Newspaper Page Text
(SMgtonsE.
For the Temperance Crusader.
AN APPEAL FOR SNAKES.
■ Reader do you kill every snake you
Beet ? or do you hate and fear them indis
■riminately? If so, lend us your ears a
■ttle while and we think we can show, that
Sou are a great, great sinner on the score
humanity. Mind, we do not promise to
■nake you love them ; for, friend as we are
Ro them, we feel nothing of that affection,
that would lead us to dandle them as pets
or treat them as companions. But that Ish
maelitish feeling, that raises hand or heel
against every thing in serpent form, and
that brutish instinct that sets a whole village
in ‘-hue and cry” after a garter-snake, as af
ter a mad dog or painted Indian, we believe
to be inhuman, unmanly, and behind the in
tellectual pretensions of the 19th century.
If we were to ask a dozen persons the
reason of this wholesale warfare, we should
receive as many answers; and not one of
them entirely satisfactory, even to him who
gave it. There is however a general fear
of the whole serpent tribe. We believe
most of it to be unreasonable and to result
from a want of investigation. We think
that if all these reasons were classified, they
might be reduced under three heads: and
for convenience then, what we have to say,
will be arranged under three divisions.
Ist. A kind of instinctice enmity. Many
believe that in the fall, enmity was ordained
between the seed of the woman and the ser
pent; “it shall bruise thy head and thou
shalt bruise his heel.” They think that
they feel this prompting, at sight of a snake,
and how many sacredly grind the head to
atoms with the heel, as a literal fulfilment of
the prophecy and think they would falsify
scripture if they acted differently. Now
this account in Genesis is meant to be con
strued figuratively. The snake had not
sinned in being made the outward embodi
ment of the “spirit of evil.” It was not the
tempter, that spoke such cunning words of
guile. Satan was the tempter; Eve the
tempted; and this perpetual warfare was or
dained between Satan and the human fami
ly ; to end in the crushing of the “old ser
pent” by the Son of Man. That this is the
true intent of the passage will appear from
several considerations. In the the whole
account Gen. 3: 1-15, the serpent is men
tioned as “more subtle than any beast ofthe
field,” and as holding that cunning conversa
tion with Eve, that led to her shameful fall
and to the curses upon her seed and the ser
pent. Satan never appears by name.
Eve, in her innocence and her ignorance
of good and evil, knew not so much that
there was a “Spirit of Evil” and she recog
nized, in the tempter, only the fleshly ser
pent, that she had doubtless seen, many
times before. To him she attributed all her
woes. The Almighty did not undeceive
her, and used such language as was adapted
to her misconceptions. It was more impor
tant that she should know her sin, than that
she should have full knowledge of the de
ceiver. The Almighty effects the former
in a way, that she could not misunderstand,
and veils, under her ignorance of the latter,
a glorious prophecy, which is still hastening
to its more glorious fulfilment. If we make
the curse to have been uttered literally
against the shake; then the snake (and not
Satan, for he is never mentioned) was the
tempter; if we adopt a literal interpretation
of one part of the passage, we must contin
ue it through the whole account. Now, in
terpreting Scripture by Scripture,—2 Cor.
11: 3-14; Rev. 12: 9; Jno. jS: 44; 1 Jno.
3: 8. &c.. reveal this deceiver, as Satan;
and Rom. 1U; 20; Rev. 12: 7-8, &c., fix
the curse upon Satan.
Again, the curse; “upon thy belly shalt
thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days
of thy life: * * * and thou shalt bruise his
heel,” is not much more applicable to ser
pents than some other classes of animals. —
The first clause is too broad : for worms,
snails, leeches, &c., go upon the belly. The
second is inappropriate ; for snakes are no
ted loverstd’ flesh and are constantly way
laying unwary mice, frogs, fish, &c. And
the third equally misses the mark; for of all
parts of the body the heel is most seldom
struck at or wounded by the snake. This
language is merely figurative. In the florid
style of the East, to crawl upon the ground
and to lick the dust denote the lowest abase
ment ; and to bruise the heel designates the
unexpected and treacherous attack of the
assassin. Could language more strongly ex
press the deep degradation and the crafty
wiles of Satan, the arch enemy of man?
