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THE WASHINGTONIAN:
AUGUSTA. SEPT. 30, 1843.
Washington Total Abstinence Pledge.
IVt, 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,
not to drink any
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. Dod, S. T Chapman, Esq.
“ Geo. F. Pierce, James Haiipek, Esq,
Col. Joun Miu.eduk.
QO~ To Distart Subscriscrs.—Post Masters are au
thorized by law to remit money to the publishers of
newspapers and periodicals, in payment of subscrip
tions. Subscribers to the Washingtonian esn therefore
pay for their papers without subjecting themselves or
the publisher to the expense of postage, by banding the
amount to the Tost Master, with a request to remit it.
We continue this week, the call
of the Penfield Commmittee for a State
Convention to assemble at Eatonton,
Putnam county, on the 23(1 of November
next, and with pleasure perform that duty,
which the crowded stute of our columns
last week prevented.
Though this paper, and the friends of
tho cause in this section, have entertained
opinions favorable to MiJledgeville as the
place of assembling, and an earlier period
of time as more proper and convenient,
still we have always manifested a dispo
sition to waive all other considerations
in deference to the general wishes of our
co-laborers, fairly and fully expressed.
The determination of these questions we
were willing to submit to the Penfield
Committee, and to abide by their decis
ion.
Those gentlemen have spoken, and we
now freely and cordially acquiesce; and
we would urge upon our friends in every
section of the State, to call their meetings
and appoint their Delegates without de
lay, Let your selections be made known
through the public papers, and others will
l>e excited to imitate your examples, who
might otherwise delay the matter until it
should be found too late for their Delegates
to participate in the proceedings of the
Convention. Let the wisest and best
men bo selected, and let the Convention
lie as distinguished for character ahd ta
lent as we hope it may be for its numbers.
(ttr We have received the 2nd and 3rd
Nos. of the La Grange Herald, published
in Troup county, Ga. It is a large,
neatly printed, well filled sheet—and from
what we know of the intelligence and
character of the populous region in which
it is issued, we predict for the Herald
success and permanence. We hope it 1
may be distinguished for its adherence to ;
the cause of law and order, as maintained
by sobriety, truth and general morality.
The Rewards of ludustry.
The “Merchant’s Magazine,” for July,
contains the first of a series of articles,
on the “Annual Products of ludustry in
tho United States,” including the nett
proceeds of Agriculture, Manufactures,
Commerce, Mines, Fisheries, &c., from
which we extract the following summary,
applicable to the six New England States;
intending to give similar extracts from
the subsequent numbers as they appear,
until a complete view of the products of
Industry in the whole Union is presented:
KETT PROCEEDS OF INDUSTRY.
Maine, $26,462,705
New Hampshire, - - - 19,556,141
Vermont 25,143,191
Massachusetts, . - - 75,470,297
Rhode Island, .... 13,001,223
Connecticut, .... 28,023,737
Total in N. England, $187,657,294
What a comment this upon N. Eng
land character, and what a cheering pros
pect does it present to hardy enterprise
and determined industry! If the barren
hills and sterile plains of the North,and of
that little portion ot the North east of
the Hudson, can be made to produce such
results under the culture of her thrifty
sons, what ought we not to expect from
the more favored South, with her genial
climate, her fertile plains, and her thou
sand other resources of wealth and pow
er. Let it be remembered that the in
dustry of six of the States alone, in aj
single year, yields us nearly enough to
pay the entire indebtedness of the whole
|twenty-six!—for whilst this fact is kept
in view and there remains the slightest
. sense of honesty among the people, we
' shall have nothing to tear as to the viola
tion of contracts and thd progress of the
= odious doctrines of repudiation.
OO” We have received a communica
t, tion from an esteemed correspondent,
j reflecting rather severely upon the course
q pursued by the citizens of Columbia
county, in reference to the “Pic Nic”
_ parties which have recently been given
there. Though our correspondent may be
> correct in his condemnation of such large
expenditures for mere pleasure, when
there were in tHeir midst and around
. them so many needy and deserving ob
- jects of charity, still it is not our peculiar
r province, under the circumstances, to
s indulge in censure, and deal out lectures
[ upon the alledged follies and improprieties
of those concerned. Our fellow-citizens
I of Columbia had a perfect right to enjoy
themselves in such a manner as seemed
proper and agreeable, provided they
r committed no breach of propriety and no!
offence against good morals or the laws
|of the land. That they excluded the!
death-bearing cup from the feast we are
. informed, and the act is deserving of all
I praise. For what invited guests may
have done, in taking spirits upon the
ground, we think the generous hearted!
people who gave the feast should not be
be held accountable. But even if we i
were disposed to censure, our pen would <
have been palsied by the recent melan
choly occurrences in that county. If the
people did wrong—(and the opinions of a
majority of our committee on that subject
are perhaps well known,) —if they could
have bestowed their means and time on ]
worthier objects, they have suffered i
enough,—the evil has cured itself, and it i
would be, we think, unkind and ungen- i
erous to say a word which could only
serve to excite unpleasant feelings, and
perhaps produce a repetition of the con
duct which our correspondent condemns. :
OCr The following communication has
been received since the above was in
type, and conceiving it to be written in
the proper spirit, we insert it.
