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TIIE WASHINGTONIAN:
AUGUSTA, SEPT. 9, 1843.
WmhUgton Total MMntnce Pledge.
We, whose names are hereunto annexed, desirous
of forming a Society for our mutual benefit,
and to guard against a pernicious practice
which is injurious to our health, standing and
families, do pledge ourselves as Gentlemen,
* rut to dr ini: any
Bpiriiou» or Malt Liquors, Win© or Cider.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE.
Rev. W. T. Bkantlv, Dr. P. M. Robertson,
W J. Hint), Dr. D. Hook,
“ C. S. Don, S. T Chapman, Esq.
" Geo. F. Pißßce, Jame* Harpek, Esq.
Col. John Miu.eiiqe,
(gj- To Dht.kt Stmwitßru.—Poit Mj«teri»re au
thoiiioU by law to remit money to the publisSen of
newspapers an! perioJicatn in p.iymunt of subscrip.
tlon». SnbWTSßers to the iJastmgfim/anCantlierefoie
pay for tneir papers without subjecting ill.-ms.-Ives or
the publisher to the expense of postage, by handing the
amount to the Post Master, with a request to remit it.
Correspondents will excuse us for the non
appearance of their articles this week. W e have
thought it best “to say our say” of the Banner,
and of its envious and quarrelsome propensities
at once, and then disn.Ls the concern forever,
unless to correct its mis statements. Next week
we shall resume the “even tenor of our way,"
hoping our subscribers will excuse our present
diversion, especially when they reflect that we
speak twice to the Banner's once, and at the same
price.
(£P The following article in reference
to the unpleasant and (on our part) un
sought for controversy with the ‘ Banner,’
it may be proper to state, has been prepa
red to order, submitted to, and heartily
approved by the Editorial Committee.—
That committee, and each of its mem
bers, disclaim all intention hitherto to
provoke ill feeling—they contend that
thoir course towards the Banner has been
uniformly kind, conciliatory, candid and
confiding—that even their rebukes, slight
and modest as they were deserved, were
couched in language devoid of offence—
nor would the Committee now notice the
matter at all but for the fact that one of
thair number has boen singled out by
name and language applied to him alike
unjust, unworthy ofthe cause and discred
itable to the Editor of the Banner, whose
lack of reason and argument must have
driven him to the unworthy alternative.
It is matter of congratulation to the
friends ofTemperancc in this region, thai
so far as they can learn, this heart-burn
ing is confined entirely to the publisher of
the Banner, and wo will take pleasure
hereafter in referring to letters from mem
bers of the late Penfield Convention ami
to the recent correspondence between
thecommittoe of the Augusta Washing
tonian Society and the Chairman of the
Penfield committee, as an evidence of the
continued harmony and good understand
ing which still prevail between the real
friends of the cause both here and in the
interior. Whilst such a state of feeling
exists, it matters little what may be the
views and language of the publisher ot
the Banner.
The Uannrr.
Tho Temperance Banner, of Penfield,
comes out in its last number, in open, ana
certainly, most uncalled for attack upon
us. The chief grievance complainod of,
is our arrogating to ourselves the merit of
originating the idea of a Temperance
Convention!
The facts of the case are thus:—Tht
suggestion of the Convention was'madi
in the Banner of June 15th, and in tht
Washingtonian of June 17th. It was
thereibre, original with both papers—
for neither could have been led in tht
matter by the other; the Washingtoniai
is issued on Saturday morning, while tht
Banner reaches Augusta on the succeed
ing Sunday. In our paper of Aug. 19th
occurs the following language, in a com
naunication signed “C.”—it is this tha
the Banner quptes as so exceptionable:
44 T was gratified when you made th
original proposition for a State Convert
tion. I was also pleased to see that yoi
brother ofthe ‘Banner’ was so prompt t
improve upon your hint, in getting up ;
meeting at Penfield.”