So much for the teachings of Holy Writ
on this supposed instinct. The history of the
human race is equally explicit. The child
has neither fear nor hatred of the snake
tribe, until both are taught it by the parent.
The serpent-charmers of the East, make a
livelihood by a fearless exhibition of the
graces and docility of the famous Cobra de
Capello. The ancients used the serpent as
an honorable symbol of eternity. And
many nations, in casting around for objects
of worship, have not thought the serpent un
worthy a place in their list of deities.—
These facts show, that this instinct has not
been inherited equally by all persons, and
that it is rather a feeling, partaking of su
perstition, than a salutary warning, implant
ed in our natures for purposes of defence
and protection.
Secondly. A belief in certain magical
powers possessed by snakes. Every one
can tell some wonderful story of this kind.
The horn snake, doubles up in a hoop, rolls
along with great velocity and, letting fly
with his horned tail, inflicts a mortal wound
on some unoffending tree, manor beast.—
The coach-whip snake, meeting some un
lucky wight dozing along the road, collars
him, holds him with the grip of a vice, and
thrashes him, until he is glad to escape with
his life. (Would that such dreamers could
atone for their lies in a sound basting from a
real coach whip,) And, then, the enchant
ment q/the rattlesnake ; how he catches the
eye of his victim; how the deluded one sees
the beautiful tissue of colors floating around
and around the fatal coil; how his senses
lapse into a delicious revery of some far off
elysium ; how he reaches forward to the
glorious vision—and falls into the fangs of
the destroyer, that thus mercifully intoxi-
You will find it all
mance, that we will not raise a sacrilegious
hand against it. The rattlesnake is so fatal,
that if romance can make him more to be
dreaded, we shall not add to his victims by
familiarizing him to our readers.
Fortunately,he is the only poisonous snake,
that is accused of “charming;” and with
this exception, (if it be an exception) what
ground have you for persecuting the whole
race of snakes, for witchcraft. As to the
two first named, the horn and coach-whip
snakes, the charges are libellous. We ven
ture to say, that, in the whole hounds of
Georgia, there cannot be collected sufficient
evidence to convict either of them, in a court
of justice, of having made “an assault with
intent to kill,” upon any man, “in the manner
and form aforementioned.”
And yet, on these poor grounds, a suspi
cion is cherished against a whole race ol
animals, weak and defenceless, at the best
and with few exceptions, as we shall show
hereafter, incapable of harm, even when
pressed for their lives. Now treat them
with common sense. Banish all these super
stitious fears ; find out which are poisonous
and which not; kill the hurtful ones, as many
as you please; but oh ! in mercy, spare,
spare the innocent. Dennis.
[To be continued ]
For the Temperance Crusader.
LETTER FROM UNCLE DABNEY.
Messrs. Editors , —In your paper of the
19th inst., you ask “where is Joe Grisham,
Dabney Jones, and Ben. Brantly?” I have
no doubt, my good old comrades in the va
rious Temperance battle fields where we
have been shoulder to shoulder, are where
they have always been, and are able to an
swer for themselves. -So far as your inter
rogatory in reference to myself is concern
ed, I will say, I am where I have been ever
since 1832. In that year I enrolled my
name in the Temperance army during the
war, or till the end of life. I now believe,
as I have believed for years, that drunken
ness and liquor-shops are the curse of all
curses, and up to this day liquor-sellers
hold up their licenses, steeped in gore, bap
tized in tears and saned with the groans of
the dying every where, as authority from
a Christian Legislature to rollon tiietide of
woe, lamentation, death, temporal and eter
nal ! In the Providence of God and at
the call of my friends, I was called out in
the year 1847, to be the humble standard
bearer of our glorious cause, or, as you are
pleased to say, the “Pioneer” in the good
cause. How many miles, I traveled, how
many speeches I made, what good I accom
plished, are not yet forgotten, and though
politics and demagoguism have swept like
a dark cloud over our moral horizon, yet
like the bow of hope in the clouds, here
and there like the varied hues of the rain
bow, the principles of our cause shine in
lovely and bold relief. For three years I
laboured far and near, making moral sua
sion my only polar star, —I thought, that
alone would do; it was a mistake. This
mistake arose from an ignorance of human
nature, not considering its weakness and
liability to fall by temptation, hence I
found our moral suasion comparable to pour
ing water upon a burning building, and as
buildings were saved, hot shot wore con
tinually thrown in by an enemy; the fires
again are kindled and hopes blasted. So
with those volcanoes, hell’s eruptive lava,
(dram shops) have thrown their burning
flames upon the fair Temperance fabrics,
and swept them away, in too many places.
