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■aiywwMpMWM—n. "i i' -mw >i ‘ mwmragKi~ii^r -
the" WASHINGTONIAN:!
- .;
AUGUSTA. SEPT. 2, 1843.
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WaehUglon Total JJbeUntnct PUdge.
IIV, t chose names art hereunto annexed, desirmts
of forming a Society for our mutual benefit,
and to guard against a pernicious practice
vitich it injurious to our heajth, standing and
families, do pledge ourselves as Gentlemen,
not to drink any
Splritous or Malt liiquors, Wine or Cider.
i ii"n' 1 l i' r '' >im ' '"■ .. 1.1.-I■" r — ~
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE..
Rev. W. T. Bhantut, Dr. F. M. RoBBBTiOK,
“ W J.H»hd, Dr. D. Hook,
C.jS. Dod, S.T Chapman, Esq.
" GBo F. Pience, James Harper, Esq.
CM. John Mieeewie,
CUb To Dutakt Subscribers.—Post Masters are au
thSrhed by law to remit mousy to th* publishers of
newspapers end periodicals in payment of subscrip
tions. "Subscribers to the H’askingttmian can therefore
pay for their papers without subjecting themselves or
the publisher to tho expense of postage, by handing the
amount to the Post Master, with a request to remit it.
TO CORRESPONDENTS. _ ,
?V The communication of “ R. W. E.” la on
hind. Wo commend the spirit of the writer, but
think his manner of treating hw subject rather
too common plaeo.
?,2p Correspondents generally are requested to
contract their communications to about half a
column, as our paper is limited in size, and as this;
course will enable us to give greater variety to
our columns, and accommodato all of those who
are good enough to favor us with the productions
of their pen*
The election for the year 1843 is at
tend, in the result of which every good
citizen of both parties must feel a deep
and commendable interest; but wo are
happy to have reason to believe that a
great majority of the citizens of Georgia
are at present not only opposed to the
practice of attempting to influence the
voters, by treating them to intoxicating
drinks, but are disposed to frown upon it,
and discourage it by every means in their
power. A knowledge of this fact will
have duo weight with all intelligoat party
leaders. If principle does not restrain
them from a practice so degrading to the
voter, and so dishonorable to those who
resort to it, policy at least will induce
them to avoid a course by which they will
lose more than they will gain.
We hope and trust that Washingtonians
will turn their attention to this cheering
fact, which will prove how much the
cause of free republican government has
gained by the advance ol their cause, and
thu3 secure tho co-operation of every
patriot, of all parties, with thorn, in com
pleting tho good work which they have
undertaken. Then will tho aspirations
of the great and good Washington be rc
alized by those who live to see that day—
the enjoyment of liberty under good laws
well administered.
If some foreign army were to enter our
country, and, alter partially or totally de
priving 500,000 of our citizens of their
reason, should calmly and openly doom
30,000 of that number annually to an
ignominious and cruel death, what would
be the efleet upon the public mind ?
Would the survivors contend that there
was no danger in tho land ? If some fatal
malady were to break out at once in every
section of the country, producing similar
results, would no sensation be produced 1
cupposo a sudden madness, a wild insan
ity, to prevail, leveling that number of our
citizens with the beasts themselves—
arousing all tho baser passions of their
nature—filling our cities and domains with
lamentations—our prisons with criminals,
our asylums with maniacs, and the graves
with vjetims destitute of the slightest hope
of human happiness,—would our blooc
; circulate coolly in our veins ?—would not.
rathor, every face be palid with excite
ment—every heart be throbbing with
anxiety ? Would not every arm be nervet
and every hand extended to grasp tht
weapons ofdefence 1 Would not our high
est powers be exerted to discover tht
romedy, or guard against the fee?
Yet there is an enemy in the land tha
has produced all these results, and stii
some men feign indifference. We hav s
500,000 drunkards, 30,000 of whom di<
annually, leaving their places to be sup
plied from the ranks of the moderate
hin m -mmjjmumm ■*— tmi—
•drinkers! From the same source spring
I two-thirds of the crimes, the miseries, and
like degradations of our species, and yet,
strange to say, we daily hear men avow
that they hare no interest in this matter,
and will take no measures either to secure!
jthemselves against danger, or to relieve!
their fellow creatures from the grasp of a
; destroyer!
If we had power to summon “spirits
I from the vasty deep,” and could call up
jthe haggard ghosts of but one year’s oper
: ation3, we might produce 30,000 of the
strongest arguments that could be present
s ed to the human mind in favor of the cause
■of temperance. What a host would be
f 'that? Nor friends, nor companions, nor
> kindred, would be necessary to convince
. men of their folly and their wretched fate.
: The cqualiid hosts would plead in terms
not to be resisted, the cause of bleeding,
’ suffering humanity on earth.