The substantial correctness of that ar-
Stible, admitted into our paper with our im
plied sanction, we one and ail endorse,
and hold ourselves as responsible for it as
one of our number, whom the Editor
ofthe Banner is pleased to style 44 ’Squire
Chapman." The charge of falsehood
which is so unsparingly made against
him, we consider equally applicable to us
a!!, and we pronounce it utterly unfound
r ed. We hardly know whether we should
‘ be most indignant at its falseness, or amu
sed with Its ridiculous and grotesque ab
- surdity; on the whole, we incline to the
latter.
s We did not consider the question ofthe
paternity of the idea of a Convention a
d matter of the slightest consequence; we
i, never stickled for our claim to it; we did
, t not deem it worthy of investigation, or of
= carefully measured language—the remark
in the communication was merely inci
’’ dental. Yet it is on such a point that the
Editor of the Banner feels himself justi
fied in charging one of our number with
. falsehood! Surely he must have been
.-jsorely in want of a ground of quarrel
’’ when he selected this- II he can make
* stock of this matter of the suggestion of a
f Convention, we most cheerfully yield it up
!to him ; we never imagined that ice could !
'derive from it any benefit whatever, b
the Editor of the Banner stricken with
•,jsuch a poverty of merits, that he must con
tend for so small an affair as this, and de-
Iplore hiswrongs in such dolorous strains
‘jinthat we would rob him of his glory?
t j We do not rate him so low, and we hope
t that some remains of self-respect may in
-6 duce him to drop this whining about “the
many difficulties he has had to struggle
i with,” and that he “is now threatened
- with one never dreamed of before.”
1
As to the second accusation, our “treat -
. ing with great disrespect” the Committee
. of tho Penfield Convention, by suggesting
and discussing the time and place of hold
) ing the next Convention, —we scout at the
i idea. We ask our brother of the Banner
! when a censorship of the press was es-
I tablished in Georgia. It had entirely es
caped our recollection that it was evei
, instituted; perhaps we have unwittingly
. offended, by violating some such law.—
, Will the Banner jog our memory ? o.'
f one thing we are sure, that the members
. of that committee have not felt it a griev
, ance, to be informed of tho sentiments on
this subject of an organ which represent?
more than 1,300 Washingtonians, good
, and true. We have had the pleasure of
a correspondence with that committee—a
, correspondence on both sides graced by a
courtesy, and warmed with a mutual hear
ty good will, which the Banner might
r advantageously imitate. Ho must be
, strangely ignorant of the posturo of tern
perance matters at his very doors. We
refer him for information to a letter sent
last week to the committee of the Pen
field Convention by a committee of the
Augusta Washingtonian Society.
The third and last accusation that we
propose to notice is that of interfering with
the Banner by suggesting that one im
portant benefit of a convention would be
the obtaining of more extensive and accu
rate statistical information than that pa
per with all its diligence could collect.
The Banner says, “ this was calculated
and we believe it can be shown, was de
signed to defeat our call made sdveVa!
months since, and to divert from the co
umns of tho Banner a correspondence
and information which was deemed o.
great importance by us.” As to any un
friendly design, where is the least appear
ance of it? On the contrary, our article
with unsuspecting straight-forwardness,
calls upon the Banner 44 to publish the
a reposition,” and great was our surprise
when he refused to do so. We suggest
hat the members ofthe convention may
lo good by bringing up with them all the
tatistical information they can get that it
nay be published far and wide; and this
s “calculated and designed to defeat” tht
3anner’s plans! In the name of common
ense, we ask what difference it make?
vith the Editor of that paper how he get?
ye required information ? If he on!)
:ets it, and gets it honestly, any reasona
ble man would say the more easily it if
btainea the better. If we had suggested
he procuring of such information for the
urpose of secreting it and keeping it from
:ie Banner, it would be altogether a dif
ferent thing; but in the midst of all this
. tissue of absurdities we believe this is not
, pretended. If the Banner contends for
5 the monopoly of all temperance informa
r tion—why let himjiave it, if he can make
? any profit out of it, for this seems to be
i the real point of importance with him.
t
s We have felt ourselves bound to notice
. the articles of the Banner, once for all.