I mean this so far as the redeeming of
drunkards in too many instances is con
cerned. These facts, in part, account for the
present gloom that hangs over onr case.
Early iti the year 1852 (I think it was,) I
became a convert to the Prohibition prin
ciple. In this I expect to live and die.—
Hence I have been accused of inconsisten
cy. Well, let it be so, “wise men sometimes
change, fbojsnever do.” Ah! gentlemen,
if Prohibitionists in Georg j# bad stood as
a unit, one and indivisable during the last
campaign, we would have taught Politi
cians a lesson not soon to be forgotten.—
And though we lmd a candidate for Gov
ernor, safe, reliable, a southern man to the
core, yet forsooth, Americanism and De
mocracy ruled the hour, and our Tempe
ranee hosts who had considered a Prohibi
tory law of paramount importance, flew the
track! All honor, however, to those six
thousand who stood firm and immovable
as their native hills, who voted for Over
and Prohibition. Governor Johnson is the
first Governor that has noticed the license
systemj I mean in the way he did. But I
respectfully ask, vvhgt did it amount to? —
I have no objection to trausfuring the grant
ing power from the clerk to the inferior
court, if the court be clothed with power
to grant or refuse altogether, (character or
no character,) for I am a little like the Irish
man, who applying for a license, was ask
ed if he ttogld prove he had a moral char
acter, said, faith, J 414 pot know a moral
character was necessary to sell liquor.—
I am much pleased with Judge Cone’s bill;
all honour to him, and though it is not such
a law as I could wish, yet will go far to
“sketch the snake.” But will it, even, it,
pass. Time will tell. But comrades, (Ed
itors) I know what I wish. But then what
shall we do? lansw&p, ‘‘pickopr flintsand
try it again.” In the first place, let there
be light. Let the Crusader, the lone star
of our cause, be patronized, from mountain
to sea, then mass meetings again, to collect
and consolidate public opinion, have asso
ciations, &c. We temperance folks, are
strange foJkB, for though we hate liquor we
love money. The Crusader ought to have
at least twenty thousand subscribers, on
several accounts: first, for its cause; se
cond, for the ability with which it is con
ducted —and gentlemen so far as the real
good of our country and posterity is con
cerned, let rne say, I would not exchange
your Editorial chair for all the chairs Edi
torial in Georgia, who give the cold should
er to prohibition, apd though they may al
lude to the withering evils of the drain
shop system will not come out for the sup
pression of it. I hope my friends, Grisham
and Brantly, will pardon an old friend for
alluding to them, yeti mnstdo so. First,
then, to say I esteem Joe Grisham, would
be feint praise,—/ lave him. His soul,
bis mental and physical powers for the
Temperance cause, will only cease with
that is not all.
