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THE WASHING TON [AN: AUGUSTA, NOV£NBEHI, 1843. Washington Total MoUnenre Pledge. We, whose name* ore hereuntoantlered, 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, ito pledge ourselves as Gentlemen, not to drink any Spiritous or Malt Liquors, Wine or Cider. EDITORIAL COMMITTEE. Rev. W. T. Bkasti.y, Dr. I' 1 . M. Robertson, “ VV J. Hard, Dr. D. Houk, “ C. S. Don, B. T Chapman, Esq. “ Geo. P. Pi ruck, Jambs Harper, Esq. Col. John Micueixie, (5(7* To Dot amt Subackihkka.—Post Mostcrsare nu thoiiaod hy law to remit money to the publishers of newspapers and periodicals, in payment of sutiscrip tions. Subscribers to the IVsshini’tonian can therefore pay for their papers without subjecting themselves or the publisher to the expense of postage, by handing the amount to the Post Master, with a request to remit it. OCT Several communications on file, deferred until our next. The Convention. Our Society, on the evening of its an niversary, passed a resolution authorizing the President to appoint Delegates to the Temperance Convention, to he held in Eatonton, on Thursday, the 24th of this month. Wc say, without any hesitation, that of all the Conventions that have ever 1 been held in this Slate, this one is hy 1 far the most important and interesting of them all—no matter under whatever name the others may have been assembled i —Carry out the object anif design of this * Convention, and you place your neigh- i bor in a situation where he can be of ■ more benefit to himself and family, in a < pecuniary point of view, than all the Merchants Conventions that can meet in < thc.South, with their great men, long < speeches, fine dinners ami “silver cup.” < And yet this matter was blown into u t bubble of such monstrous size, the wonder 1 is, that when it did burst, the shipping in i our ports received so little damage, from such a sudden explosion of so much 1 wind. 1 Carry out the object and design of this i Convention, and you far better qualify the citizen to honor anti defend the laws of the country, than all the political con- I vcntionS t hut ever met at our capital— i you make him a lover of pence and order —a patriot, whose end and aim is not Belli’ or office, but whose solo motive is duty in I the sight of God. And yet a political party < will herald the intention of a meeting, from the mountain to the sea shore, untili excitement is aroused, and until it succeeds! I in pressing talent and influence into the! service. They meet, a few are honored,j| they discuss, adjourn, and return home it to toll what has been done for the people, ( with the determination to keep the body politic in a ferment, until they accom plish that which they hud resolved to do. The meanwhile, the substance of the country is foolishly squandered—law and authority daringly violated—crime and| vice stalk brazeu-l'aeed through the land, and walk rough-shod over innocence and 1 1 virtue —and no effort is made to dry the j orphan’s tears —to restore peace to the I heart of the distracted widow, and save t from ruin and disgrace her sons, the t “jewels” of the State. Carry out the object and design of this Convention, anil you do more to advance > the cause of morality and to apply its i blessings, than the assemblage of any sect j could possibly do. What avails the be- j nevolent resolutions, and other eiiorls to] evangaiize men, if when the preacher comes among the people, he finds them! stupified by liquor, and their passions aroused by the spirit of this demon?— How can the servant of God expect his labor to be blessed, when man who alone bears the image of his Maker, and in whom alone of all creatures, immortality dwells—has become more debased and grovelling than the brutes that live by in stinct, then perish and are no more. In vain may he proclaim his message of awful denunciation —it is an empty sound —the heart has become too dead anif [callous to feel, and the mind too obtuse to understand its origin or its eternal des j tiny. Have we not sustained our position, 11 hat this Convention which is about to meet in Eatonton, is calculated to do more good to individuals and the Slate, [in respect, than any previously heIfMPS think we have, and would in - view of what we have said, urge the so : cieties throughout the State, to appoint delegates to attend that Convention — appoint your most devoted, determined and influential members. Hear of no s excuse to prevent them going—compel , them, hy the responsibility that rests up- I on every lover of his species, to go up to , the work—to arise and do good. The influence and effect of such a Conven i lion, assembled for such a glorious and philanthropic purpose, and composed of members who are willing to sacrifice time and personal case to accomplish its end, must and will be felt throughout the length and laud. f {fo" Meeting of the i Washington Total Abstinence Socie ty of Richmond County, was held in the Methodist Church, on Monday evening last. The meeting being organized, the ex ercises were commenced with prayer by Dr. Hook. The Minutes of the previous