But, alas, it
j is with regret that I am obliged to say,
t that with the exception of the first point
mentioned, they are almost totally neg
lected in Suffield.— N. Haven Fountain.
We commend the above to the Wash
s
, ingtonians of Georgia, and particularly to
our brothers of Augusta. Be not half-
Jway Washingtonians—be whole-souled
} and energetic in the matter.
I _jj ssss^sssseaessk
‘ EDITORIAL COMMUNICATIONS. -
■■■
1 To tile Friends of Temperance,
1 When pestilence desolates city after
, city, what universal jo;* is felt upon the
i discovery of a remedy, and how confirm
• ed is the joy, when from every quarter
■ comes the news that this remedy is every
1 where certainly successful * Such was
5 the joy among the good upon the discov
r ery of an antidote for intemperance. At
1 first the news excited rather joyful hope
‘ than fulness of joy, but when every breeze
' wafted confirmation of its efficacy, hope
was swallowed up in soul-cheering, con
fident certainty. There was, and there
' continues to be, a jubilee among the good,
’ the patriotic, the virtuous ! Oh ! may it
- continue, by the blessing of God, until
1 intemperance ceases to pain their hearts,
and alarm their fears for their country,
and for religion.
But, ns in the physical, so in the inoral
world, relapses occasionally occur, and
these are instantly seized upon by the
enemies of God and man, to injure the
reputation ot the remedy ; —hence the
necessity of continual recurrence, as thtr
’ politician says, to first principles, to proofs
of its efficacy, and hence our present
appeal to the friends of Temperance, t o
furnish us with every interesting case of
cure from the tnOral and mortal pestilence
of intemperance. This appeal is render
ed equally necessary by theever-change
. ing condition of onr population—the
young are ever coming upon tie stage cf
aartion where malign influenec will meet
and overwhelm them, unless unceasingly
put upon their guard. Mankind arc, and
ever have been, since the days of Cain,
divided into- two classes—one endeavor
ing to elevate their species to the glory
and virtue they were created,
• and to which they were iinperitivelv “call
ed,” —and the other to degrade them be
low the brutes that perish. This thought
we trust will make our appeal as success
ful as it deserves to be.
Another consideration grcntly enhan
ces the importance attached to remedies
namely :—the mischiefs and mortality
of the disease to be remedied. When,-
like yellow fever, it -spares neither sex
nor age—when, like the plague, it mars
all beauty and destroys all humanity and
nobility of soul, the remedy which will
arrest its deadly march, is justly appre
ciated—highly prized. But man is for
getful, and unlcssJcept constantly in re
membrance of the nature and character of
the pestilence from which he has been
delivered, the means of his deliverance
will be neglected. For this reason we
also request to be informed of every case
which boldly depicts the evils of intem
perance. Fail us not, you friends of
temperance. 9
The kind of communications thus so
licited, furnishes us with the only certain
means of persuading men to take the
remedy for intemperance, and yet if they
come charged with postage, they would
soon disable our publisher and arrest our
efforts, while this tax, divided out among
all the friends who may be able to com
municate important facts, would not be
! felt. A word to the good and wise is suf
ficient. Let the name of the writer be
always given to assure us of the truth of
the case reported—otherwise it will not be
published. H.
COMMUNICATED.
The State Convention.
Gentlemen —l have read your sugges
tions in reference to a State Convention,
and highly approve of them. The time
, and place you mention are very proper.
It can be held at Milledgeville at less
IJexpense than at any other place, particu
larly during the session of the Legislature.
! And the second Monday of November is
1 also the best possible time, as at that early
. period of the session the Capital is gener.
Ally crowded with visitors from all parts
• of the State, who arc led thither either bv
.