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THE WASHINGTONIAN. <
AUGUSTA. Al’Hlli 5, 1845.
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EDITORIAL COMMITTEE.
Rev. W. T. Biuntlv, Dr. D. H<>ok,
“ WJ. Hard, J.mf.s Harper, Esq, i
" C. S. Dod, A. W, Koei., Esq.
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Temperance Meeting.
We attended the nfieeting of the Tem
perance Society on Thursday night last,
at the City Hall, and must say that we
were altogether pleased with its results,
and cheered with the prospects that the •
cause would yet take deeper root in our
good city. It has been some time since :
a meeting so spirited and interesting has
been held, and from its results and from
what was done, the interest of the future '
meetings of the Society are likely, for a
time at least, to he continued. The So
ciety wns indebted to several young gen
tlemen of the Franklin Literary Society,
for neat and appropriate addresses on the
subject *f temperance, three of whom gave
in their adhesion to the cause, assigning at '
some length their reasons for so doing.
Other addresses were made on the occa
sion, all well calculated to pass off the
evening in a lively and pleasant manner.
Some seven names were added to the
pledge list, and among these we have 1
every reason to hope, are to be found, '
those who will take a lively enterest in :
behalf of the cause of temperance.
We arc, also, happy to inform our rea
ders, that at the next meeting of the So
ciety, which will take place on Thursday
night the 17th inst., a question has been
proposed and accepted for discussion be
fore the Society and assurances given by
its author that it would he discussed. This
enables us to assure those who may at
tend tho meeting, that if they take any
interest whatever in this great reform,
that they shall not regret their attendance
on the occasion. Now that every effort
is making to revive the drooping fortunes
of our city in n pecuniary way, let those
who feel this interest so close at heart,
not neglect to give their aid and coun
tenance to a movement which must move
hand in hand with every other enterprise.
We invite attention to the account given
by our correspondent of the meeting re
ferred to.
Temperance in Philadelphia.
The ladies of Philadelphia have taken up
the subject of temperance in earnest,
and have made a bold stand. They con
cluded that something must be done to
save their husbands, and brothers, and
sons from the terrible gulf which yawn
ed just before them, and if relief could
be had through them they were resolved
to concentrate their energies and make
the attempt. They therefore prepared
a memorial addressed “to the Court of
Quarter Sessions of the city and county
of Philadelphia,” stating the mischiefs
produced under the existing state of
things and asking for relief. The me
morial was presented, after being signed
by 16,000 ladies, by a deputation of la
dies accompanied by Hon. James Todd,
whom they had selected as their organ of
communication with the Court, and was
read and would be, it is said, respectfu.lv
entertained and seriously considered by
the Court. What effect this will have
we know not, but this much we do know,
that if the ladies of Philadelphia accom
plish half or less of what they aim at,
tho country will owe them a debt of grat
itude which can never be forgotten or
repaid.
Idle Young Men.
We have several times seen it stated
in the Mobile and New Orleans papers,
that those cities are filled with voung
men out of employment, though seeking
it earnestly, and at wages scarcely e
nough to support them decently. The
Mobile Herald says that hundreds are in
that city, walking the streets without any
thing to do.
Evils of this character are easily re
moved, if the right steps were pursued
in the first instance, and we have won
dered that something has not been done
to remedy them. The cause is as obvi
ous too, as the evil is certain. If pa
rents would do what is really their duty
to their children, and the community in
which they rear them—if they would
make them independent, industrious and
sober citizens—let them cast aside a large
share of ostentatious family display—let
them not indulge in an over-weaning
fondness to the defeat of their real aims,
and the destruction of their own and
children’s happiness.