COMMUNICATED.
The “Pic Nic” of Columbia County.
Wednesday before last, a large assem
blage of people was collected for the 1
dance and the feast in an adjoining coun
ty, and we regret to add that consequen
ces have followed which were little calcu-
J lated upon by those engaged in the
festivities, and which have caused a
J general alarm through the community.
| Whether from the accidental presence of
'some poisonous substance in tho ice-
I j cream, or from the imprudences in the
way of exposure and a heterogeneous;
' diet at this critical season, a large number
of those who attended were violently at
> tacked on their return home, to the just
> alarm of their friends. Some have been
i thrown into an exceedingly critical situa
t tion, from w hich they have not yet entire
ily recovered. A few are considered still
iin danger. We have heard of but one
, death—that of a young lady of eighteen
; years of age, in the neighborhood of
i “Quaker Springs,” on the Washington
i road—an only daughter. The circum
stances of such a death are peculiarly
• heart-rending. The idea of passingfrom
a scene of gay festivity, in which every
> serious thought is banished as an intruder.
I almost immediately into the presence of
l the Almighty, cannot but shock any
i right-minded person. It is well known,
! that a large proportion of the most pious
f people are conscientiously opposed to al
• such assemblies, on the ground that thev
I exercise a fascination over the young
■ mind which precludes that serious rcflec
• tion and sobriety of mind which becomi
san immortal and accountable being. Ii
*! is not our province to press this view ol
f the matter ; —but, as being deeply inter
s ested in the preservation oflife and healtl
i in the community, it is perfectly withir
y our province to advert to the dangers of
i these “picnics” at this, the most trying
I season of the year. Some of our own
citizens attended the Columbia feast, and
almost all who did so have suffered forj
■ jthe imprudence. Our city is decidedly
Jhealthy, more so at this time than the
( Country. We attribute this, in a great
-degree, to the regularity of our mode of
[i life in the city> and our care to avoid ex
posure. Any great irregularity, or
!; unwonted exposure, will be almost sure to!
• be followed by disastrous consequences.
: Some speak confidently of poison (verdi
gris) in an imperfectly scoured copper
vessel, as the cause of the alarming at-|
■ tacks to which we have referred; —but,|
> so far as we can ascertain, there is noi
evidence of the existence ot
' such poison, and to us there seems no
necessity of any supposition of the kind
1 1 to account for the effect. What else;
! could be expected, when, in the middle |
‘of September, a large company areas- 1
i sembled in the open air to dance all day—
I who, when heated, partake of ice-crpam
iced-water, and iced-lemonade—followed
by eating the greatest mixture of flesh,
fruit, pastry, &c.—and finally, bv a ride
home terminated at 8,9, or 10 o’clock at
night ? What wonder if bilious or intes- j
tinal disease, of the most violent type,
follow such a serious interruption of our;
regular and quiet summer life ? Ifsuch
festivities must be had, let them be ap-'
pointed at some other season than the
I present; —let not the health of the young
;be exposed, and their lives risked in the
j pursuit of pleasure. ' D.
COMMUNICATED.
Messrs. Editors —Appended, I send!
you a statement of the manufacture of
distilled and fermented liquors in the Uni- 1
ted States. It is taken from the census
of 1840, and doubtless is not entirely cor
rect : yet it is sufficiently so to exhibit to
your readers the extent and character of
the work yet to be done by the friends
of Temperance. The progress of the
Reform, aided by the high duties very
properly imposed by the recent tariff up
jOn foreign liquors, has greatly diminished
| the importations from abroad. Conse
quently we must look for an increase of
manufactories at home, unless the increas
ed exertions of the friends of Temperance
should so far reduce the number of con
sumers as to diminish the demand for the
article in the same ratio with the decrease
in the supply. Is not this a suggestion
worthy of your consideration ?—a work
deserving the united efforts of the friends
of humanity? Let the Convention to
assemble at Eatonton on the 23rd of No-1
vember, take the question intoconsidera-;
tion, and devise some plan for a united
and determined effort to produce this
result. Let them recommend similar
increased effort in other states, and throw
out such suggestions as may best tend to .
accomplish the desired object. In the
mean time I propose to enter a little more
into particulars, and furnish you with a
similar statement in reference to the
State of Georgia, showing the extent of
the manufacture in the respective coun
jties. This information will be from the
same source as the present table. It
may not be perfectly correct, but will
form a basis for the operations of the
Convention, and can be given by that
body in a revised and corrected form to
the public. C.
