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THE WASHINGTONIAN: AUGUSTA, OCTOBER 21, 1843. Washington Total Jlbetlnence Pledge. WV, i shone names are hereunto annexed, desirous of forming a Society for our mutual benefit, and to guard against a pernicious practice, which it injurious to our health, standing and families, do pledge ourselves as Gentlemen, not to drink any Hptrltous or Malt Liquors, Wine or Cider. EDITORIAL COMMITTEE. Rev. W. T. Bhaktlt, 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 Milleixje, (gp To Distart Subscribers.—Post Masters arc au-. thuri/ed by law to remit money to the publisher! of, newspapers and periodicals, in payment of subscrip.j lions. Subscribers to the fTasAingtimian can therefore pay for their papers without subjecting themselves or the publisher to the expense of postage, by handing the amount to the Pott Master, with a request to remit it. i Our city continues in the main heal thy—more so than the surrounding coun try. Among the poor, who suffer from ignorance, from carelessness, from bad habits, and from unsuitable food, clothing and shelter, there arc cases of intermit-! tent fever, but in very rare instances such as to threaten life. Last Wednesday morning there was a heavy white frost that remained in shady places till after 7 o’clock. The continued cool weather is driving our absent population home from ( the North, and many are removing from their summer residences to town. Bu-j. si ness seems quite brisk, and goods are abundant and cheap. In our last paper, the anniversary meet- < ing of the Washington Total Abstinence < Society was incorrectly stated to be on s the 4th Monday of October. The con- i stitution appoints it for the last Monday \ of this month; and, as there are five - Mondays in October this year, it comes i on the sth—that is on the 30th day of the ' month. Let the Total Abstinence men ; look forward to that meeting with inter-M est, and come tip to it as ono man. i The meeting of our Society on Mon- J day night last was well attended, and riot 1 destitute of interest. Two addresses were 1 made, sundry items of business transact- * cd, and some excellent additions to the 1 pledge obtained. Before the attention 1 was wearied or the interest flagged, the ' meeting was adjourned at an early hour —before nine o’clock. We are satisfied 1 that a short, spirited meeting does the I most good. The danger is of protract- ‘ ing them to an unseasonable hour. (£r A case of some interest was re- | ported at the meeting of the Temperance ( Society, at the Methodist church, last , Monday night:—it may do good elsc-i where, and with that hope we insert the ] particulars. A member of our society in the course of his duty as an agent to dispense the ( charities of the Augusta Benevolent So ciety, visited a family on the outskirts of the city, in which he found the mother sick and a family of five children chiefly j dependent upon her. She was accus tomed to do washing or take in sewing for the support of the family. In these t labors she was assisted by the eldest { daughter. The visitor asked for the fa ther; —he was out. “Was he in any employment 1” No. “How was the fa mily provided for ?” By her labors as sisted by her daughter. “Could the fa- ( thergetnowork? Was he a sober man ?” ] Hore the truth had to come out. He ( was always drunk when he could get li- | quor. “Did he ill treat her in his fro- , lies ?” The question was a hard one to . answer; but the poor creature needed a | friend, and she frankly told all. He had ( given her many a beating when he was drunk though he was a kind, good hus- ( band when sober. It was ascertained of one of the neighbors that he had cruelly beaten her only a few days before, al though she was in a delicate situation, and the informant believed that her pre sent critical condition was, at least in a great measure, owing to that inhuman act. "Why did she not separate from! him, since he was not a help, but only a hindrance to her and her family ?” She replied that she could not bring her mind to that—saying, with a feeling true to na ture, that “he was the father of her chil dren” and she would hear a great deal rather than separate from him. She was willing to work for him, and, if he would only keep sober, they would get along ve ,ry well. He was once as industrious a . man, and as good a husband and father as anywhere in the country round—but : drink had spoiled him. The inquiry was made “whether there were any provisions s then in the house?” There was a little ’ meal—nothing else. The daughter was *! making garments for the Home Industry ’lSociety; but the labors of her needle • were altogether inadequate to the supply iof the family. Provisions were sent the next day, and from time to time, until the J| " 'mother recovered. On inquiry of the neighbors the best character was given of “the women folksbut they all stood in terror of the father. It was said by r those who knew how matters stood, that jno permanent relief could be extended to that family without getting the man to jbecome sober. If any thing was given ; to the children for their comfort, he would squander it if