none but God knows the bounds of his gen
erosity in a substantial way. I mean his
purse. Joe Grisham’s name will live (and
God grant it may) when the Olive Tree,
with Love, Parity and Fidelity encircled
in its brandies, shall flourish on the grave
of Alcohol. As to Ben Brantly, his mem
ory shall never perish, he boldly flung out
the flag of Prohibition years ago, and tho’
his moral suasion friends threatened, and
some did quit the Banner, still his course
was and is onward, and though like an Old
soldier he has retired from the battle-field
ol active warfare, still, Ben Brantly will
go down to the tomb a Prohibitionist and
Philanthropist. As to myself, bays, as I
have so many neices and nephews in Geor
gia, it would be wrong to question their at
tachment to their old uncle. They will, I
trust, when he lias passed away, do him jus
tice. A word more and lam done. Tem
perance heroes in Georgia, strike for the
Crusader. Who will be one of a hundred
that will exert their utmost to swell the
subscription at least ten thousand this year,
when the winter is over? If Ibe spared I
will do what I can lor its increased circu
lation. Yours, &e.,
DABNEY P. JONES,
Alias “Uncle Dabney.”
Prohibition Hill, Jud. 22, 185 G.
P. S. As an evidence of Joe Grisham’s
devotion to our cause, he proposed, you re
collect, to be one of twenty to pay one hun
dred dollars each to pay an itinerant lectu
rer, to go broadcast in Georgia, and pro
claim the principles of Temperance and
Prohibition. I believe had his proposition
succeeded, and a suitable man employed,
to have spoken and scattered the “docu
ments” it would have told out powerfully
for the success of our cause. But our Tern
perance ranks are so poor, nineteen more
could not be found. You say, “we fear lie
(myself) has said of us, he will have noth
ing to do with us.” Now, boys, you are mis
taken altogether; your uncle admires your
indomitable courage in keeping your ban
ner in the breeze. He admires your taste
in the alteration of the name upon the bow
of your noble, refitted up, Temperance
Ship, Crusader. It reminds me of a man
pulling off his vest and rolling up his
sleeves for a renewed combat; your coat
was off before, when your name was Ban
tier. I am so pleased with your taste, I
have concluded to alter the name of my
residence. The Rail Road boys call, the
heavy grade opposite my house, Prohibi
tion Hill, hence I have concluded to as
sume anew name for my residence.
I). P. J.
SHE IS THINE.
—o —-
She is thine, the word is spoken ;
Hand to hand, and heart to heart,
Though all other ties aro broken,
Time these bonds shall never part:
Thou hast taken her in gladness
From the altar’s holy shrine,
Oh! remember in her sadness,
She is thine, and only thine.
In so fair a temple never,
Aught of ill can hope to come,
Good will strive, and striving, ever
Make so pure a shrine a home:
Each the other’s love possessing,
Say what care should cloud that brow,
She will be to thee a blessing,
And a shield to her be thou.
For the Temperance Crusader.
THE RICH AND POOR.
BY EMMIE EMERALD.
The ills of poverty have been portrayed
by more gifted pens than mine, that have
eloquently depicted its wretchedness and its
misery. It is indeed a sad thing to be poor,
to endure worldly want. It is a fearful
thing for the mother to see her darling
child's cheek grow pale and wan, to hear
its feeble cry for bread, when she has none
to give.
It is a bitter thing to the proud, noble
heart, who ill brooks the scarp api| pegleot
the world accords to the indigent. It is a
soul-cru§hing to young genius, who must
struggle in vain for a name and honor.
It is a fearful, bitter, soul-crushing thing
to all, young and old—it causes many bitter
tears to flow, and breaks many a heart; but
the ills of poverty, deep and dark as they
are, may be cured by gold ; may be soothed
by kind deeds aqd geptle word!?. Yes, gold
may gladden the sorrowing mother's heart,
and win back health to her little one’s cheek;
it may uplift the proud man’s head, and bring
success to drooping genius: but there are
sorrows it may not alleviate, the grief of a
Striclfgg f)P a U? niental suffering, suffering
with which the rich and great may be af
flicted as well as the poor. In princely pal
aces there may be wretchedness, that the
lowly dream not of, that the cold world pit
ies not, because it sees not through the gloss
and splendor of wealth.