?~V The Treasurer of the Augusta Benevo
lent Society gratefully acknowledges, on behalf
-of that institution, the following generous bene
.l factions:—
fjFrotn the Special Jury of the Court of Common
Fleas, now in Session, ' - S 9 00
e ! From Isaac S. Tuttle, Esq. - 100 00
f From the Ladies’ Wotking Society of
the Presbyterian Church of Augusta, 100 00
JOHN W. WIGHTMAN.
| We take this opportunity of again call
r ing the attention of our readers to thisj
excellent institution. Its object is “to!
> relieve the sick poor of Augusta and vicini
-1 ty.” For this purpose the whole city is
divided into sections—one visitor or more
, being appointed for each section ; —and
i every case is investigated before relief is
extended. This appears to us the only
: way of providing efficiently and regularly,
f and, we add, economically , for the proper
, care ol the sick poor. They cannot come
i from the sick room to make their wants
known—they must be sought out. They
should not receive benefactions from this,
: and that, and the other individual, at one
time in profusion—at other times in sad
; deficiency, and almost always injudicious
ly. Their wants must be inquired into,
• before they can be suitably and wisely
[ supplied. We think that the benevolent
’ citizens of Augusta can render their bene
i factions thrice valuable by conveying
i them through the Benevolent Society,
i whose operation is systematic, regulaf.
i and thorough. It is the best possible
I safeguard of the community against the
impositions of the shameless beggar, while
i it searches out retiring, uncomplaining
; want, and extends seasonable reliof.—
• When one comes complaining of sickness
; and privation, the member of the Benevo-
I lent Society, instead of giving money,
which would be almost to a certainty mis
■ applied, inquires the residence of the
! petitioner, and by reporting the case to
1 any of the officers of tho society, frees
himself from annoyance, while he secures
' to the applicant a regular and adequate
' supply of wants ascertained by actual
investigation. We would recommend
that all such cases bo thus provided tor,
rather than by the precarious and undis
criminatinggifts of private charity [Ed.
Tho following letter from a friend ofthe
good cause breathes a spirit, and presents
an example, worthy of admiration and
. imitation by the advocates of Temperance
in other sections of the State. If our
friends and supporters would furnish us
full and accurate information of this sort,
in reference to the condition and prospects
of the respective societies, w 6 could act
more and cActively our
own part in th® work before us. Next’
week we propose to publish a list of some
seventy or eighty societies, with the num
ber of members, and for which we shall
be indebted to our industrious brother ofthe
r Banner. ’ That list will be enlarged
from time to time with such particulars as
we may be able to collect from our respec
tive correspondents—and continued until
it shall exhibit the entire strength ofthe
Cold Water Army in the State.
Brothersville, Richmond Co.. Ga.,)
August -26th, lMb. j
Messrs. Editors—Seeing an effort made
n your valuable paper to procure statistics
if the different temperance societies in the ■
State, I have concluded to furnish you
with a short account of the Berlin tem
perance society.
A tew ofthe friends oftemperanee, wish
ng to unite their efforts in this good cause,
organized a society in Oct., 1835. At
; first they met with violent opposition from
I come, and a cold indifference from others;
, but this did not deter them froth persever
r ing in their efforts: prejudices gave way
, from time to time, until very few will now
• have the hardihood to oppose the cause
; openly. A vast change has been wrought
lin public opinion on this subject. We
seldom see the side-board sparkling with
5 the ruby wine, or the more potent brandy.
>j The society generally meets quarterly.
. and elects its officers annually; and al
? though it is called “ The Berlin Temper
ance Society,” it does not confine its
3 : operations exclusively to the vicinity of
; Berlin Church, but is rather itinerent in
r its mode of operations—holding meetings
; at Newhope,Bethesda, Liberty and Union,
.as well as at Beflfs. #
5 Thfe society numbers at this time 174
;, females and 134 males, making an aggre
gate of 30$. You perceive in this, as in
most benevolent enterprises of the day.
f that the fair sex leads the van. At the
- last meeting it was proposed to extend the
privilege of membership to the colored
j friends. An invitation was accordingly
j given, which was responded to by ten
coming forward and giving their names,
) and they were entered on a separate list.
Where the interests of the society have
been advocated by so many, it might ap
, pear invidious to mention the names of
t some without naming all. But I cannot
forbear to mention the names of Bishop
( Andrew, Dr. Milton Antony, Herschel V.
Johnson, Esq. and the Rov’d. Nicholas
I Murphey—tho latter of whom is the great
apostle of temperance among us. For,
while others have given us an occasional
address, he has been the constant advocate
’ and defender of the temperance cause.
Many others, not so prominent as those
just mentioned, have nevertheless been
„ very successful in promoting the interests
of the society. S. B. C.
'
EDITORIAL COMMUNICATIONS] -
!