There has been long growing, and is
still growing with us, a repugnance to
labor of any kind ; so much so that pa
rents are often put to their wit’s end to
select some employment for their son,
which will yield the largest income with
the least labor, however precarious the
sources of the income may be. This re
pugnance to labor is so evident, and with
all so barefaced sometimes, that we see
a good mechanic endeavoring to make
himself a lawyer, or doctor or something
else, never anticipating more than a re
lease from what is called the toils of la
bor. This would be all right enough if
nobody was compelled to labor, hut such
is not the case; and if things work as
they are now doing, ere long the only
respectable people, the only people worth
calling such, will be the laboring people
—the others the mere appendages of
humanity. Those who have such a re
pugnance to labor should read over and
over again the life of Robinson Crusoe.
The author of this highly instructive and
entertaining book has most forcibly incul
cated the necessity as well as the plea
sures arising from the pursuit of labor.
He makes Robinson after his return
home, in relating his adventures, never
fail to address to the fathers and mothers
a warning exhortation. To them lie
would say—“lf you love your children,
I pray you teach them in their early
years to he godly, sober and iudustrious”
—and if while relating his surprising ad
ventures. there happened to be young
persons present he would exhort them
thus—“My children, obey your parents
and teachers; learn diligently whatever
you have a capacity to learn ; fear God,
and be careful—oh, bo careful to avoid
idleness! It is the mother of every
vice.” Let parents then take warning
for they arc responsiblo for the industri
ous habits of their children. Let them
take warning and learn their children
that nothing is more dangerous than idle
ness—that nothing is more respectable
than labor. “ Six days shalt thou labor,’*
saith the Lord.
Nothing is more arbitrary and beyond
tho control of the censure of tho press
than fashion. Wc are inclined always to
leave the subject where wc find it—in
the hands of those to whom it belongs,
for we have never seen und never expect
to sec any good done by tilting at Fash
ion, however capricious or whimsically
odd she may show herself off, cither in
our own or the other sex.
None, however, appear more ridicu
lous, or deserving of rebuke for their
censures in this respect, than a certain
class of young gentlemen, who by the
by, have more to say upon the subject
than any body else.
One of this class a few days since, in
speaking upon the subject of hustles, was
well nigh taking a fainting fit, such was
his excitement and so high the pitch he
had wrought himself up to. And what
think you, reader, was this creature made
up of and by whom formed in his present
shape ? He was made up of cotton stuf
fing and by his tailor.
To give him form comely and neat,
his tailor was compelled to stuff him in
to shape, by stuffing his coat here a lit
tle and there a little. His vest too had
to be treated in a similar way by wad
ding, until he was made to look more
like a wet nurse to a pair of twin babies
than a man. His waist too was neatly
compressed by an ingenious contrivance
which might be called stays—he was in
fine a thing of paddings and waddings,
and by this meaDs made to assume the
appearance of a “ marvellous gentle
man” before all the world. He was just
such a one whom we heard censuring the
ladies for wearing bustles.
Now we are no advocates, but merely
the apologists of these apendages. We
should be glad if they could be dispensed
with, but not at the peril of introducing
another article of dress now nearly al
together superceded in their use, and
which has caused so much disease and
death among the female sex —we mean,
of course, the corset. We hope howev
er that the time may yet come when all
these things may be thought unfashiona
ble; and judging from the past, the time
is not far off, for fashion makes long
strides almost always leaping from one
extreme to another at a single bound.
And before we conclude this article, let
us admonish this class of our own sex
who are so fond of censuring the other
sex in matters of dress, that they should
first be sure that they are not making
themselves the fit subjects of the censure
of both sexes, before they set out in their
crusade against the ladies.
Death of the Rev. Dr. Brantly.
“We observe that the Rev. Wm. T. Brantly j
D. D., late Pastor of the First Baptist Church,
in this city, and late President of the College of
Charleston, depatted this life, on Friday last, in
Augusta, whither he had been removed in the
hope of alleviating his suffering condition. Dr.
Brantly was one of the earliest students of the
South Carolina College, having graduated with
distinction, in that institution, in the year 1808.