1 If there is squabbling to be done, we are
. satisfied to leave it to the Banner —we
. have something better to do. We would
» like no better fun than to sprinkle a little
of “the Attic salt” over our pages—and
' let the Editor of the Banner reap the
i benefit of it. This would be altogether
1 in the line of the lawyers of our commit
-1 tee, it would not be out of place in the
to administer a dose now and
i then, as to the Colonels and esquires
• they would glory in a brush, and even
i “ the Reverends” among us might relish
• a little “ rowing up salt river” byway of
i exercise. But we deny ourselves the
i sport for the good of the cause. Wt
I have said our say, and although we an
: ticipate a good deal of blustering, a
t grand flourish of trumpets &c, we will lei |
• the Banner bray on :—we purpose to pur-1
I sue the even tenor of our way undisturb
!jed by his noise and racket. Unless somt
ij injurious misrepresentation beyond what
:we anticipate should occur, we do not
.propose to return to this subject W,
throw upon the Banner the sole respon
sibility of this whole quarrel. We have
pursued the most peaceable and friendly
course. We have always spoken of tht
Banner in terms of respect and not un
frequontly of commendation. Witness
our number of August 26th in contras
with this scurrilous attack upon us. Nor
has the mad course of that paper blinded
us to its merits even now. While wt
feel bound to administer rebuke to its
present posture of hostility against us
we are not disposed to deny or forget that
it has done good service in our com- 1
mon cause, while we are sure that it it
now able to do much greater things and
we hope its Editor will come to his rea
son again ere long and be satisfied to be
not quite so pugnacious against his co
, laborers.
The Editor of the “Banner,” seems to
have a holy horror for the “ Reverend',
Doctors, Squires,” &c., who compose the
Editorial corps of the Washingtonian.
I'
We don’t doubt the man’s sincerity.—
He has been a sly, but lucky sinner, gliding i
about the purlieus of the Courts Ecdcsi- 1
astical half his days—he has doubtless
seen the ghost of many an unpaid Doc
tor's Bill, and has had so much to do with
die minister’s of justice that the very
name of a “ Squire ,” however humble, is
doubtless magnified into the shadows of
at least half a dozen bum-bailiffs.
No wonder the man evinces a distaste
for “ Reverends, Doctors and Squires.”
Brother Brantly, you can pass—wo won’t
plead the “ limitation act ” on you.
Among the other scurrilities of the last
Banner, we find a very bad joke poked at
us, so pointless and shapeless that we do
not know how to apply it any how. All
we can sec in it, is the stupidity of its
author, who has not acuteness enough tc
distinguish between the Washingtonian
news-paper and “nine Reverends, Doc
tors, Squires, and one printer.” With
regard to this would-be funny conclusion
of the Banner’s column and a half against
us, we have only to add our congratula
tions on the happily selected signature
that is applied to it, “ 1 ish one of tc
gods.” It is not often that one hits his
own character so well; for the whole ar
;icle against us is pervaded with an as
tonishing sense, on the part of the au
thor, of the “great importance” of “hi;
own dear self,” and every thing that be
longs to him.
It IS AN EASY MATTER TO BECOME l
drunkard. —The mariner, as he passe:
he whirlpool of the ocean, finds it unne
eessary to set his sails and turn his helm t<
rush upon certain, inevitable destruction
He has only to fold his arms in listlessnes
and submit his vessel to the silent influ
once of the waves, and his fate is sealed
his bark may pass round and round slovvl;
it first, but with every revolution its ve
locity will increase, until it darts like ai
arrow upon destruction. Thus is it with
the temperate drinker—he knows not his
t danger untii he is beyond the reach of
• reclamation.
Tradition informs us that, years since.
