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THE WA. SH IN GT O NIA N:
AUGUSTA, II, 1843.
Washington Total Mslinencc Pledge .
IFe, 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
Spirltous or Malt Liquors, Wine or Cider.
E^TORIALICO^iTfEE.
Rev. W. T. Brantly, Dr. F. M. Robertson,
“ W. J. Hard, Dr. D. Hook,
“ C. S. Dod, S. T. Chapman, Esq.
“ Geo. F. Piep.cc, James Harper, Esq,
Col. John Mimsora:,
ptp To Diitakt SuMCKiscai.—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 IVashinttunian can therefore
pay for their papers without subjueting themselves or
the publisher to the expense of postage, by handing the
amount to the Post Master, with a request to remit it.
Tbe late Ur. Antony.
Whilst we cherish the names of the
illustrious six whose reformation and ef
forts in a distant city, have imparted
within a few years, such a powerful impe
tus to tho great enuse of Temperance,
we should not be unmindful of those
who were first instrumental in awakening
in our own community a becoming inter
est in the glorious reform. Of this num
ber no man was more active than was
Mu.ton Antony. He was one of the
first in Augusta to affix his name to a
Total Abstinence Pledge. His vigorous
efforts—exerted amidst much opposition
and discouragement—have identified him
with the progress of the cause in our ci
ty. Let every Washingtonian lovO his
memory.
The efforts of Dr. Antony, in conjunc
tion with many others, were first directed
to the formation of a society on princi
ples of partial abstinence—allowing the
use of wine, cider, beer, &c., but prohib
iting the moro ardent spirits. This so
ciety, imperfect as was its pledge, did
much good. It kept many people tem
perato, if not perfectly sober ; it render
ed inebriation more expensive ; it defer
red for several yoars the abyss into which
the tippler would have been moro speedily
plunged by stronger draughts; it brought
whiskey, brandy, rum, and that class of
beverages into a disrepute which they
had not previously suffered. But like its
pledge, the society was but partially be
neficial. It soon bccarno apparent that
the difficulty was not met. A man could
be a member in good standing of this or
ganization, and yet bo intoxicated every
day. Under these circumstances a num
ber of persons, with Antony at their head,
came out and said, Wo must have a so
ciety, whose principles shall bo entire
abstinence from all that intoxicates.—
The suggestion excited great opposition.
None were more hostile than many mem
bers of the society then in existence.
These made the most woful predictions—
declared that the new lights were pushing
their doctrines to a most unreasonable ul
traism—that their measures u’ould prove
most disastrous to the cause. But Anto
ny was not to be deterred by the croak
ing of tho wine bibbers. He went for
ward with his friends and organized the
society which has continued to flourish
up to tho present period. The good
which was thus accomplished no lan
guage can describe. The germ which
lie grafted upon the old stock, changed
entirely the character of the fruit. We
have already reaped from it a rich har
vest. So abundant has it proved that all
cannot be gathered in time — eternity will
be laden with its precious fruits.
Among other monuments of Dr. An
tony’s usefulness is the Medical College
of Georgia, located in this city—(now
in the most prosperous condition) of which
he was the founder.—Of the many loved
ones who were swept into the grave by
the unsparing scourge of 1839, no one
was more truly lamented—none whose
loss was so deeply felt as his. The tear
which now moistens many an eye at the
recital of his name evinces how deeply
he had planted himself in the best affec
tions of the heart. Well has it been
written upon his tombstone, “exegit man
umementum perennius tkre" —for his char
acter is engraven upon hearts-whiciggiiil
cherish it when the enduring
| been consigned to oblivion. In strict
I truth can we say of him—he was the “in
jtelligent and good Physician the en
terprising citizen, the warm-hearted pa
triot, the indefatigable philanthropist
" and the devout Christian. Beloved An
tony, thou art gone to thy reward !
J „ What we bavedoue.
Some of our friends are complaining
s of dull times in the Temperance cause.
! i We fear there is too much ground for the
j complaint. But a few evince any solici
, tude for the progress of the great refor
. motion—many are lukewarm ; whilst the
r love of many more has waxed cold. But
still it is gratifying at such a time, to re
view the work already accomplished—
he illustrious victories already achieved.
. As the tradesman, when his business is
- depressed and declining, derives no little
\ satisfaction from counting those gains
* which are the result of his former suc
' cess—so may we now be encouraged by
s a review of the past. What then have
wc do ~
"'"IT As to numbers—We have succeed
; ed, within a little more than two years,
' in adding to our list, at least one thousand.
