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TIIE WASHINGTONIAN.;
AUGUSTA. SEPT. *l, 1844.
editorial committee.
Rev. W. T. Rrantly, Rev. Geo. F. Pierce, i
* “'W. J. Hard, Dr. D. Hook,
JLj >‘ C. S. Doa, Jameh Harper, Esq.
■~Z7~—.—~. : . .i-. j
■f,:. fjf To Distant Bcb»c*i*e«*.—Post Master! »reau
' thurizcd by law to remit rooitey to the publishers of
newspapers ami ]i*i iodlcalu, in payment of subscrip
tions . Subscriber* to the Washingtonian can therefore
p«y for thei/ pspetf subjecting themselves or
the publisher to tliiTvpeiise of postage, by handing the
amount tothoiV* Master, with a request to remit it.
** ' '
o^rWd s have received a paper with
thequestion upon the margin:
‘|y4va yorfWkd or asleep?'' 1 We know
not whether the question is addressed to
the EfditorsFW the Publisher, nor why it
should I>o addressed to either. Our pa
per has been issued regularly, and distri
buted promptly to the utmost limit of our
subscription. It may not have reached
our quaint, inquisitive friend, however.
Hoping the present No. may reach his
home, wc inform him that we yet live—
nor do we sleep over the great interest
of Temperance. Amid some discourage
ments, we labor on—determined to resist
the violenco of enemies and the indiffer
ence of lukewarm friends, and by the
might of truth, and the blessing of God,
the good cause will yet prevail.
Ilut we have thought it might not be
amiss to address the significant interro
gatory above to the officers of the Au
gusta Society. No meeting for months
past! The enemy awake—traversing
the land, seeking whom he may devour —
besotting voters —corrupting elections—
ensnarin gthe reformed —urging the tem
perate to excess, and riveting the chains
of the drunkard more firmly, and yet no
open combined resistance—no eloquent
remonstrance —no rallying of the friends
of Temperance—not even a voice of
warning lifted, —what means this state of
things ? Officers of the Society, have
ye had “ glory enough ?” Are ye embo
somed in your.well-earned honors—deaf
to the wail of ruin—blind to the desola
tions that are aiound yc? “Are you
dead or asleep?” Answer.
Once More.
We call the attenlion of the Society
(officers and members) to the fact, that
the lime of the Annual Convention is at
hand. On the 21st November the Con
vention meets in Forsyth. Shall ours,
the largest Society in the Stato, be with
out a representation ? True, there is
time enough for the simple appointment
of Delegates; but there should be prelimi
nary exercises. The members must be
stirred up—backsliders reclaimed—new
converts made, and all enlisted actively,
earnestly in the great work of universal
victory. It will never do to report a
diminished list—to tell of declension and
apathy, and retrograde motion—to be
come the abettors of gloom ami discour-
P agement. No, no. Let us make an
effort to add to our numbers—to restore
the fallen—animate the sluggish, and
send up our messenger with glad tidings
to cheer our fellow-laborers, and give
assurance of a courage and a zeal born to
conquer.
Advertising.
As our paper has perhaps about as
large a circulation in the city as any
other sheet, would it not be to the inter
est of our merchants and others to give '
us a portion of their patronage in this
line? Many removals will take place
next month—a great variety of new
goods will be received—school exercises
commenced—boarding houses opened,
&c. &c.—all of which the readers of the
Washingtonian desire to be informed.
Our terms are low, —look at them, consult
your true interest, and act accordingly.
* • ■ -,i. i
“ The Laurel” —A neat little weekly i
quarto, published in Charleston, and de-
voted to the cause of Temperance. We
have received the first No. of vol. l,and .
extend tbe right hand of fellowship to our r
teetotal brother, with a hearty welcome; c
UWMU ——————
and hope that the cold water members, j
and the friends of a good cause, willgive
it that suooort necessarv to its future ex
it
istence. The subscription price issl 50 !
annum. P. C. Tallman, jr. Editor.
Fur tbe Washingtonian.
The Death of De So o.
by Marcus.
“ There was a legend in Spain many years
ago, that in the flowery and fertile vale of Flori
da, there was a stream of crystal water whose
magic effects upon the human system, would
stop the wrinkles of aget, and write unfading
I beauty upon tbe glowing cheek of youth.