Treating at Ejections.
We have learned with pleasure that
our political friends, of all parties, have
. abandoned the use of spirits at their Bar
. becues and other public assemblages.—
r l his is right—it is moral and patriotic.
Though temperance societies are not in
tended to be used as political engines, and
, though their interference with partizan
, struggles would be, as it should, the signal
, fortheirdissolution—still they are intended
, to operate on public opinion for the pur
pose of accomplishing a great moral refor
, mation. Their influence to that effect
may be powerfully exerted without the
slightest impropriety, or the most distant
danger of its abuse. The known and ex
pressed disapproval of the use of intoxica
ting drinks in connexion with the ballot
jbox, by more than thirteen hundred of the
good people of Richmond, is of itself
calculated to excite the respect and con
, sideration of every discreet and upright
citizen. It is therefore matter of con
gratulation that this influence has already
operated so silently, and yet So powerftilhf
| lor the public good. The disuse ofintoti-
| eating drinks at the pubifc meefings, is
indeed a great and glorious reform; but
more yet may be done. The evil ofpri
vate treating by candidates and their
friend* may be eradicated with equal ease,
and perhaps with equal benefit to all
I classes. It is therefore suggested, most
respectfully, to the candidates of all par
ties, that they mutually agree and pledge
j themselves to each other, that they will
| not, under any circumstances, either treat
on their own account, or suffer their
friends to do so with their approbation ;
and that they will discountenance the
practice by all prudent and honorable
means. Is not this request reasonable ?
Need we remind those intelligent gentle
men of the nature of the oath which they
are bound to take, if elected to a seat in
our State Legislature ? Need we remind
them of the degradation of their race
the ruin and distress, both individual and
j social, which too often result from this
j very cause? Need we tell them of the
j wounds inflicted on their Country and
her institutions—the death-blow which is
; struck at their system of free suffrage, by
i tho too frequent practice of drowning both
■ the sense and sensibility of the voter in
spirits, and then dragging him in solemn
- mockery to the ballot box to exercise the
, precious rights of a freeman ? They must
t all be too familiar with the scenes ofthe
- -UJJJ-i-JSILAIU-
i past, and we trust have the good of their.
; Country too much at heart to need suchj
- admonitions. It is therefore hoped, evenj
7 if there can be no specific agreement to
7 that effect, that each candidate will act
; upon these suggestions, and under the firm
t conviction, that neither his individual nor
; parly triumph will weigh a feather in-
I comparison with the purity and elevation
. of' the elective franchise. Philo.
■ Dialogue between a Washingtonian and a
- _ 15 um Seiler.
(Continued from our last.)
Rum Seller. Well, friend W., having
p met you again, I will silence you, and
j perhaps cure you of your folly by showing
s you the fruits of the wise course I have
pursued :—in these deeds and bank-books
[you will see what selling rum has done for
II me. Look, and be wise!
Washingtonian. Have you considered
5 the cost of this wealth?—that you have
lost your self-respect!—that you have sa
’ crificed all rational hope of heaven !
, that you have surrounded yourself with
j miserable wretches, suffering children and
, broken hearted wives f—that you have se
( duced your neighbors and countrymen
into habits of idleness, dissipation and
’ crime.
R. S. I seduce them!—they seduce
themselves, and I only take advantage of
. their known propensities! If I did not do
( it, another would.
( W. Ah! precious confession! Where
is now the innocence of social enjoyment
| around the flowing bowl? But, sir, you
| are deceiving yourself; do you not add
every pleasing flavor to your liquors to
J whet and madden the appetites of your
customers ? Do you not lure them to you :
by every amusement and game calculated,
to please, and detain them around you?
( Have you neglected any means which I
ingenuity could desire to convert your tel-;
low men into wine bibbers and mm
drinkers ?
R. S. But, sir, you allow nothing for
competition. If I did not hold out these
inducements, my competitors would take
: all the custom. These are tricks of the
> trade, common and allowable in all busi
. ness.—You might as well blame the mer
- chant for decking his doors and windows
, with his most showy goods.
W. And I would do so, if it was done
I to lure men to moral, temporal, and eter
i nal death—and to sap the very foundations
lof society. Do you not know that it is
I your traffic that fills the world with pau
perism, misery and crime ?—that to it,
. society owes the necessity ofthe enormous
t expense of jails, alms-houses, penitentia
; ries and hospitals ? Who but your frater
t nity, people these gloomy abodes with
. vice and despair—suffering and death ?
R. S. The half of what you say cannot
t be true—for many find their way to these
> public institutions without passing through
’ the groggeries.
IF. Examine for yourself, and if you
t do n<g find that nine-tenths of them find
, their way there, directly or indirectly
• through the influence of rum, I will make
:;the recantation truth shall require. But
. if one half only of what I have said be
; true, what an enormous evil to society is
t your traffic!—What community would
. bear such heavy burdens from any other
• single branch of business ?