■ an Indian on the shores of the Niagara
! dissatisfied with his circumstances and his
tribe, loosed his bark canoe from the
northern extremity of Grand Island, and
■ folding his arms across his breast, began
alternately to indulge a wild and spright
ly chant, to gaze on the fish as they sport
■ ed in the clear still waters beneath, and
! to watch the trees as, to his untutored
mind, they ran fantastic races along the
i shores. Coolly and unconcernedly he re
mained, as if unconscious of the dangei
before him, until his frail bark began tc
pitch upon the first breakers of the mighty
cateract of the North ! Then, springing
as if from a reverie, and glancing in wild
terrror at the waters, the shores, and the
Great Spirit whom nature had taught him
to worship, he deliberately raised his rude
decanter of rum, and while taking the
last, long draught, plunged headlong to
rise no more!
How apt an illustration this of the fate
of thousands who are borne as thought
jlessly along the stream of life; nor dream
hf danger, until they are precipitated intc
i deeper gulf- a more inextricable chasm!
Truly, it is an easy matlcr to become a
drunkard.
Reader, if you are yet a tempera!*
drinker, and feel secuie, suspect youil
safety nt once ; for in proportion as yoi.
imagine yourself strong are you weak, anc
in proportion to your fancied security i.
your actual danger.
Who would not sustain a cheap
newspaper? —A few evening’s since we
were passing the house ofa mechanic, in
the suburbs, who has been a hard working
unfortunate fellow all his life. We no
ticed him seated on the door-sill appa
rently reading to his wife who yvas plying
her needle hard by. Knowing that hi
iad but little, ifany, education, we passed
dowly, and to our astonishment discover
ed he was actually spelling, word bi
word, an article from the Washingtonian,
on the subject of Temperance.
The noble fellow deserved a better fate.
Such industry, such perseverance, mus
meet eventually their appropriate reward.
We have alluded to it, however, not from
personal considerations, but to show the
necessity of sustaining in our community
a cheap family paper of the proper moral
stamp,'such as the humblest individual
can have ready acces? to. In a Repub
lic, intelligence and virtue are essential in
every citizen, because each has some
thing to do with the selection of our
rulers, and the administration of the gov
ernment. These are necessary to guard,
them against the impositions of the dema
gogue and the wiles of designing men.j
In this country, where we have no titled
aristocracy, no rights of primogeniture,
and no entailments of estates —where the j
rich man of to-day is the poor man of to-:
morrow—where there can be no bond ol !
union between the wealthy and the grea*
to enable them to resist the expansive
power of the middle and lower classes, the
danger is not so likely to spring from the
aristocratic as the agrarian tendencies of
society. Whatever, therefore, tends to
enlighten and moralize the lower classes
will tend to perpetuate our institutions
and give permanency to the government.
And what can be more efficient, than the
weekly sheet filled with useful informa
tion and wholesome moral truths: It can
be read in the moments of leisure and re
laxation from the more arduous labors
of the day. Its periodical appearance
serves to admonish to industry and excite
to reading, whilst its fresh and varied
contents a muse and reward the reader for
his toil. While it expands the mind and
3nables the family to pass their cven
ngs in pleasant recreations, it often de
ains the father at heme, and restrains
vim from visiting the haunts of dissipation
md vice. Nor are its advantages less tc
he rising generation. Who can tel
vkat youthful minds might not first b.
txcited to activity by perusing the co
urnns of some humble weekly, and thei
ie quickened, invigorated, and maturei
nto the noblest intellects of the land, that
vould otherwise, under existing circum
tances, remain in obscurity, or be smoth
red in sensuality and crime.
“ Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear—
Full many a flower is borne to blush unseen,
And waste its fragrance on the desert air.”
For such purposes, and to attain such
-1..:.:.
f ends, who would not cheerfully contribute
of his substance to sustain an enterprise
. that can do good, and only good, to all
classes of society ?
