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/- /Ht/Ab ’r/i* v '*v , ILpr | 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