* persons, who have pledged themselves to
’ the principles of total abstinence. Among
’ these may be found every Protestant
! member of the clerical profession in our
> city, with one, and but one exception;—
almost every gentleman of the medical
profession ; a large number of our most
1 respectable and influential merchants—
together with hundreds of our citizens.
Now, if we can do nothing more, it is
1 cheering to contemplate such a triumph.
We can point to what we have done and
feel that wc have not labored in vain.
True, we have to regret that some of our
1 pledge people have gone back to their
wallowing—but a goodly number con
tinue true and faithful.
2. We have given a more healthy tone
to public opinion—The time has been,
when a man might drink largely and
regularly, and be thought none the less
of; he might be known to be a frequenter
* of dram-shops, and suffer no loss of
' respectability. But we think that such
is not the caso at the present time. He
who now persists in pressing to his lips
the intoxicating bowl, is looked upon with
distrust. There aro many worthy citi
zens, in whose estimation a man’s repu
tation is impaired, when he is seen even
occasionally issuing from a place where
destructive poison is vended “in quanti
ties to suit purchasers.” “It requires
some courage to be seen drunk in our
streets, now,” said one recently, who was
not a Washingtonian; “ for,” continued
he, “a man in such circumstances is no
ticed and remembered, when, a few years
ago, his conduct would be overlooked or
soon forgotten.” We are anxious to see
the day when an enlightened public
' opinion will deem abstinence from in
toxicating beverages, as essential to re
spectability ; when tipplers, and gamblers,
and profligates, of every species, will be I
held in that ignominy which so properly
1 belongs to them.
3. Sundry, places where the article
was sold, haflkbccti closed—The number
of retailers W|now very little more than
half as great as it was a few years ago.
Our efforts have diminished the demand
—hence the diminution of the supply.
More than one customer, who was good
“ for from fifty cents to a dollar a day,”
is now a pledged man, and spends not
one cent for that which formerly cost him
hundreds of dollars per annum.
But though we have done something,
let us bear in mind that much yet re
mains undone. Multitudes are still en
slaved by Alcohol, and daily travelling to
ruin. The poison is still sold in large
quantities—the burning liquor is still
poured down many throats—producing
the most direful maladies of body, and
and hastening their moral overthrow.
We have conquered some distances; but
“there remaxneth yet very much land to
be possessed.” Washingtonians! let not
our swords be sheathed until the last ves
tige of the Monster shall have been ex
terminated.
(Hr The Editorial Committee of the
Washingtonian, laboring for the pro-
J.jjipgßg-J.L L'.C"gg
motion of Temperance, without any pe
cuniary reward whatever, fear no mis
i | apprehension from their readers, when
(ffhey earnestly and repeatedly urge them
to procure more and more “paying”
.:subscribers for the work. The Publisher
. has not wealth enough to sustain it at his
. own expense, and its present list is not
t sufficiently numerous to meet the ex
. pense. The necessity of the case, there
fore, demands that additional efforts be
made to increase the number of subscri
bers. We would suggest the following
’ course : Let every patron of the paper
procure at least one additional subscri
ber ; and where this cannot be done, and
his means will authorise it, let him order
a second paper himself, for gratuitous dis
tribution. In so solemnly important an
enterprise as the promotion of temper
ance among our fellow men, no pains
should be spared, no sacrifice avoided,
that would advance the heavenly work.
Double the number of our present sub
scribers—and the Washingtonian will
be sustained.
XVho is the sober man t
Twenty years ago, for a man to be
galled sober, it was only necessary that
dm should not be a drunkard. He who
could walk tolerably straight in the streets
—who preserved sufficient ballast to keep
him from the mire—though he might be
daily using large potations of alcohol;
was nevertheless classed with sober peo
ple. Such a general favorite was the
destructive beverage, that a man might
drink it freely in public and in private
without having his claim to sobriety at
all impaired. Now, however, it is not
so. We call no man sober who holds
any intercourse with the burning cup.—
Temperance researches have ascertained
that if it requires, in any given case, six
glasses of spirits to produce intoxication,
he who takes one glass, is one-sixth in
toxicated—and if one-sixth intoxicated,
he is not a sober man. Those gentle
men who insist upon reserving to them
selves the moderate use of wine—though
the idea of inebriation be very abhorrent
j from their principles, are nevertheless de
viating from sobriety, and inclining to
drunkenness at every draught which they
• press to their lips. When they rise from
their dinner tables, charged with their
customary allowance of Sherry and of
Madeira, or something stronger —their
clouded reason, and languid air, and dull
step,demonstrate that though they have
discernment enough left to understand
what they are about, yet they have seri
ously impaired their claims to sobriety.