O 2” n 0 Z cT i
a ? 3 E ? 45
B O * o 3 -
State*. ® £. 5 5 3 F
2 § e 3
|
ot
Maine 3 190000 7 29000
N. Hampsh. S 51244 1 3000 7 15999
Mass. 37 5177910 7 429800 154 9C3100
R. Island, 4 855000 3 69600 42 139000
Connecticut 70 215692 42 50360
Vermont, 2 Ssoo 1 12800 5 BSSO
New York, 212 U 973815 S 3 6059122 1486 31070661
New Jersey, 219 334017 6 206375 394 2>0870
Peun 1010 6240193 87 12765974 1607 1589470!
Delaware, 3 39500 9 6000
Maryland, 73 366213 n 6261 0 199 185790
Virginia, 1454 665725 5 32960 1631 187212
N. Carolina, 2802 1051979 1 17431 1422 16*000
S. Carolina, 251 10225 S 219 14342
Georgia, 393 126746 22 216 28606
Alabama, ISS 127230 7200 220 34212
Mississippi, 11 3150 o 132 12 910
Louisiana. 5 26 >2OO j 2400 27 110000
Tennessee, 1426 1109107 6 1635 1341 215152
Kentucky, 689 1763665 50 214569 1092 31530'
Ohio, 390 6329467 59 1422584 79 ' 893119 j
Indiana, 323 175710 S 20' 166892 500 292316
Illinois, 150 1501<84 1| 90300 233 13315*
Missouri, 293 506366 7 374700 365 189976
Arkansas, 63 26415 38 10205
Michigan, 34 337761 10 305696 116 124200
Florida,
W iskousiu, 3 8300 3 14200 14400
lowa, 2 4310 3 1 00
D.c. 1 6000 1 165000 25 6700
10306 41402627 407!23267730 12223 9147366
COMMUNICATED.
Messrs. Editors, —I apprehend the
Temperance Society does not always do
its work effectually, and to the end that it
• * 1
may know how to rectify any error in its
proceedings, which may result in this im
perfect work, I trouble you with the fol
lowing statement:
I was hailed to-day in the streets bv
a countryman, who, approaching me with
' a staggering motion and flushed face, in
quired after my health, told me of his,
asked after the progress of politics—and
1 1 when possessed of the information neces
sary, said, —“You won’t take any thing
to drink, but can’t you help me to a pic
cayune to get a little?” What, said I,
money to get liquor,—no, not for my life!
, Seeing that I was indignant, he then
i wanted the money only to get Ginger
pop—he never drank any thing else—he
1 was himself a member of the temperance!
jsociety, and intended to stick to it.—j
AH this making no impression upon me j
he next tried me on the ground that he’
belonged to, and intended to sustain the
party I was attached to. But it would not
do—he got no Ginger-pop nor rum money j
from me, nor aught else but pity and con
tempt for his total want of truth.
Messrs. Editors, such a man, and all
this class of men, can only be reformed
'by first reforming their principles. They 1 !
| must be taught honesty and truth, or it is
■perfectly vain to get their names to any
Ipledge, no matter how sacred, or indis-!;
pensable.
I should not have troubled you with!
this case, perhaps, if it was not that it re-!
minds me of recent and painful proof, that
the same disregard of truth exists among
men more intelligent and more respected ;;
than the unfortunate creature here refer-!
jred to. Yes, the pledge has been violated ;
■by men who were supposed to be intelli-j
Jgent enough to understand, that in this ,
act they gave up all claim to the respect h
of honorable men. They are dishonored 1
—who can now trust their word? They j
have proved false to their plighted honor— i
what have they now to offer for the con
jfidence of their fellow men? Oh! how
fallen, degraded and disgraced. The
heart could weep tears of blood, if tears '•
of blood would avail, over such total mor- I
al desolation. Am an. j
COMMUNICATED.
To Young Ladles.
Suffer one who really wishes you well, 1
to give you some admonitory information, 1
to guard you against the wiles and protes-j
tations of a class of aspirants to your!l
; favor, who will, unless you reject them, !
clothe the future of your lives with theji
sombre pall of mortification, suffering and 1
; disgrace. My position in society enables j <
me to see, what yours conceals from you,
j and what regard for your welfare com- 1
pels me to relate to you. Know, then, '
that some who are lauding your charms 1
to the skies, and professing only to live '
for your happiness, seek you alone, that '
through your labor or property they may '
continue their nightl y orgies at the shrine 1
of Bachus :—Know that some of them 1
have pledged what they have shown they
do not profess—honor—to drink no more, ; 1
who yet worship at this shrine until they;
can neither sit, stand, nor walk, but have, !
like the swine, to wallow in the mire ol
the ditches. Could you, would you, trust
such men as these? But they brush the;
dirt from their clothes, wash their faces,
perfume their breath and their persons
with the sweetest fragrance, and appear
! before you as modest, sober, worthy young
men, so that you do not know them :
Come, therefore, to me, and I will tell;
you who are the wolves in sheeps cloth
ing—who they are that assume and 1
pledge the sacred name of gentlemen to 1
be good and true Washingtonians, only to
deceive you and others.