Yes. there are sad hearts beating ’neath
satin robes, brows qohipg’heath bright jew
els. and wearied spirits that turn sluidder
ingly away from the vanities of life, and yet
must go forth into the busy world and play
a part; “must deck the eyes in a gay dis
guise while the tears are inward flowing ;”
must be calm and still, while the poor heart
iu wildly throbbing with untold agony. Oh
God, what is physical suffering to this -
Nought, nought. O, ye children of poverty,
what are your bodily wants to the “gay dis
tress, the splendid misery,” of some of for
tune’s favorites. The one is an April cloud
that fortune’s sun may dispel, but alas ! the
other is an impenetrable night whose dark
veil none may lift—save the Almighty band
of God,
Augusta, Qa„ 1050.
——
A MAIDEN’S FIRST LOVE.
Human nature has no essence more pure
—the world knows nothing more chaste, —
heaven has endowed the mortal heart with
no feeling more holy, than the nascent affec
tion of a young virgin’s soul. The warm
eat language ofthe sunny south is too cold
to shadow fort)* even a faint outline of that
enthusiastic sentiment, Qod has
made tho richest language poor in that
same respect, localise the depths of hearts
that thrill with Love’s emotions, aro too sa
cred for the common contemplation. The
musical voice of Love stirs the source of the
sweetest thought within the human breast,
and steals into the most profound recesses
of the soul, touching chords which never vi
brated before, and calling into companion
ship delicious hopes til! then unknown.
Yes—the light of a young maiden’s first
love breaks dimly but beautifully upon her
as the silver lustre of a star glimmers
through a thickly-woven bower; and the
first blush that mantles her cheek, as she
feels the primal influence, is faint and pure
as that which a rose-leaf might cast upon
marble. But how rapidly does that light
grow stronger and that flush deeper—until
the powerful effulgence of the one irradi
ates every corner of her heart, and the
crimson glow of the other suffuses every
feature of her countenance. —Mysteries of
London .
WOMAN’S SPHERE.
Woman Is blest with rights superior to
man. Uer’s is the exalted position to
guide and mould the characters of men
and nations, and to instil into the young
and tender minds of youth, principles, of
honor and integrity. All that is sublime
and beautiful in morals, all that is sacred
in religion, all that renders home dear and
amiable, is made such by the influences
exerted upon society by virtuous mothers.
Corrupt a mother’s heart and character,
and her offspring will reflect disgrace upon
morality, as she lias upon them. Imbue a
mother’s heart and character with moral
and religions sentiments, and her children
will become shining ornaments to society,
as she is to the world. We know not who
uttered the following sentiment, but it
ought to be printed in letters of gold :
“Was not the apostolic injunction that
the ‘woman should not usurp authority
over the man,’ but that she should S /aide
the house P Here then is the sphere in
which woman has rights—rights which I
firmly believe sin: will never yield. It is
undoubtedly hers to guide tho house, and
did we all attend more faithfully to this,
the rum crons well-ordered households,
and well-trained men ant! women, would
speak volumes for the safety of our Union,
and the perpetuity of its institutions.—
Ours is the right to train-sons and brothers
in firm principles of honor, duty and re
ligion, and by our example to show them
the harmony and beauty of each one per
forming in his own sphere the duties which
devolve upon him. The sterner sex, when
barrassed, disappointed and discouraged,
in business or in politics, need the sooth
ing and cheering influence of home, to pre
pare them again to struggle in the tide of
life. And shall we leave the delightful se
curity of ofir own fireside, where we are
shielded from the threatening power of
those billows which man must breast, ven
turing our frail hark upon those waves
which sometimes threaten to overwhelm
the more powerful ones who nobly brave
them to shield us ? Or shall we not rath
er throw an influence so hallowed about
•our family circle, and so inspiring that it
shall go forth with parents, brothers and
friends, sustaining and enabling them to
outride the storms, and at Just safely rest
in that haven of peace which is woman's
true sphere, where she is most loved, ad
mired and respected, and where her influ
ence is always felt —the sphere us home.”