“ Ferdinando de Soto left his native land in
search of it, and marching westward he discov
| ered the mighty Mississippi, and found beneath
its waters, at midnight—a grave”—
’Twaa mom upon the water* of broad Mississippi’s
stream—
i Its golden wavelets glided fast beneath tho current
beam;
And on its spacious expanse the giants of the wood, *
Upturn by angry tempests, swiftly sailed along the
fiofd. J (
A soldier with a noble brow, and stern ajjd haughty
mien,
"Was standing on a lofty bank that overlooked the !
stream;
Hi* person showed conspicuous marks of honors gain
cd iu war,
And glittering bright upon his breast there shone a
golden star.
Ilia arms were folded on his breast, and with a thought
ful brow,
He gazed upon the mighty flood that roll’d beneath him
now;
While by his side, his Indian guide looked keenly in
his face.
To see if he the workings of his thoughtful mind could
trace.
Farewell thou lovely vision that once possessed my
mind,
And bade me think within this vale the fount of health
to find—
Whose genial waters once possessed, decay we might
defy—
’Ttvould give to age a youthful bloom—new fire to the
eye.
Farewell thou lovely vision—farewell my native land;
My footsteps ne’er again shall rove by Tagus’ golden
strand:
The hand of death Is on my brow—the cold chill of
decay
Is stealing fast upon my frame, and I must pass away.
O that my life had ebbed away in battle fierce and
strong,
Where banner bright anil battle steed swept gloriously
along;
But now beneath the mountain wave I’ll lay me down
to rest,
And let its golden waters flow forever o'er my brcait.
’Tis midnight on the waters, no moon is in the sky—
Nor twinkling star to shed its light from the blue vault
on high:
The rushing of the miglity stream—the night bird’s
startling shriek,
Was all that broke the silence of the night upon the
deep.
Bowed down in tearful agony upon the soldier’sbier,
A priest is saying for hi* soul an interceding prayer ;
While rouud him stand his choscu band, with hearts
surcharged with grief,
To see the icy chain of death around their noble chief.
The prayers are said, and now they bear the body to
the deep,
“In cold obstruction’s apathy,” beneath the wave to
sleep;
Down, down it sinks, and o’er it sweeps the mighty
mountain stream,
Or monument in other daj s to tell the fairy dream.
Temperance will Triumph.
There can bo no doubt, in the mind of
any intelligent and well-informed mind,
that temperance will ultimately triumph;
that the principle of total abstinence will
be adopted by the majority of mankind ;
and that all, or nearly all, tho evils that
have their origin in the use of intoxica
ting liquors w\ll cease to exist. The
men, who commenced and are now car
rying forward this great reform, which
is so rapidly progressing, and which is
carrying joy to millions of hearts—crea
ting another Eden upon earth—are not
ignorant enthusiasts, blind fanatics, Uto
pian projectors : they were and are, ma
ny of them, men of learning, and wis
dom, and calm deliberation—clear-sight
ed and far-reaching in their views;—
men, too, whom difficulties cannot dis
courage, nor dangers impede, nor perse
cutions intimidate. They saw their fel
low men, all around them, falling vic
tims to the intoxicating cup, they wit
nessed their destitution, their loss of char
acter, their loss of happiness,—and hope
—and Heaven; and, with hearts filled
with benevolence, undertook the mighty
work of reform. They counted well the
cost; they knew that they should meet
with fierce and bitter opposition ; that
their motives would be impuned, their
characters assailed; and that every in
dignity would be heaped upon them, by
those whose craft was in danger, or whose
appetite was curbed. They knew that
the enemy they were about to attack,
was strongly enthroned in the affections
of mankind— a sort of household god;
that an almost impregnable barrier was
raised around him in the habits and usa
ges of society, and that his power could
not be overthrown without a long-con
tinued and sharp-fought battle. But
they knew that God was with them—
that thousands of hearts of the benevo
lent and philanthropic beat in unison
with their own, and they commenced the
work and are now carrying it forward to
a speedy and glorious consumation.—
Triumph, they will. The blood-red flag
of Bacchus, that has so long waved over
the world—from the topmost height of
the stupendous breweries of London and
i the distilleries of continental Europe and
! America, to the subterranean “ hells,” all
■ Over Christendom—will soon be furled,
| and the pure white banner of Temper
ance will float in the breeze, while the
| millions of those redeemed from the curse
i of intemperance, will shout the song of
| triumph, saying, Fallen ! fallen ! fallen !