he could get hold of it— they must be wretched until he reformed. He had been tried. Exhortation, reproof, encouragement, had been exhausted upon him, all in vain. He was a hard case. | The same visitor returning to the house after a few weeks, to see how the family were getting along, found they had re moved to another part of the city. On searching them up, he found them in a more comfortable dweiling—the wife and daughter engaged in sewing—and the fa ther at home. Getting into conversation with him, the Temperance Society came up, and he was asked to jolli. “No—he did not drink—hut he did not want to sign any pledge.” This looked suspici ous—and the inquiry was made how long since he had quit drinking. The reply was that he hod taken nothing for three weeks. This looked encouraging again —especially as the day of election was included in these three weeks. After a while he consented to join the society, and his name is now upon our roll. In that simple signature faithfully adhered to, there is more lo restore pence and happiness and comfort to that family than if it were the signature of the cashier of the bank to a check for a thousand dol lars. Tho poor fellow said, with a good deal of simple pathos—“if I had nowall that I have spent for drink, I would be a heap better off than I am.” This is the nature of your work, Wash ingtonians. It goes into the hovel of the poor to carry joy to heavy hearts, to sub stituto plenty for want, to give respecta bility instead of rags. The interior towns of Georgia seem to be looking up again, sharing in the re turning prosperity of the country at large. The Little Georgian says:—“Forsyth is improving in a commercial point of view. Several of our merchants have recently! made considerable additions to their stock of goods, and we are soon to have two or! three more stores.” i COMMUNICATED. ( “ Oysters l Oysters I” “ Fresh Oysters will be served up this • Evening, from 6 to 12 o’clock, at Salt Peppers .” j ! The following is a fair translation of 1 the meaning of such advertisements as 1 the above, namely: An ingenious excuse for getting drunk ' will be found this evening from 6 to 12 : at Salt Peppers. We learned the justice of this transla- 1 tion from painful experience. On the 1 night after such advertisements are pla- 1 carded about the streets and in public 1 houses, offices, &c., about 12 or 1 o’clock ' at night, we are usually aroused from slumber by such horrible noises as might be expected if “all bedlam were let out,” —these noises coming from the place where the oysters were to be fur nished. When we have heard simulta neously, singing, hallooing, swearing, quarreling, and fighting, we have asked ourselves, can these be rational, responsi ble beings ? Bah ! Why is there not a Temperance Eat ing House in Augusta ? Let one be es | tablishcd and we warrant it success. Ovs l # i ters and rum do not harmonize well at ; all—cold water is the proper element.— l! Throw the brandy bottle out of the win -jdow and respectable persons will not be ■ prevented from entering at the door. A 1 temperance oyster house would stand at s the very top of the tree—it would take: 1 precedence of all this sort of establish-! - ments in the place. Let it be tried, and )'we answer for its success. We will do' four best to make known its name, loeali t ty and merits. Editor. s For the Washingtonian. S e Messrs. Editors —-In an adjoining state s there were too criminals in the same jail, P under sentence of death, for the crime 3 of murder. Just before the execution of . one of them, a conversation took place J between them, in which the drunkard’s ,| destiny is sometimes shadowed forth. ,j “If I had never drank whiskey, 1 j| would have been a sober and respectable jjman; but now lam to be hanged, be cause it was the cause of making me kill t ja fellow-creature.” “Ah!” said the j! other criminal, (whose execution was near } at hand,) to his fellow prisoner, “I tell Jyou, if it had not been for whiskey, nei- I ther of us would now be here.” Well, whiskey was the cause of this! | man’s death, and it may be the cause of | the death of the other, as it is more than | probable from the circumstances, that hc> j too must hang. Thus has whiskey caused | j the loss of four citizens to the State—all j leaving families to weep over their deso- i lation. Does not the question seem an swered, when asked, what caused this ' killing and hanging and their consequen ces, if we reply that it was drunkenness I and from that sprang all else ? Take the i criminals confession for an answer—it is < the same. A. I COMMUNICATED. I Messrs. Editors: —lt must be a high ly consolatory reflection to the mind of * the philanthropist, when he contrasts the ‘ present condition of general society with * that a few years back, and perceives the 1 important and superior benefits that have * been conferred on his country by means 1 of his exertions, and through his persever- 1 anceand instrumentality. The prospect Jr r 1 is one of pure and unspeakable pleasure, and on which the patriot and lover of ; country can continue to gaze with in- ‘ creased admiration and joy—which does 1 not become