Meeting were then read and approved. The report of a Committee appointed (hy the late President) to nominate sui table officers to manage the business of the Society for the ensuing year, was then presented, read by the Secretary and unanimously adopted by the Society. KKPOKT OF TIIK COMMITTEE. The Committee appointed at the last meeting of the Washingtonian Total Ab stinence Society to nominate Officers to manage its business the ensuing year, re spectfully ask leave to oiler for its consi deration, the following suggestions: For the purpose of relieving the office of Secretary from a portion of the ardu ous duties at present attached to it, we re commend the election of a Treasurer, and the separation from the office of Se cretary such duties as usually appertain to the one we propose to create. Relieving that a smaller number of offi cers will Ik: sufficient to control the affairs of the Society with greater cfliciency, wej recommend that the number of Vice I‘re sidents be reduced to three ; and that the Hoard of Managers consist of seven mem-1 hers—five forming a quorum for the transaction of business. Should it ho the willol‘ the Society to; jndopt these suggestions, wc propose the! following named gentlemen as officers for the ensuing year: For President —Dr. F. M. Robertson. For Vice-Presidents —Dr. Dan’l IlnokJ Rev. W. J. Hard,and Mr. Hawkinsllutf. For Managers. —Messrs. James Har-i per, John G. Dunlap, John Miilcdge, Rev.: Charles S. Dud, E. E. Scofield, James (todby, War. O. Eve. For Secretary, Mr. Win. Haines, jr. For Treasurer , Mr. Jesse Walton. All of which is respectfully submitted. W. F. Phmuekton, Chair’n. On motion of Mr. Chapman, it was Resolved, That a Committee of live he appointed to attend on and represent ! at the State Temperance Convention to he held at Eatonton on the 23d instant, and that said Committee be empowered to fill any vacancies occurring therein. On motion of James Harper, Resolved, That the thanks of this So ciety he tendered to Dr. Joseph A. Eve, (late President of the Society) for hisa-j j hie, indefatigable, and zealous efforts in j behalf of the cause of Temperance, du-' ] ring the whole period of his connection ! with this Society. On motion of Col. Miilcdge, Resolved, That a Committee of four jbe appointed for the purpose of procuring {additional Subscribers to the “Augusta Washingtonian.” On motion of Mr. Pemberton, Resolved, That the warmest thanks of this Society are hereby tendered to the Committee of gentlemen appointed to conduct the editorial department of the “Augusta Washingtonian” for the very jable and zealous manner in which they jiiave discharged the duties assigned them. i Their valuable efforts in behalf of the - cause of Temperance, richly merit the ; approbation of all its friends, especially . those of this community. > The meeting was then entertained for j'a short time, with some appropriate re -marks by Rev. Mr. Hard, when the pledge |r was circulated for signatures, and six i members were obtained—the meeting ad -journed. t In conformity with the resolution of - Col. Milledge, the President has appoint -1 ed the following gentlemen to compose » the Committee: 1. Ward No. 1, James Godby ; Ward - No. 2, John G. Dunlap; Ward No. 3, > John Milledge; Ward No. 4, Jesse Wal - ton. The following are the delegates, ap -1 pointed by the President to represent this 1 Society at the State Convention : 3 8. T. Chapman, James S. Hook, L. * D. Lalfersledt, Hawkins Huff, G. A. In -3 graham. Wxi. llainks, Jr. Secretary. For the Washingtonian. . Messrs. Editors —ln vain may we look r for that prosperity which is the birthright of the American people, while so many causes exist that embarrass that spirit of ,j enterprise which is its foundation and; perpetuity. These causes lie mostly be-; r jyond the reach of Legislative action, andj lean only be a fleeted by a steady reform | I j in the habits and morals of the people. It was designed by the author of our - being, that we should obtain the means ( of sustenance by labour, and lie has so I arranged our physical and mental organ ization, that it is necessary' not only to success, but also to health and comfort, for us to exercise them constantly and even vigorously. Yet there arc many who violate this design of providence, ’ even while its fatal effects are exhibited in the history of others, and manifested in their own experiences ; they are con tent to subsist on the bequest of their par ents, and remain mere drones—living or ' dying benefit the country little. Some still less favored—destitute of all manly ’ feelings, obtain support by spunging on ' the benevolence of others, and when do -1 prived of this, resort to any means how ever unfair, to maintain them in their in ' dolence. Some a little more enterprising, , ’| seek the professions fondly hoping to es cape the necessity of labour—l admire I that noble and generous ambition that an- ( limates the child of genius however oh- ( scare, and urges him on to fame auddis-n tinetion ; but l envy not the feeiings that: | govern those who have not the talents to j, '!become proficient in a