03” The following letter from one of
, the most worthy and successful champions
l of our cause "’fully explains itself. It is
1 useless to say that it is a most full and
’ satisfactory explanation of a part of the
j proceedings of the convention, which,
j however liable to be misconstrued, we
had passed over in silence and almost un
noticed, until we were apprised, both pub
licly and privately, of that secret hostility
on the part of the “Banner,” which has
since been so publicly and unmanfully
evinced in the columns of that paper.
I We are indeed happy to suppose that
the fire is confined to such narrow limits,
as the publisher of the Banner; and aware,
1 as we are, of the nature of the material
on w hich it has to feed, we feel confident
that its flames will soon die away, and
I
that the whole aflair will hereafter be
pleasantly referred to merely as a simple
case of spontaneous combustion.
1 Rev. C. S. Dod, Chairman of Editorial
Committer, dfc.
Dear Sit;— Your papei* of the 19th
inst., containing an appeal “to the Com
mittee appointed to report business for
the late Temperance Convention at Pen-
I field,” for explanation of “the ambiguous
anguage” of a certain Rosolu:ion, &e.,
reached me this afternoon simultaneously
with a letter from one of your number.
1 was one of tbatccmmiiec, and offer for
myself the following explanation, hoping
iyou wilt hear from the other gentlemen
oon.
The original item suggested bv myself
to the committee, and through them to the
convention, was in substance this— Con
fide r the impoitance of Temperance Pub.
ications and the best means of promoting
heir circulation.” The report of that
committee was made to the convention
luring its afternoon session, when I was
mgaged in session of the Trustees of
Mercer University. Immediately upon
the adjournment of the Board, 1 went di
ed to the convention, and found the
above item under consideration. My
emarks on the occasion are reported
correctly by “A Looker on,” in the Tem
perance Banner of the 15th inst. I beg
vou and the gentlemen with whom you
are associated to notice, that those re
marks are in favor of Temperance papers
generally.. It is true that, at the dose of
hose remarks, I did make a proposition
n behalf of the Banner, to this effect—
“that each member of the convention
should pledge himself for a certain number
of subscribers to the Banner.” My sole
reason for this was, because we were in
| Penfield, where the Banner is published.
llf I had been in Augusta, [ should have
made a similar appeal for your excellent
i Washingtonian.
How the resolution got into its present
shape, or by whom it was drafted, I am
unable to say; for as stated above, I was
under such exhaustion from the labors of
the day, as to notice little that was pass
ing I have no idea, however, it was
j lesigned in any way to detract from the
merits of your paper. The design of the
{committee, and of the convention, was to
promote the circulation of all Temperance
publications—the clause, “ that may be
deemed worthy,” was purely accidental.
I trust this explanation will be satisfac
tory to yourself and all concerned. The
merits of your paper were not in question
belore the convention or its committee.—
On the other hand, it was lauded by seve
ral gentlemen in the most unqualified
terms.
I take this occasion to say, that I con
sider the Augusta Washingtonian worthy
the patronage of an intelligent and virtu
ous public, and as having special claims
upon the friendly offices of Temperance
men.
W ith the highest consideration, lam &c.
J. 11. Campbell.
Clinton, Aug. 21, 1843.
03” The Editor of the “Christian In
dex” is informed, that the non-arrival of
the Washingtonian at his office was pure
ly accidental. The mistake was correct
ed as soon as discovered by the publisher,
who would take this opportunity to ex
cess his regard not only for the Editor 9
rs the “Index,” but his regret that any
•ircumstance should have occurred to give
he slightest semblance of neglect or
vant of esteem for the gentleman w hoso
bly and faithfully presides over the Edi
orial department of that paper. He
egards it as a worthy and efficient co
aborer in the cause of humanity and
ruth. The Publisher.
13* Mr. Delavan has prepared with care a let
er to he sent, with a set of Dr. Se wall’s Plates,
o the Emperors of Russia and Austiia, to the
King of the Prince Albert, and tuthe
Kings of Sweden, Prussia, Belgium, Holland
rnd Greece. These plates are beginning to at
tract much attention in Europe,— J. A. T. Union