Yours, &c. Obed.
For the Washingtonian.
—"
In the seventh Annual Report of the
American Temperance Society, I find the
following succinct but cogent remarks on
the subject of Ardent Spirit as a bever
age. What was theory and speculation
in 1837, is history now; and what was
then true of ardent spirit is now admitted
to be equally true of nearly every thing
that can intoxicate. In the moderate
use of both there is great and imminent
langer, and the extreme of total absti
nence must be preferable to that of indul
gence. The one cannot injure, and may
benefit—the other leads only to ruin and
degradation. Some of your readers may
think the following considerations old.
I
common place—let me admonish them J
that on that account they are not the less I
true.
“1. Ardent spirit, as a drink, is not
needful or useful.
“2. It is highly injurious to the body!
and the mind.
“3. It tends to form intemperate ap. 1
petites, and to lead to drundenness and to
I ruin.
“4. It greatly increases the amount of
and crime, and thus augments
jthe pecuniary burdens of the community,
“5. It multiplies the incentives to evil, j
■ and gives to them peculiar power over the |
; mind.
“6. In various ways it causes an im. j
mense loss of property.
“7. It increases the number and se-1
verity of diseases, and tends powerfully,
to obstruct their removal.
“8. It thereby shortens many lives.
“9. It destroys the prospects, both tem-1
poral and eternal, of thousands.
“ 10. If continued, it will tend to per.
petuate these evils, and to increase them
to all future time.”
Let me ask, then, what man, possessed
'of the common sympathies of our nature,
iand who recognises the doctrine of mu
tual duties and relations—what man, who
admits the obligation under which human
ity places us to feel the woes and alleviate
the distresses of our fellows, after reflect
ing upon the above, could hesitate to act
in any way that would secure his own
safety or that of his friend ! Surety men
are wiser upon almost any other subject
than this; for here they are presented with
a certain, unfailing remedy—one which,
j whatever may be said of its unpleasant
denials and restrictions, will be seen to 1
result in a final cure. Let me ask your
readers to peruse, reflect, and act accord
ing to the dictates of judgment, rather ,
than of appetite. Phii-o.
For the Washingtonian.
Messrs. Editors —l suppose you have
all seen a spider trap a fly. I saw one
the other day, and after watching the
generalship of the spider, and the strug
gles of the poor fly, my mind was natural
ly led to the subject of trapping in gener
al, and I came to the conclusion, that this
1 was a trapping world at best.
We find :he rich setting traps for the
ipoor, the politician trapping for votes,
and each man devising some scheme, to
! better his condition and get the advantage
of his neighbor. Even the young ladies
'(God bless them) have their little arts,
which they modestly and timidly use, to
decoy, and woe to the thoughtless wight
who comes within their power. He
might as well be bound with a cable rope:
he is just as fast. To their influence,
j however, I have no objection to yield, as
j being caught by them, saves us frequent
ly from a more dangerous snare, and we
lat least have the consolation of being
| slaves to those, w hom it is an honor to
-obey.
But the most injurious system of trap
ping, is that pursued by the avaricious and
vicious, who seek to destroy their victim,
by ministering to his nppetites, and eradi
cate by sensual indulgence all sense of
moral obligation. Those, thus caught,
sink deeper and deeper in moral degra
dation, till all that is left, is the form of
manhood with the attributes of the brute.
These traps are easily known, and by
the prudent are readily avoided. They
present an inviting exterior, with a great
display of all that can tempt the appetite,
and over them is written. “Our House,”
“ National Saloon,” “ Oyster House,”
Exchange Coffee House,” “ Refresh
ment of all Kinds,” &c.; but, beware,
enter thou not into dalliance with them ;
these things invite but to deceive, and
those who frequent them are gone flies
body and soul, forever. J.
Irony.—People in general do not un
derstand it. C. Matthew tells a good
story of this density of apprehension ; a
criminal, doomed to perish by the sharp
edge of the law, was willing that the
edge should be really sharp. “I will
give you fifty ducats,” said he to the ex
ecutioner, “if you cut off my head at a
■single stroke.” In the pride of his art,
.leadsman gave a flourish with hiS sword.
“Fifty ducats,” reiterated the criminal.
“Just shake your head,” replied the exe
cutioner; he did so, and it rolled on the
scaffold. The matter-of-fact man, be
lieving the story up to this point, says,
“ Well, did he give him the fifty ducats r®