If you would be esteemed a sober man
by enlightened opinion, you must be a to
tal abstinence man.
Few—if not far between.
Such of late has been the attendanoe
upon our Temperance meetings. It is
sad to contrast the crowded and anima
ted meetings which were held a few
months ago, with the mere handfulls who
are now present upon these occasions.—
Out of the thirteen hundred names upon
our pledge list, scarcely one hundred
could be found at our Anniversary meet
ing. Friends of Temperance ! Wash
ingtonians! where are you? Has the
enemy grown so powerful that you have
become afraid to show your colors ? have
you been frightened into some retreat ?
or have you grown weary in well doing ?
Pray show your faces at our next meet
ing.
If sufficient inducement could be held
out, there would be no difficulty in se
curing an audience. In our sister city,
Charleston, the cause goes on nobly.—
Their meetings are well sustained through
out the year. In their beautiful hall,
where they assemble, our friends have
placed an excellent piano. This is play
ed by some member of the society when
they meet, whilst others sing spirited
songs, in praise of cold water. Many
w-ho go there merely to listen to the mu
sic, are so much fascinated that they
are induced to sign the pledge. The el
oquent singing has perhaps done more
for the cause in that city, than the elo
quent speaking. Why may we not try
the experiment? If we fail, we could
not be much worse off than we are already.
A correspondent who dates from Oak
Grove, N. C., write as follows:
“We have quite a respectable society
in my immediate vicinity numbering o
- ver 200 members in good standing.— 1
. There is a class of professing Christian.
1 who do our cause as much injury, or in
fact more, than any one else ; they con
, tend that ardent spirits is the good crea
ture of God, and that it is the abuse of
r the article and not the use of it that does;
s the injury, that they consider the Bible!
t Pledge as all sufficient. We have evenj
been told by some of our most popular Di
vines, that religious persons should not
* mingle with irreligious temperance folks ;
e that their breaths are even contaminating
- —whenever we are able to surmount
y such mushroom prejudices, we then anti
r cipate a speedy go-ahead of our cause.
We would be glad if you would assist us in
* your worthy little paper to overcome the
existing objections in this place. lam
r the Recording Secretary of one society,
.|and I am happy to inform you that our
, cause is progressing as well as could be
| expected, taking the opposition it meets
| with into consideration.
5 I have the honor to subscribe myself
» sir, your obd’t. serv’t. B. S. K.
. Oct. 15, 1843. ' .
Our correspondent desires us to assist
1 him in repelling the arguments with
which our cause is assailed. If they be 1
no stronger than those which he has men
, tioned, we should think him fully compe
t tent to their refutation, without the assist
, ance of any one. He might remind 1
s those who are so holy that they cannot
i consent to co-operate with sinners in I
. any work of hencvolence—that there is i
; such a thing as a man’s being overmuch
. righteous—and having a zeal for the i
> truth not according to knowledge. It was I
! the same pharisaical spirit exhibited in the <
i objection above named, which some 1800 1
t years ago condemned a man because he |
t was the friend of sinners. Let not these 1
i people try to be better than their Master. !
* He will be quite satisfied with them, if
I they come up to the example which he I
: has set them. # They are not required to
, surpass the model. Besides, we should 1
■ like to know how these men, who are so i
, pious that they cannot unite with others '
* in any good work, can unite with sinners I
* in carrying political points? how can
i they unite with them in enacting and ad
t ministering the same laws? If they can
. co-operate in political measures, they
> might afford to do so in schemes of the
r purest philanthropy.
i As to the objection that church-metn
r bership is a pledge so strong ns to su- 1
fj persede the necessity for any other, we 1
rj have frequently heard this urged. It has
1 generally come from professing persons
1 with whom a glass of wine, or something
1 stronger, now and then, did not come
. amiss, and who did not like to have their
, indulgences interfered with. But a mo
i ment’s reflection will, we think, convince
. every unbiased person that this objection
carries no force. The pledge imposed by
church membership, commenced its exis
tence with the church itself. It has been i
in operation for centuries. But it was!
5 not found sufficient to arrest the evil.;
' This pledge reached but a small class of!