Intemperance has fallen, to rise no more!
! Eat, before that glorious day shall
, 1 dawn upon the earth, the friends of tem
perance will have much to do. The en
emy with whom we contend is subtle,
| persevering and powerful; and will not
\ surrender without a struggle. Leviathan
iis not so easily tamed. Legions of drun
kards and druflikard makers, and whole
regiments of moderate drinkers, are arm
ed in his defence. Men, too, of learn
i ing and genius and wealth, and the de-)
votees of fashion, still worship at his!
shrine and offer incense upon his ten;
thousand altars. And there are traitors)
in our own camp, waiting for a favora
ble opportunity to enter his army. Nev
ertheless, there is a mighty host, power
ful in intellect and wealth and moral
strength, who are deterrnirned to oppose
this Monster, till he shall he compelled to
surrender. The rum drinker and the
rurnseller may think that they shall wor
ry them out, but they know not “ what
stuff” these cold wafer men “ are made
! of.” They may say that by and by they
will be discouraged and give over. Let
them not lay that “ flattering unction to
their souls.” Our cause is good and ho
ly ; and it will triumph. It has received
the sanction of Omnipotence. They
who are engaged in it feel all this. And,
we assure the lovers of strong drink and
their sympathizers, that they will labor
earnestly and boldly, turning neither to
the right hand nor the left, but going
straight forward, in spite of opposition, till
they shall have affected the utter over
throw of the rum power :—a power that
crushes with feet of iron the very blood
from out the heart of the nation. Bright
omens cheer us. Each dav brings to
our ears the intelligence of some new
triumph—of the surrender into our hands
of some powerful bulwark of the enemy
—of the desertion from the ranks of Ai
cohol, of some of his most puissant gen
erals. The Angel of Temperance is
flying through tho heavens, scattering
her rich blessings wherever she goes. —
If we but prove true to our pledge, and
faithful to our cause, exerting all our influ
ence on all occasions, tho day is not dis
tant when Intemperance will be scarcely
known—and then, a jubilee such as has
seldom been seen will be kept on earth
and in Heaven.
Let us labor, then, friends of temper
ance, with hearts lull of faith and hope;
give no rest to the enemy, but pour into
him whole broadsides of moral and le
gal suasion, till he shall be utterly exter
minated.—Middlesex Wash.
My own Interest.
It is generally given in on all hands
. that a man will work for his own interest,
to advance his own wealth, ease, and
comfort; and it is all well enough that it
is so. But there seems to be one excep
tion to the general rule, if correct in all
other cases. It would seem that a man
of wealth would do all that he could to
have the paupor taxes of his town cut
down as low as possible. In fact they
do when they come to pay ami try to
shufllo off part; some go so far as to re
present their estates—money on hand,
&:c. very low about tax-making lime ;
and some pay a poll-tax to get rid of the
responsibility of a heavy burden. This
is all natural and in keeping with money
shufllles; and it is done because they
think it for their interest to do so. This
is one mistake under which the wealthy
labor. Just let this class of citizens take
hold in the temperance cause and devote
half as much time, and make half as ma
ny close calculations to devise ways and
means to do away intemperance, as in
shuffling off a few coppers in taxes, and
their taxes would come down; —for just
co away with intemperance and you’ll
shut up jails, alms-houses, and state pris
ons, with the thousand and one ills, all
kept up and maintained from the taxes of
the wealthy to support intemperance.—
Let the man of wealth study his own
interest, and in a pecuniary point of view
he must do something for temperance.
The time has come when those who are
counted wealthy should take hold and
give the temperance cause a lift, for it
can be proved that they are as much, if
not more than any other portion of our
citizens interested in the movement; and
just in proportion as temperance pro
gresses, they are safe in the security of
their riches. ,In fact it is in every way
the rich are interested, and if they will
act as wisely in this as in other things,
will take hold, at this important crisis, in
the affairs of the temperance cause, and
help stay the tide of intemperance that
is coming in upon our town.— Ex. paper.