Throughout his useful and honorable life, we
believe, he combined the professions ofthe teach
er and the divine ; and attained a merited emi
nence in both. He was a man of enlarged and
cultivated mind; delighting equally in the walks
of literature and science. His conversation was
richly imbued with classic lore and the informa
tion and anecdote gathered from his wide and
varied reading. In all the relations oflife he sus
tained an exemplary character; rearing and educ
ating a large family, and affording them the light
and example of his own piety and virtue. The
goodness of his heart was eminently displayed in
his sympathy with dawning genius and youthful
mcrit-and during his Presidency in the College
of Charleston, several youths, we learn, unable
to defray the expenses of a collegiate course, were
carried through to graduation, under his auspices
free of charge—and, indeed, we have heard, that
the Rev. Basil Manly, D. D.,bis predecessor, in
the pastoral charge ofthe First Baptist Church,
and now President of the University of Alabama,
whose father was a Roman Catholic, was his
protege. He succeeded Dr. Manly, as we have
already intimated, in the ministerial office, and
was much esteemed and beloved by his congre
gation; and he succeeded the Rev. Jasper Adams
D. D., as President ofthe College of Charleston'
and in that elevated station sustained his high
character for ability and learning. Last summer
while in the active discharge of the duties ot both
his responsible stations, and apparently in the
enjoyment of robust and vigorous health, as indi
cated by his upright and manly frame, he was
suddenly struck dawn and palsied, in both mind
and body, by one of those mysterious dispensa
tions of Providence, which seem specially sent to
teach the mortality of man and the omnipotence
of God. From that period, he continued to lin
ger in a helpless condition, amid the universal
sympathy of the community, and consoled as far
as possible by the affectionate attentions of his
sorrowing family and friends, until it pleased the
God, who had thus chastened whom hcloved,to
call him to that blessed and everlasting rest which
remaineth for the people ot God. — Char. Courier.
For tlie Washingtonian.
Tlie Temperance Mcetiug.
Messrs. Editors —l was so much gratified at
the Temperance meeting on Thursday evening,
that I must, with your permission, give a hasty
sketch of the very interesting discussion.
Mr. Markcc addressed the society most felicit
ously upon tho influences of temperance upon
intellectual improvement, and the beneficial reac
tion of education in promoting temperance and
the practice of every virtue.
Mr. Bell, presented the subject in its bearings
upon politics and liberty, and conclusively show
ed the necessity of temperance to the preservation
of our beloved country from anarchy and bond
age.
Mr. Hard, that veteran in the war against
alcohol and its minions, warmed by these re
marks, arose and pointed out, how admirably they
demonstrated the necessity of practicing every
virtue—how destructive to happiness, is the prac
tice of any and every vice. The evils of other
vices might be more latent, but not less certain.
Mr. Noel demonstrated from the temperance
of ladies, that proper training would result in
like consequences among men. He gave the
meeting some most interesting practical informa
tion.
Mr. Dow, amusingly illustrated the necessity
of harmony between practice and profession, and
the importance of female education to forward
the great work of general moral reform. He
also proposed an interesting subject of debate for
the meeting next Thursday night week. This
question I presume you will spread before your
readers.
Mr. Danforth concluded the discussion, by
urging the members, as the only thing necessary
to success, to exert themselves to bring the citi
zens out to our meetings. Ho eould not have
paid the speakers a higher compliment, or one
more justly deserved.
The fruits of this meeting were six valuable
additions. Three of the speakers were members
ofthe Franklin Literary Society—an institution
that deserves the respect of every one, the love
of every parent, and now, thethanksofthe Tem
perance Society. May its worthy members re
ceive all the rewards their noble enterprise and j
good conduct merit.
I could not have said less injustice to the feel
ings of gratification, which the occasion gave me. !
OBSERVER.
The Claims of Temperance on the Edu
cated.