If every woman in our great and happy
country, would adopt the sentiments con
tained in this paragraph, there would he
less dissension and confusion in regard to
“woman’s rights.” The homes of our citi
zens would become more agreeable, more
endearing, and more attractive. There
would he no more jarrings in regard to
who ought to he the proper person to rule
a household, hut each would take their al
lotted sphere ami till their respective po
sitions with credit to their children, to so
ciety at large, and honor to themselves. —
Women’s Rights Conventions would cease,
and those little dear ones at home who
now suffer for want of proper attention,
while their mothers are discussing the pro
priety- of being at home at all or not,
would receive increased care and training,
and this would he a desired desideratum.
Within a few generations there would he
far less fools and senseless coxcombs in the
wo’rl 1, and society would have her giant
statesmen, Herculean artezans, instead of
the present effeminately polished pigmies,
who afflict the world with their cumbrous
existence, and the virtuous and intelligent
with their whining sentimentalism.
THE LADY’S MAN.
Ilis face is eternally wreathed with un
meaning smiles, and when lie addresses a
lady it is always in a strain of absurd non
sense, so that we have often been surprised
that a lady armed with a fan, and so ad
dressed, did not brand the animal on the
spot. If a lady’s man does, by any possi
bility, possess the least degree of common
sense, he takes especial pains to conceal
it, for somehow or other he has taken it in
to his wise head that empty sentimentality
and absurd nothings are the only offerings
fit for the female mind. In order to be
true to wlmt he conceives to he the enter
tainment and amusement ofthe ladies, he
turns traitor to manhood, and so becomes
epicene himself without a just claim to lie
classed with either the male or female sex.
Ilis best qualities are those which lie pos
sesses in common with certain kinds of
dogs—to fetch and carry. Ladies who
laugh in their sleeves at the h> >l, may not
object to the attentions of the servant,
afid so, out of mere commiseration, may al
low him to carry a fan, or escort them to
the opera,, when the men of their acquaint
ance are not accessible. Die lady s man is
sufficiently rewarded for attending them
through a’whole evening’s entertainment,
if they will only’ drop a smile into Ins hat
at parting. AV ith this substantial blessing
he is encouraged to future exertions in this
wide field of masculine ambition. If a
man’s duty to a lady consists in picking
up dropped ban ikerchiets and fans, or
twirling her round to giddiness and ex
haustion in the waltz, “o should, perhaps,
envy tho accomplishment of the mere
lady’s mam — A r . 0> Delta .
~
KjgHVVoman is the morning star of our
south, tho day star of our manhood, and
the evening star of our old age. Besides,
we have thirty’-three stars in our banner.
Heaven bless our stars!
%\t Cempcnuice Crusakr.
PEN FIELD, GEORGIA.
Sntuiday Morning:, February 2, 1856.
jjfW*Manv thanks to friend Ransom, of Newnan,
for fire new subscribers.
To Correspondents.
We have received a communication signed “Geor
gia,” which we would take pleasure in publishing,
but it is unaccompanied bv the author’s name, and
our rules exclude it.
The well written article of ‘Ton” will appear next
week. We hope to hear from him often.
We don’t Wonder at it.
Some ot our Subscribers have complained to us re
cently of not receiving their papers. It does’nt as
tonish us in the least, for they were almost frozen
when they left here, and no doubt they are some
where on the road entirely ‘'friz up’ and unless there
is a change in the weather soon, we shall meet with
the same fate. If any one has ever seen “tougher”
weather in this country than we have had during
this week, let him slide along on the sleet, for he h. s
seen tod much for us.
Send in Your Little Mites.
We are forwarding to o.ur subscribers the amount
of their indebtedness enclosed in their papers, and
beg that they give the matter a few minutes consid
ation.
Publishers can’t live without money, as well as
any other classes of business men, for they have to
pay cash for all of their materials. Many of our sub
scribers are a long way behind in payment, and un
less they manifest some disposition to help us along
we shall have to expunge them from our list, al
though there is but little doubt that they are every
one perfectly responsible and willing to pay. It is such
a small amount they overlook it, thinking it will not
be mi sed—quite an error; suppose all of our pat
rons were to do and say the same things, where
would the Editor be ?