Among the many wonders of this won
derful age, tho Temperance Reform
stands pre-eminent. What can exceed
! in strangeness and blessedness the change
t of the drunkard from his miserable deg
! radation to the happy condition of a re
, formed man ? Who that beheld' him,
year after year, destroying every thing
that is generous and noble in man, and
: with eves wide open to the wretchedness
; he had brought upon himself, yielding to
I no persuasion, subdued by no kindness,
but drinking on, as though he were earn
ing the rewards of Heaven, by his in
temperance, and has then seen him, in a
moment, in the twinkling /'f an eye, re-1
solve to he once more a sober man, dash
from his lips the fatal cup, never more to
; partake of its bewildering, maddening
contents, has not exclaimed, this is a
; work wonderful and worthy the eternal
i God? Who, a few short years ago,
! dreamed that men so lost to friendship,
|so dead to country, earth and Heaven,
' would ever again taste their sweet de
: lights ? But so it is. Fathers and sons,
husbands and wives, brothers and sisters,
friends and neighbors, who were regard
ed as worse than dead and whose deaths 1
were anxiously desired, on account of
the wretchedness they occasioned and'
the hopelessness of their condition, have, 1
in many instances, entirely reformed,;
and become blessed instruments of good !
to their kindred and fellow men. This
cause, so wonderful and beneficial, ought
to meet a cordial reception in every
heart.
It has already received the approbation
of Heaven. God is in it. His hand is
as visible here as it was when he divided
the water of the Red Sea before the Is
raelites—and it will go on, till the whole !
earth enter into it and rejoico with the
joy of renewed hope and leap forward to
grasp the treasure. Yes! There is to
he a temperance Jubilee yet, wide as the
earth and boundless as the sea. God he
praised, for he has spoke it. God be
praised, for in his own time it shall he
accomplished. Gome, then, ye timid
ones, be encouraged to labor with a
strong arm and an unconquerable faith.
Catch the impulse of the day—fall in with
the inspirings of Heaven, and urge on
tho bright day of human blessedness.
[Middlesex Wash.
Here is a bit of adv ice from Kentucky
which we think cider drinkers would do
well to read:
“‘Jest so,’ cried the Kentuckian,
‘jest so my wife used to say said she,
‘ Eleezur, if you will get drunk,’ said :
she, ‘ for heaven’s sake git drunk right ;
off on whiskey ; then y<M^J r .mmblo into
the house head foretnostlptnd the boys
and I’ll be able to git you to bed, and
ye’ll sleep it otfo and there’s an eend
on’t for that about. But m massy’s sake i
dont go drunk on cider ye’re so long get
ting drunk and so cross and rampaugy
the hull time, kicking the children about,
and getting so crazy ye don’t know
friend from foe; git drunk on whiskey,!
Eleezur, do now, there’s a nice man, but
don’t get drunk on cider.’ ”
A distiller in Boston has made three j
attempts to be admitted a member of the |
Mechanic Association ; and at the third
trial was rejected by a larger vote than
at either former trial. Ground ofobjec-;
tion—that distilling molasses into New ;
England rum, was not consistent with
the objects of the association ; viz : the
amelioration of the evils of life. The
candidate’s character was unimpeachable
in other respects. ,
“ The Porcupine ” —a new little quar
to, just raising its quills at Cincinnati.
The way he serves up a dialogue of “ the
groggers” is particularly dramatic :
I). Whose boy are you ?
Boy. Mammy’s.
D. Where is your mammy ?
Boy. To home.
D. Where is your home ?
Boy. In dad’s house.
D. What does your dad do?
Boy. He gets drunk.
D. What does your mother do?
Boy. Oh, she gets drunk too.
D. Then what do they both do ?
Boy. Why mam beats me and dad
kicks her, and then they fight like tarna
tion.
Economy on a small Scale.
So far as our experience goes, it estab
lishes the position that the very first ex- ,
pense a man retrenches, when he gets j
into an economical fit, is the subscription
of a newspaper. “Newspapers are i
things,” argues he, “which can be dis- !
pensed with, and cost money that might
be saved.” Agreed ; so may the educa
tion of our children—so, indeed, may
1 nine-tenths of the articles necessary to
our comfort. Any one may get rich who ;
lives on bread, and clothes himselfin rags, j
But who could live a brute, for the mere
pleasure of saving money, which he can
not carry hence with him? There are a
few such—five or ten in a million—and
how wretched are they! Most men, sen
sible that they must die, are disposed to
enjoy a little of the fruit of their labor ;
and nothing is, perhaps, more necessary
1 to the enjoyment of society, or to self
satisfaction in retirement, than the well
informed and virtuous mind. It gives
zest to all things in prosperity, and is the
best resource in adversity. Newspapers
are the best possible channels for obtain
ing an acquaintance with the affairs of
the world, and to implant desires in the
hearts of youth for maturity. In truth, »
they are the great engines that move the
moral and political world, and not only
aid in establishing the character, but in
preserving the liberties of a people.—
\iewedinthis light, and it is not too
strong a one, vve would ask—are there
not a hundred items of expenditures,
which a person ought to cut off, rather
than deprive himself of the solid benefit
i derived from a good newspaper.—Chris
! tian Index.