Educated mind cannot exist without
great influence. The power to move,
or restrain, to awaken the most intense
joy, or cause the keenest anguish, to
make the life-journey of its possessor,
and of those under his influence, so re-!
fined and happy, that it shall seem os if;
ever luminous with the sunlight of an an-1
gel’s smile, or on the other hand, to draw i
over it the gloom of worse than Stygian i
darkness, —this power all lies within Im
possible <*)mpass of educated mind.
But it may be said that the remarks
above apply to the influence of all mind.
Doubtless they do. Ii is not in reference
to the kind, but the degree of influence.,
that wc give the superiority to educated 1
mind. Education is to the untrained 1
mind, what the mechanical powers are to , 1
man’s physical strength. They enable
him to act with an almost incalculable
degree of power, where before his unaid
ed strength was so inadequate to the j
wants of the occasion, as to be compara- ’
tively useless. In some instances also I
they may be employed in giving a new |
direction, as well as an increase of pow. j
er to physical strength. So too with i
mental training. A mind which could <
scarcely comprehend the simplest analo- i
gics, may be so trained as clearly to un- <
derstand the most complex phenomena of I
science, or busy itself with the specula
tive problems of man’s condition and
destiny in the unending cycles of cterni
ty.
But is all this increase of power giv- |
cn to the educated mind without any i
thing like a commensurate responsihili- i
ty? Certainly not. 'Fhe community 1 1
arc all taxerj lor every educated mind it <
contains; and not merely for the school
ing and suslentation of that mind while!
in the process of training, but of many j1
other minds of equal promise whom dis
ease has wasted away, or who have been 1
cut off from the hand of death, or bound j <
in the fetters of hopeless insanity. The i <
expense of all who fail in the cause is to , <
be added to the account of those who \
arc successful, as the merchant arrives;
at his real gains only by subtracting all j <
his losses from all his profits.
No one can fail to see, from this illus
tration, how strong are the claims which |
the community have on every educated j
mind. By their patient toil, by their
daily sweat, have they furnished food and i
lodging, books, apparatus and teachers
for every such mind. And why have
they done this 1 Why have they labored
thus to give the requisite leisure and
means of support to such a mind, even
in some instances giving what they
needed themselves, to secure (his object?
Has it not been, because they hoped to
advance the best interests of humanity
by allowing a few minds which could be
spared from the field, the counting room,
and the workshop, to study more deeply
these truths it. concerned them all to
know, but which their daily necessities
prevented them from ever reaching alone?
And what did the community, what
had they a right to expect from minds
thus favored ? Were they not authorized
to expect, that those they had thus pla
ced on their high towers, would be cir
cumspect themselves, and watchful and
true to their trust ?
And what have they found ? Although
this class of mind has demonstrated over
and over again, that intemperance is a
deadly curse, that the moderate use,
even, of intoxicating substances is per
nicious, and although examples from all
classes of the community have been fear
fully multiplied, making “assurance
doubly sure” that “wine is a mocker,
and strong drink is raging,” yet how ma
ny thousands of educated minds still
withhold their influence from this great
work. And why this? Do they need
further illustrations to convince them of
the ill effects of intemperance ? Ask
any well educated man in the communi
ty if such is the fact, and he will feel
himself insulted by the question. And
well he may. You might as well ask
him if he believes the sun has anything
to do with light. But we state no new
fact when we assert that educated mind
has done but little compared with what
was its duty, in this cause. Look at the
reluctance with which our educated men
have consented to abandon the tempting
cup, even those few who have already
done so. It was their duty to have been
first in the cause. To them more clear
ly than to the rest of the world is it giv
en to understand tho vast superiority of
reason over mere animal appetites and
passions'. And yet how many minds of
the highest order have refused to follow
the guidance of reason and conscience
and been shipwrecked on the seething
quicksands of unbridled appetite!
Lock at Byron, “ with his large capa
cious soul.” The richest stores of learn
ing were spread out before him, and all
nature seemed ready to serve her gifted
son. Was not the world justified in its
expectations of him ; and did he not
owe to his race, the influence of a spot
less example?