profession; nor : the energy to call into exercise those en dowmentsof nature that promise and in- j 'sure success—of these there are many; in the country. A knowledge of the l , learned professions is desirable and He- ! cessary for the proper cultivation of the! mind, and giving scope to those ettiigh- | toned views that facilitate every branch! of improvement; but a dependence on them by so many for support is an injury to the professions and a burthen on the country. Many of these arc mere pro- | fessional loafers—having no heart to stu dy—lounging about each others offices, and sighing over the gloominess of their prospects —expecting little else than to) gather the scattering crumbs, left by their superiors, that fall from the misfortunes' l of others. And others are ever agitating! the peoplo with political excitement, by impressing them with the belief, that ru in threatens the country, and must ine vitably sweep over it, unless they be hois ted into power, and given the reigns of > government, while their patriotism if ! prompted more by their relish lor the ' loaves and fishes, than any presaging j ■ clouds of disaster that lower within the 1! range of their prophetic ken. All ofthese being the indirect effects of intemper ance —and deriving their nourishment r from it, must lie supported by those that r labour. i Why, wonder we, that the country is jburthened, and her ponderous wheels move so slowly on ! and that bankruptcy (land violated faith spread their baneful -influences through every department of )!trade, commerce, and government; while, • Itliese hang like a mighty incubus and , : bind and fetter her aspiring spirit. Not-I all these weights and hin .jdrauccs, she has frequently, by the fertili-j - —-- • ty of her soil, and the salubrity of her cli : | mate, upheavedthe burthens that impe ded her progress, andshaken off the con -1 vulsions that deranged her organization; rjand has for many years with all these in .'cumbrances moved on to take the stand nature designed for her, far above anv i nation history records, or at the present - time figures on the theatre of action. But this progress must be slo\V when compar [' ed to what it might be if intemperance . with all its consequent evils, were banish :ed from the country. The distiller and vender would then be profitably employ ! ed—the enactment and enforcement of , so many laws and so many long and tedi . ous litigations would be foregone—disease and death, and especially hereditary dis . eases that entail the corruption of their ; taint and the poison of their sting, on generation after generation, would be greatly stayed—ignorance and supersti tion, and every thing else that exerts a deleterious influence and are now depend ent on the laborer for support, would be annihilated. The vast amount of bread stuffs now distilled—the energies now prostrated—i the mind enfeebled—and in a word, eve-i rything valuable would Ik; saved. Were! . this the case, and a moderate and well di-j rooted industry employed in every depart-j j merit, what a wonderful result might not! {soon be accomplished? Education would {spread its genial influence among all j j classes—the light of science and litera ture would dawn on many minds lone be (lighted—the truths of the Gospel would] speed on swiftest w ing, and with the pu rity of their doctrines, and the power of their inspiration—kindle the star of Beth lehem, where hope is buried, and instill aj resurrection power in the cold still oar ofj death—and the country redeemed and! regenerated with no beacon but enterprizel —and no goal but success would peer out upon the world’s obscurity like the star of eternity, and experience no change! but the constant expansion of its light < and influence. L. For the Washingtonian. A Sweetened Dram. The Temperance reform, among the many evil practices it has suppressed is; one of great importance. It has put a! stop almost entirely to the practice among our friends in the country —we mean the, female as well as male portion of them —of giving to their children w hat is call ed “« sweetened morning drum.'' This custom was originated because it was be , lieved that it rendered them less suscep tible to attacks, in the fall of the rear to! i *' intermittents, and was said, also, to pre- 1 vent them from being w ormy ! This is. :or was the apology of the older women (for this custom, who, no doubt, were loucc wise and cute in the knowledge of | y e jtbese things—hut the old man of the fa mily, he took his morning dram too, for ;no reason that ho could assign, except habit, and because “a little wuuld’nt hurt anybody.” But the old woman and the old man have learnt better, and instead of buying ardent spirits, more bread and meat and inoro good warm clothes are bought with the money which has been saved in this way, and find intermittents less common in their family, and the chil jdreu not at all wormy! Just So. For the Washingtonian. Os all the multiplied contrivances which mankind have devised or hit upon for corrupting themselves—defacing the image of the Creator upon the mind and perverting the scheme