Ancieut Oracles,
The inhabitants of the ancient Gre
| cian and Roman empires, believed in
I signs, auguries, omens, and oracles.—
j These subjects, which thus became inti*
i mately connected with the fate of king
doms and republics, were entrusted to the
! care of the Priests and Soothsayers, who
thus possessed much power, and were of
! ten influenced in their interpretations, by
’ men of superior intellect and a towering
ambition.
Oracles among the heathens, were the
answers which the Gods were supposed
to give to those, who consulted them on
any affair of importance. They were
often couched in dark, obscure, and even
unintelligible terms—such as might te
| easily wrested by designing men to mean
, any thing or nothing—and were deliver
ed through the mouths of idols—or by
the Priests themselves, to the people, who
consulted them in regard to future events.
The confidence in oracles was so great,
that in doubts or disputes, the people
held their decisions to bo sacred and invi
olable. Consequently, no enterprise of
importance either of a public or private
nature, was undertaken, without consult
ing some oracle. These oracles were
found in most of the Heathen Temples.
The most ancient was that of JDodona—
but the most celebrated was the oracie
of Apollo, at Depphos. This oracle was
consulted on all groat occasions, by most
of the Princes and Generals of the age.
The Priests, who officiated at the Tem
ples of the Gods, and delivered the ora
cles, were held in the highest reverence
and esteem—and they managed this rep
utation so as greatly to promote their
| particular advantage. Rut illustrious
, men among the ancients, as Pericles,
Menander, Caesar, and others, by the.r
power with the Priests, contrived it so
that the oracles would speak a language,
which could be interpreted as they wish
ed, whenever this was necessary to pro
mote their selfish designs.
It is hardly necessary to say that these
: oracles were purely artifices and chiats cf
Priests of false divinities. They were
the most outrageous humbugs that were
j ever practiced for ages on a credulous
1 people. The arts to which the Priests
| rosorted, in order to carry on their sys
i tern of imposition, are now well known,
j Sometimes the statute of the God was
i hollow—-and a Priest concealed within,
: in a loud and unnatural voice delivered
’ the oracle, which was supposed to be ut
tered by the divinity. Sometimes the
art of ventriloquism was employed to
excite the fears and the wonders of the
people. And sometimes the Priests an
svvered the questions through metal tubes,
I which extended to a considerable dis
! tance, and connected with the statute of
; the divinity. The celebrated Kircher,
i with a view to expose these impositions
; —with great skill constructed an autom
j aton figure, which would open and shut
; its mouth, move its lips—and even make
\ articulate sounds; and by means of a
tube, he could cause it, apparently, to
! make responses to questions.
I When men began to be better instruct
|ed by the lights which philosophy intro
; duced into the world, oracles insensibly
| lost their credit—and their reputation
I was greatly lessened, when it became
: suspected that they were sometimes used
!as instruments for promoting the ends of
! designing politicians. They finally dis
: appeared with the downfall of idolary.
Rut signs and omens continued to ex
ercise an iufluence over mankind, much
more potent than reason, and filled the
| soul with hope, or paralized the energies
: with anticipations of evil. But wise
meu have known bow to change the char
; ter of an omen, at a critical period, ands
| convert an evil one into a good one.
History inforpis us that Cyrus, the
Sovereign of Persia, when at the head
of a large army, and on the eve of a de
cisive battle with the troops of Croesus,
; gave a happy example of his power to
j humbug his soldiers to their good. When
the armies were about to engage, a loud
clap of thunder seemed to shake the very
firmament. The Persian troops re
garding this as an evil omen, trertibled
with affright. But Cyrus, with admira
ble presence of mind, turned the inci
dent in his favor, by lifting, with an air
of reverence, his helmet from his head,