, R. S. Oh! this is only the dark side
1 ofthe picture, and every dauber can give
t gloomy shades to the brightest and most
. lively pictures!
! W. But there is no bright side to this
1 picture, and however painful it may be,
t your eyes must bo kept on its gloomy
•darkness. Look now at your children!!
; What have they learned, but idleness and
; disregard for virtue. Will not the result
: be, that they will waste in extravagance
? and vice what you have amassed by cn
. couraging vice and extravagance in oth
• ers ? You are not blind. Others have
i left their children as rich as you will leave
1 yours. How long has it taken you to
- transfer their wealth into your pockets.
1 and them into the ditch, or the prison ?
5 Will you have no successors in this work ?
? And still worse, will not your children
1 sacrifice their hopes of heaven in wasting
? this money, in the accumulation of which
7 you have sacrificed yours ?
i R. S. Well, if it will be any comfort to
i you, I will acknowledge that I am uneasy
i about my children, and would much prefer
6 their being of your way of thinking and
t acting. I wish you could get them to
3 take the pledge.
...—j
IV. It does comfort me, and to get
more comfort I must show you still more
iof truths painting. Some time back there
was quite a panic in your ranks from our
successes, and you made strong efforts to
regain the vassals yon had lost. In one
(case, now before us, you and your myrmi
■ dons succeeded. Look now at him—see
his bloated form—hear his delirious ra
vings—fed his quivering, dying limbs,
and know that they are to fasten upon his
destroyers forever and ever! Will your
wealth “deliver you from the body of this
death ?” Will your victory over us, loosen*
the “loathed embraces” of this your vic
tim for time and eternity?
R. S. Come sir, this is carrying mat
ters too far—this is bringing upon us the
blood of every" vagabond drunkard in the
land ? This is dreadful!
W. Not more dreadful than true. But
if I have gained my point I am willing to
desist. Do you now appreciate the wealth
of virtue and humanity? Do vou under
stand how poor, poor indeed, is the man
who for gold has sacrificed every enno
bling sentiment—every cheering hope,
and every god-like principle of action?—
how poor, how mean the man, who is
neglecting the purposes of his creation,
and failing in every particular to imitate
his Saviour in “doing good?”
R. S. I give it up—Virtue and its re
wards are greater riches than vice with
all tffi gold on earth; but I must have
time for reflection before I can continue
this discussion further. Os one thing,
however, be assured, that thinking as you
do, you are not to blame, and I do not
blame you, for the severity of your reproofs,
against any and all who entice men to
drink.
For the Washingtonian.
To the Lawyers!
Messrs. Editors —l beg you to allow
me, through the Washingtonian, to say a
few words to our respected and very re
spectable lawyers, and as I confidently
expect you will give me this privilege, I
append hereunto what I desire to say to.
them.
Gentlemen! Although fully assured that
the temperance reformation must finally
triumph, whether or not your able advo
cacy be obtained, yet the laborers in this
good work, frankly confer they greatly
need the assistance of your talents, elo
quence and influence, and therefore, as
suming to represent them, I now appeal
to you—“to come over and help as.”
This appeal, it is thought, should bo
irresistible for two reasons—
-Ist. Because the reform being in itself
good and necessary, merits the services
ol ail who wish to promote what is good
and necessary; and, 2diy. Because if it
triumphs, as it certainly must, it will re
flect just and serious opprobrium upon so
able and respectable a class of society, that
so glorious a victory for the good of man,
should be suffered to be achieved without
its countenance and support. a
Gentlemen! this reform will triumph !
You remember well, that spectacles of
drunkenness, accompanied by the most
disgusting conduct, and the most obscene
and blasphemous language, were formerly
so common as hardly to excite attention ;
and you saw the other day at the Court
House, that one case of this kind, so as
tounded and shocked the moral sense of
those present, as to suspend business, and
to becloud most countenances with signs
of grief, injury and insult. Whence this
change ?—this improvement of the morals
of the people—this elevation of their mor
al sentiments ? To the temperance reform
we owe all this good!—And if the labor
ers in this cause could effect so much
without your aid, under the unpropitious
circumstances of the past, will they not,
under the more cheering circumstances
of the present and the future, go on to final
and complete success ? And if all this has
been done without your aid—what would
they not be able to effect with your pow
erful help ? We know that we already
have the aid of many who adorn the Bar—
but we love and respect you all, and we
want you all to participate in the glory
of emancipating the world from a vice
i which has enslaved it, and embittered its
■ enjoyments in every age. “ Come over,”
• then, Gentlemen, “ and help us”—imitate
1 the noble, the immortal Mathew, who, in
> response to the suggestions of selfishness: .
gloriously said—s“lt is more importakt