insipid and monotonous by j j the frequency with which it is viewed, but on the contrary, acquires fresh bril-! liancy and fairer charms at every repeti tion. Oh ! what great motives are here presented to induce him to redouble his . • . L energies in consummating the great work of Reformation he has so opportunely and courageously begun, and which j promises such rich rewards of prosperity j and happiness to his fellow men, and such ' lasting Glory and unfading reputation to j his own name! In political contentions and revolutions, men oftentimes espouse . doctrines of policy and government, with out knowing to what consequences their j actions may lead them or what result | they may produce. They follow blindly i the leaders of the party under whose ban ners they are enlisted, and they too often , disregard wholesome admonition, and the! dictates of sound reason and discernment, t and pursue a course of unadvisedness and r indiscretion, which plunges both them-; selves and their followers headlong into j the labyrinth of misfortune and even to-; j tal destruction. <e The Temperance Reform which so t greatly agitates the public mind at pre- sent, and which is reaching and widening with such astonishing rapidity through out the length and breadth of the whole I civilized world, presents no dangers, no difficulties to those who would become I the assertors and defenders of its princi-; pies. It is a Reformation in which the I Agency of Divine Providence is distinct- f ly to be seen, and in which every indi-ji vidual, no matter how distinguished byjr title, opulence or political eminence, may t engage, without hazarding a loss in eith- i er reputation, fortune, or the good opin- s ions of others. The advocate of Tem perance may buckle on his armor, and go < forward combating in defence of his prin- ] ciples, resting assured that he battles in c support of a just and holy cause, and one 1 that coincides with the Divine approbate tion perfectly. He need not fear the!< scoffs and ridicule of the dissolute and t i ■ irreligious; and the good and wise will •mot fail properly to esteem him and ap-! • | predate his efforts in so glorious and ex- j s alted a cause. He has, also, the greatest! l and most urgent inducements to impel! t him on to action, even the salvation of sjhis fellow mortals from the whirlpool -’ of drunkenness, and the jaws of a fiery I iand yawning hell! >| In concluding this communication, al-i • low me to say a few words to my Wash-! i'mgtonian brethren of the State of Geor igia. Friends! Take renewed courage from the successes with which God has ‘ been pleased to crown jour efforts al ready. Suffer not vour exertions to * ' grow feeble and languid in a work of so great importance to mankind, in which! their happiness is involved in present! 'jlifeand in eternity. Go forward with | alacrity and a vigorous determination to complete the work committed to your hands, earnestly invoking the aid, pro tection, guidance and meditation of the ;great Jehovah of the Universe, and vic tory, complete victory, will ere long crown your labors, and perch upon vour stand ard. W. A. L. Rock Mills, S. C., Oct. 9/A, 1843. For the Washingtonian. To Young Ladies ! By reference to the annexed correspon dence, you will learn the danger that may i be hazarded by those who fearlessly la-1 jbour to save you from the degradation and ruin of marriages with rum-drinkers. You are permitted to see the front of a correspondence of this kind, not to excite your fears and sympathies for your friend ly servant, who is in no danger, but to show you what pains are taken to conceaii the truth from you until the nefarious pur poses of these bottle heroes are accoin-1 piished. Yes, they would even hide their vices by the commission of the most enormous' crimes. For once they have, to use a, homely phrase, “barked up the wrong;! tree,” —a Washingtonian panoplied with 1 truth and benevolence, fears their threats; 1 as little as he respects their debased char-! actcrs. Your friend has had to do with these bloated Hectors before, and he can as- 1 sure you and the world, that their rum courage is perfectly harmless, except to ' the weak, the defenceless, and the timid. ' A regiment of them could be chased from 1 the field of battle with one of your bod- ; kins. And would you trust your protec- ( tion and safety to the keeping of such creatures as these ? Creatures who drink 1 I i rum to give them the pluck, denied thorn both by nature and want of high moral 1 principle ; and who, even under the influ-! ence of rum, can never rise to higher ex-;* hibitionsof eourage than blustering to- 1 wards men when at a distance from them, ! 1 and brutal violence and cruelty to help less women and children ! I would not write mvself vour if I felt any fear of a legion of these pu ny rum-bubbles, or supposed you could ‘ know and love them. Obed. ! ( !’ CORRESPONDENCE. Augusta, October 13/A, 1843. Mr " I Sir—Being told that I was referred 1 to under the name of A. in the commu- 1 nication of Obed, in the last Washingto- 1 nian, and having therefore, given myself ( the trouble to trace its authorship to you, 1 I have now to demand a prompt disclaim- 1 er of any allusion to me, or on failure of 1 this, instant satisfaction for a most un- 1 provoked and injurious slander. Yours, ‘ dec. ___ , REPLY. | Augusta, 13/A October, 1843. I Mr. f Sir—ln reply to your note of this date, ( I acknowledge the authorship of “Obed,” i but decline responding to your demands < until explicitly informed of the name and j motive of your informant. I choose, nei- < ther to be questioned on the authority of < irresponsible persons, nor to be held re- | sponsible, for the deeds of others. 1 Your informant either knew or suppos- I ed an adaptation of your head to the cap I I manufactured, or he would not have i dared to hint the possibility of a fit! If he erred, to him you must apply for a dis- 1 claimer or satislaction. If he did not i err—then with all my heart I say, wear i the cap in welcome, until abstinence from t 1 rum shall so reduce your head that it wil] not fills its enormous dimensions. Fur. I ther, if he did not err, there was no slan. : der, if you were meant; and as to the in. I jury, you will remove it more effectually by sobriety than bv murder. Yours, &c l —— : r ’ I For the Washingtonian. Tlie Patience of Americans. ■ Messrs. Editors —Some gentlemen tra- | • veiling through the rich forests of our j country, came to a beautiful site for a ci. ] - ,ty on a navigable stream, in one of the j ! jStates already rapidly settling up. At once struck with its elligibility for a place ' of trade, they immediately made arrange. | 1 ments for its purchase and settlement. I It was yet in the wilderness state, but en. I ergy, industry and patience, in a few I years, converted it into a very flourishing I town. j The original proprietors had quadru. I pled their wealth, and together with bun-1 dreds of others, were engaged in a lucra-1 ; five and rapidly increasing business. All I was industry, frugality, sobriety and con. I | tentedncss ; and consequently no people could be more prosperous and happy—no 1 place could be more steadily growing in. t to high importance. The moral condition of this popula tion was also extremely gratifying. The old were honest; the young, modest, re spectfu), industrious ; the servants, trus. j ty and obedient. The proud satisfaction ' of parents could be seen in their benig. nant smiles; the happiness of the young, in ruddy fiices, and joyous eyes ; the con- j tentment of servants, in bouyant spirits I and laughing loquacity. All too, showed I jrespect for religion find the house of God. IXever perhaps, since the fall of man, had J the Philanthropist a more lovely picture Ito contemplate. Rut the serpent found his way into this Eden also ! When this thriving place had been I ireared into a goodly city by virtue and I |industry, a set of men found their wav I I into it, who opened showy confcctionn- j jries—only to please the children, make j I weddings and parties more .agreeable, to j furnish wine for tiie sick, and bitters for sick stomachs. At first they assumed much modesty, and professed great pub- j lie spirit and patriotism. The good and unsuspicious citizens were deceived, and even flattered themselves that they had made an acquisition of great value. Too j soon, too fatally soon, were l bey unde ceived. In a short time, it was discovered that the servants were neither so healthy, con tented, nor so trusty as formerly, that they could not he kept at home, and that they committed such frequent depreda tions upon the property of the citizens at night, as to render it indispensable to es tablish a guard at great expense. The children too, were soon seduced from the wholesome instructions of their parents and the ministers of religion. They too, were out at night, absent from church on Lords day, inattentive to school duties and to business, and too soon, irre verent, vicious, profane. Labourers, clerks, artizans, were not so faithful, punctual and honest as in the halcyon days of perfect sobriety. The merchants began to find that although they sold at fair profits, their business did not yield as before, from deficits in amount of stock on hand. The lot holders could no longer sell for cash All the cash went to the confectionaries, now begin ning to be known as groggeries, dogger ies, or helis. The credit system was the order of the day for all else but rum ! The mass of the population became sickly, and having become too poor to pay for medicines and food, hospitals had to be erected and maintained at vast expense for their accommodation. The frequent occurrence of thefts, housebreaking, quar rels, fights and murders, demanded the establishment of Courts, the building of guard houses and jails, the appointment of swarms of ministerial officers, and of course the taxes to sustain all these ap pliances of humanity and criminal jus tice became extremely onerous. Besides benevolent societies had to be sustained to prevent starvation in the families of the miserable victims of the groggeries. Property declined in value, business lost the stimulus of rich rewards, and a general stagnation brooded over the de voted city. Oh! how different now was the picture from the time when we first