We are not able to publish a paper for some four
or five thousand persons gratis, and we do entreat
our friends to give us a lift. Each one will find his
Bill in his paper, and it will require not exceeding
fifteen minutes to give it due attention, the amount
will not be missed, and will help us abundantly.
“We pause for replies'’
An Appeal for Snakes.
An Article with the above heading will he found
in another column of this paper, from anew contrib
utor, whom we welcome to our list. He has com
menced with an “appeal for Snakes,” and if he can j
in the least degree appease our hatred for the detes- I
table reptiles, and remove our horror for them, then
ve shall “stand for a ‘treat’ of oysters.” When we were
little fellows, we heard the most harrowing negro snake
stories, and had the most terrible dreams of their
crawling up the “bed quilts” ever thought of, and
our superstition is not yet removed.
*■■■•— - - —o
Dabney P. Jones.
We take great pleasure in publishing in this issue,
a letter lrom l ncle Dabney. Our inquiry has brought
him out, and we find him just where we expected to
—standing with unshaken firmness close beside the
Hag-staff of Prohibition, and cherishing with holy
admiration those noble principles which he has for so
many years been attempting to disseminate through
out our country, lie speaks for himself in another
column, and his letter will be read with great plea
sure by the people of Georgia.
He has not only spoken encouragement to us, but
he has franked it with six new subscribers, for which
we sincerely thank him. Would that there were
thousands of such men in Georgia. He proposes to
he one of one hundred, to raise the subscription of
the Crusader to ten thousand this year. Who will
be the remaining 99? There are hundreds of men
in our State, and Temperance men, too, who possess
sufficient iniiuenee to raise a hundred subscribers in
a short time for so cheap a Journal, and we trust
they will consider the matter, and give us the benefit
of their influence. The Crusader is the oply organ
of the Temperance Party in the State, and it is the
duty of Temperance met) to support it. Its cheap
ness places it within the reach of'every individual.
Come to our assistance, Temperance men, and we
shall luxuriate in prosperity, and labor, with utia
| hated zeal for the cause which we all profess to love.
■
Snow Again.
Old Hyeins is down upon us this year in right
good earnest. On Saturday, the 2Cth ult., before the
■previous snow had entirely disappeared, we were
i visited by another, much more severe though not so
heavy as the former. Being very hard and compact,
it presented a very slippery surface, and we exposed
ourselves to no small peril of breaking our heads or
dislocating our limbs in our necessary perambula
tions. Hence it may readily be supposed that we
felt no disposition for sleigh riding or any amuse
ment where the danger was so imminent.
Accidents from Falling.
Mrs. Lansdell, of our village, had the misfortune, j
on Sunday morning, while walking through the yard, !
to slip upon the slept, and by the fall broke the hone I
of her wrist.
Mrs. Hogg, near Penfield, fell upon the snow, and
broke her thigh.
A negro boy, in our town, property of Win. Wil
son, Esq., fell upon his shoulder, and thereby dislo
cated his collar bone.
Numberless, no doubt, are the accidents of this
kind through the country, caused by the slippery
state, in which the ground has been for some days
past. We have received some falls ourself, sufficient
ly “hard” and ‘"supine” to jolt our teeth loose—hut
no bones arc fractured, as yet.
Ready to Expire—two Sweethearts Gone!
“lie she married, and am she gone?
And are they left I all alone?
Oh! cruel fate! and so unkind,
To take they fore and leave I hind.”
You may talk about your high-heeled stone-bruises,
—box-ankle tooth-aches, —diaphragm of the stomach,
and cranium of the head, but did any of you ever
lose two sweethearts at once? If you never cl id,
then you know nothing of tribulation—your path
way has been shaded only by a i arinthinc bowers.
We know what it is to experience such reverses
of fortune. Oh! what a hard stool is ours! One of
our sweethearts has just married and gone, the other
has gone, and we fear will marry soon, We feel
worse than tho
“ ———one who treads alone,
&om© banquet hall deserted.”