But the plains of Missolonghi need not
again repeat their tale; it is known to
all.
Nor will we draw out from the annals
of the gay Metropolis, the dark history
of “ Lacoa’s” author. Let the cloud
which shrouds it remain unpierced.—
Burns also may rest in his grave, and the
ill fated Savage shall not be disturbed.
All these and thousands of others, the
gifted—the cultivated, and the refined—
have gone dow n to the drunkard’s grave.
They were raised to the highest posts of
honor and trust—the world was author
ized to form the greatest expectations,
but they basely battered their glorious
privileges for a drunkard’s degradation.
Indeed we sometimes fear that in the
cause of temperance the aphorism of
the old Roman Poet must still remain
true:
Mcliora proboque,
Deteriora sequor.
I know the right, and I approve it too,
1 know the wrong, anil yet the wrong pursue.’’
But we hope not. We hope there is still
left to educated mind that recuperative
power which shall yet bring all its ener
gies into the service of suffering human
ity. That by precept, but above all by
example, it will accomplish its appropri
ate share in warning the wavering—suc
coring the weak—and raising up the
fallen.— Temperance Standard.
Mr. John 15. Gough in the City of Alcx
audria.
Well, I have heard at length the Tem
perance lecturer—John B. Gough. He
arrived in Washington, from Baltimore,
the latter part of last week, and after ad
dressing crowds at the capital, visited us
on Tuesday, and spoke in the Lyceum
Hall, a spacious room, on Tuesday, and
Wednesday nights. On Wednesday af
ternoon, the second Presbyterian Church
was filled with ladies, to whom by previ
ous appointment be delivered an address
on the power of female example and ex
ertion in the cause of temperance. Our
expectations, it must be confessed, were
high in regard to him, but they have been
well sustained. The first night present
ed a regular jam; it was therefore deter
mined that the people should have an op
portunity of testifying, in a small way,
their sense of the value of 31 r. Gough’s
labors on the succeeding night. Tho
price of admittance to his eloquence was
accordingly fixed at 12£ cents, and be
hold the. hall was crowded more densely
that the night before! After prayer,
Rev. Mr. Marsh, the laborious and inde
fatigable Secretary of (lie American Tem
perance Union, arose, and in an appro
priate speech of some few minutes, ad
verted to the character and the triumphs
of this cause, glancing at the progress of
the past, and the prospects of the future.
Having happily prepared the way for his
young coadjutor, Mr. Gough now rose, a
youth of pale countenance, bordering
even on pensiveness, personally a strang
er to us all, and burdened with a reputa
tion for eloquence, which it seemed dif
ficult for him much longer to carry.
But oh, that conciliatory exordium 8
Was it the power of nature, or was it the
perfection of art! There was art in it,
but it was learned, not in the school of tho
Rhetorician, but of Nature. It was in
deed an ingenious disavowal of all claim
to the character of an instructor, or to the
gifts of a well furnished public speaker.
As to the education, his audience had
doubtless enjoyed advantages superior to
himself, he said, since he had never been
at school. This deference to his audi
ence, composed of the flower of an intel
ligent city, combined with the unaffect
ed modesty of his demeanor in all things
touching himself, opened a clear way for
the march of his oratory. We were now
prepared to go with him into any field he
might select. The wand of the magi
cian began to exert its influence, the ma
gician himself the while seeming to be
unconscious of the waxing power of his
enchantment. He began by touching
some of the finer chords of that instru
ment which God has strung within us all,
and the responsive echoes truly told it
was not in vain. He appealed to that
love and sympathy which little children
naturally excite in our bosoms, when we
behold them in a state of suffering. A
child with a broken limb—-a child drown
ing—a child burning—a child in any
condition of distress, instantly awakens
sympathy and meets deliverance if de
liverance be possible. But who cares
for the child of the drunkard ? Then
' came forth one of his paintings of that
home scene, the principal figures of