of their creation, and to a great extent, frustrating the pur poses of Deity—it would seem that none would appear more unaccountable from jits common occurrence every day, than the savage and brutal vice of drunken ; ness. That ever drunkenness should become a practice for rational beings to delighi in—to overthrow their reason ; that ever i men, by swallowing a magical and poi soned draught voluntarily and thus sink themselves below the level of the brutes —is an infatuation —a madness—or what ever else it may be, that must appeal wonderfully shocking to all not infected :i with this mania for drink—and humiliat ing to reflect that of all creation—man— I rational man, is the only part of it which | this vice effects. Reflect upon a man’s understanding, -'and he will be quick to resent it—upo : - his virtues he likely will not, andyei - strange to say he continues to indulge in ; ,a habit which observation and experience - teaches him day after day, will sooner or j later dethrone his reason and make him a v perfect idiot. it! Thoughtless persons are likely to look t upon natural fools with great contempt; - then in what light ought we to look upon e one who makes himself a fool of his own - free choice ? What more disgusting— -1 more revolting tothe sight than the drunk. - ard with his legs tottering—his hands f trembling—his lips quivering—his tongue - stammering—his eyes staring—lris face ' bloated and his stomach heaving—whnt -more disgusting than this ? and yet, de-j r ccncy forbids the picture to be faithfully I ‘.sketched and filled out entire. He u • more loathsome than the swine waliowiiv -;in the mire—for in her meanest dress nu rture is always nature : hut the drunkard - is a brute—a monster quite out of na il ture. i And has it come to this, that the only ' rational being on earth, has degraded him. - self below the capacity of reason, or ■ speech! a being created for immortalit ami glory hereafter,-sunk to loathsome. • ness, sensuality and filth ! a being en. ■ jdowed with capacities for becoming a I companion of Angels, and inhabiting the] Ijethcral regions—in a condition unfit to licoine into a clean room among his fellow {creatures —the lord of this world sunk so ; low as even the vilest brutes pass him In j with—contempt for his fallen state ! j Indeed there is no vice w hich so eflec- j tually and so suddenly unhinges and do istroys all the virtues, and eradicates evt - Jry thing valuable in the mind as drunk lenness. It takes off all restraint—opens j the mind to every temptation—it is the moSt expeditious way to corruption and !debauchery and soon turns its votary from a man to a demon : nor is there any vie so bewitching perhaps—nor yet so uneon querable and (iital to those w ho are with in its toils—for there is no voice which so effectually destroys reason. When the faculties of the mind are thus de throned and reason banished—when the unhappy victim is thus entrapped hi tin ientangling meshes of this vice, so as to require as istance and friendly aid to re- I lease himself from it—what course ought {another to take with him, or what ought to bo done by rational beings, or what can they do to set him right ? Those who have taken upon themselves the praise worthy object of reforming the drunkard {have devised means, though inadequate jas they may he in many respects, aiVyc: {perhaps sufficient for many of the case-, 'though hv fur not all. Hut it is not nn \ purpose to speak about the means to re form, hut to those who are yet in the way of being saved by an appeal to their rea son—to the sober thoughts of those vi le indulge more or iess in this vice. To you then who still drink any thing that intoxicates, let me give to all your pretences and excuses a fair and candid examination, and though brief, yet a proof of their fallacy and weakness. Arc you obliged from necessity to keep company ? Very well; but does no; your common sense tell you that nothing could disqualify you more for company than having your tongue tied and your brains stupified with liquor ; you acknow ledge in drinking you do yourself a mis chief and your company no kindness then why drink ? You know that if a man drinks at all he is liable to get drunk, and if he gets drunk once, he w ill be sure to get drunk again—and again—until al most imperceptibly to himself he beconn a drunkard, and is helping to make other so. Besides, if you avail yourself of thi excuse, and it be a good one, then it fel lows, that if you see much company, to I oblige them (to the destruction of your • health, happiness, and means) you must! from courtesy drink much and degrad j yourself and lessen yourself in your own • and the estimation of those whose good ; opinion you prize. Be assured this ex > cuse wont do. Your business and way ■ of life calls you- to taverns and place* where liquor is sold as a beverage ? Very 1 well; but you must either never yet have ■ been drunk yourself or seen another s.> - to imagine that rum in your stomach and i fumes in your head will help' you in driv ing a bargain, for you know that in your , cups, you would be more easily impo-cd