'of the community. It could be binding 5
* upon none but professing Christians.—j
" Men would drink—wine would be fash-|
1 ionable—and ardent spirits would be in
repute, notwithstanding the pledge. It
' was by enlisting a large number in the
' cause, by submitting a pledge which ev
; cry man who chose, could take, that such
: wonderful success has been achieved.;
! Why should the Christian reject the ben
efit of this pledge? He may contend
' that his virtue is already protected by his|
pious vows. But can he have too many;
guards for this virtue ? Exposed as he
I• . *
is to temptation on the right hand and on
' the left, can he hedge himself in too se
’ curely against the assaults of the enemy?
" Do not be afraid, brethren, to join us.
We have heard of church members who
’ have been tempted by strong drink to
: commit crimes which have sent them to
' the penitentiary—but we never knew
1 any man’s piety injured by connecting
* himself with a society which forbid the
use of all intoxicating liquors.
For the Washingtonian.
Messrs. Editors —l was somewhat sur
-5 prised, in attending the Anniversary
' Meeting of the Washingtonian Society
of this city, on Monday evening 30th ult.
to find a general want of preparation suita
’ ble to such an occasion, every thing seem
t ing to be in confusion, indicating a want
of previous concert jy|d arrangement.
r And I doubt not but rSrnyNvho attended
- were induced to do so, from anticipations,
•I of hearing an address appropriate to the
Anniversary celebration, with a report
showing the increase of members for the
past year, the present state of the §ocie.
' ty, with its future prospects, usefulness,
i &c. But they were like myself, doomed
to disappointment—there was no regular
address on the subject; though there were
some short and appropriate remarks made
by several gentlemen, as to the absence of
enthusiasm in the cause, which should at
all times prevail, which apparently they
were reluctantly induced unexpectedly
to make, to relieve the audience from
what otherwise would have had more the
semblance of a Quaker meeting, than
the anniversary celebration of a large
and popular Society. It is true the Pre.
sident elect, of the Society, did, on ta
iking the Chair, deliver a very excellent
jand appropriate address, returning thanks
| for the honor conferred on him, by being
jcalled to preside over so large and res
| pectable a body, associated together for
such important objects, expressing his dif.
fidence in assuming the responsible du
ties devolving on him, but at the same
time pledging his unceasing efforts in
promoting the triumph of the principles
for which the society is organized.
It is with no censorious view that I
have thus alluded to the late anniversa
ry celebration, on the contrary it is only
with the object of suggesting to the offi
leers of the society, that in future, it might
| be well, previous to each meeting, to have
'engaged, a Speaker, or Speakers, for the
; occasion, on whom reliance might be
[placed, thereby insuring to the audience
| entertainment and edification, and re
lieving the meetings from that cold, life
less tedium which at some times has un
happily prevailed.
In a society so numerous, embracing
Iso much talent, such calls occasionally on
individual members would not be viewed
onerous, when the burthen may be shared
between so many.
A Look Kit o>.
For the Washingtonian.
The Home Industry Society!
Messrs. Editors: —As whatever pro
motes contentment and self-respect a
mong men, promotes temperance to the
same extent, I trust you will cheerfully
[admit me into your columns as the ad
vocate of the Home Industry Society of
j Augusta which is successfully labouring
to effect these great objects.
The annual meeting of this Society"
took place last Monday night, and I was
much gratified to hear in the course of
the evening, that it had dispensed to the
poor, industrious women of Augusta, moie
than seventy five per cent, profits upon its
capital during the year! This Speaks
[well for our city, and for this noble insti
tution. Facts were also stated which
show that even much more could be done
if the Society had the means of purcha
sing its stocks at first cost. When this
can be done, the industry of Augusta
may be expected to compete with the in
dustry of other cities, and that its pro
ducts will find a market at home; but un
til then, it experiences serious and retard
ing difficulties in finding sale for their
products.
The Society is incorporated, and being
privileged to extend its benefits in every
direction—to males as well as females,
and to artizans of every craft, as well as
to those of the needle, I can not see why
it should not be made a lever to lift Au
gusta into high importance and useful
ness. It is by a similar kind of industry
that other cities grow and prosper.—
London, Paris, New-York and Boston,
have grown to their present importance,
and continue still to grow, because their
people work —work—work, and that for
the whole world. If they stop work,
they die. Towns must manufacture the
articles needed by the country or perish.
And now our population is brought to that
point, that it must work, remove, or be
sustained by the rich; and if those who
have to bear the burden in the last case,
or suffer by the depopulation of the city,
will reflect but for a moment, they will
, see that the expense of sustaining an un
. employed population,or the loss sustained
. by its removal, will vastly exceed the
t outlay necessary to put them at work,
, and thus make them producers of wealth
1’ But why should there be any expense
i, at all in encouraging industry ? Why is