Wo feol—we feel—we feel—like—two of our sweet
hearts had gone, and
“Left I all alone.”
The Press-The Great Lever.
“’Twas the vote** of rho Pi-ean on the startle*! oar brosUn.*
In giant-horn prowess, like Pallas ofohl;
’Twas the flash of intelligrenre gloriously waking,
A glow on the cheek of the noble ami bolil;
And tyranny’s minions o’erawod and affrighted
Sought a lasting retreat in t!>e cloister and cmvl
And the chains which bound nations in ages benighted
Were cast to the haunts of the bat and the owl.”
The discovery of the “Art of Printing” broke upon
the midnight darkness of the fifteenth century like
the brilliant “day god” from a clouded sky. It was
the dawning of the brightest era that ever opened
upon the world. When, in its infancy, it was the
Herculean agent that gave efficiency to the struggles
of Luther against the lowering elements of Popen
! which otherwise would even now be hangino- over
|us as a “mighty pall.” It drove its minions within
! the walls of Rome* and hurled defiance at them as
i they cowered beneath the Vatican.
Tts introduction was no less the fruit of genius than
of necessity. When the contemned, derided and
blasphemed Messiah “yielded to death” and bore the
“sin avenging stroke,” he left his spirit to save and
reform. Then Prophets declared his name. The
| Parthian hung his bow—the sacred tires went
| out on Persian hills —and Greeks that trod the
i classic shades and reared high-altars adored the
i unknown God. The Pantheon where enthroned <lo
i mens led the soul to death, was forgotten, and fabled
; Gods mourned their worshippers in neglected shrines,
i But Truth, in its purity, was assailed by black falsc
i hood, and crimsoned error had woven her deluding
dreams over the world; Superstition had counter
feited Faith, and dimmed revelation ; the exigencies
required something more powerful than the human
voice or scribbled parchment, when the immortal
j Faust revealed the Press. At its birth, the world
: awoke from its Jtip-Van-Winkle dreams, and seemed
| refreshed; and falsehood, error and superstition, the
J emissaries of the “Powers of Darkness,” were aghast,
j This mighty engine, baptized at the fountain of Truth,
gave io the world as its first labor, the “Holy Bible”
—the “Book of Books.” .Since its introduction it
Inis been the most powerful instrument for dissemi
nating knowledge, both good and,—we hate to say,—
j evil, that has ever been invented. Though Smith
j field fires consumed the printed page, and fierce n
---i athemas were madly hurled, yet its course was on
ward, destined, like the sun, to radiate the world.—
i Its influence overleaping the giant hills, and crossing
: the billowy seas, spoke to millions dead, and awoke
j the cry of freedom. Tyranny’s chains fell off in rus
i tv links, and the mind, liberated from its shackles,
I began its course. Inquiry stripped tradition of its
| mask—learning stooped to teach the neglected child.
! and science, exploring, led the mind from sphere to
; sphere, to where “systems circle round the Eternal
| Throne,” or in abysmal search, brought wonders
from the caverns of earth.
Where does its influence cease? Its omnipotence
is felt to where Dion trod his bleeding foes to dust
on ancient hills, —on the muddy banks of the Tiber,
to where the Lazarones bask out their days, and
famed Geneva reflects the stars, ft is the great Le
ver that is to move the w*. rid—it shall yet he heard
upon the balmy plain where Brahma leads the Hin
doo to his shrine, —to where China’s millions bow at
their altars, and Japan’s children treads the Christian
cross under foot. Mystic hieroglyphs that hide the
lore of Egypt’s brightest age shall reveal the hidden
thoughts, and mossy monoliths that deck Palmyras*
waste shall be subdued. The whole Cni verse of God
shall acknowledge its power, and the reign of civili
zation grow brighter and brighter, until it merges
into the perfect day. Let every human being con
tribute of their substance to nourish this machine of
intelligence, this residuary safeguard of our liberties.
-
Dark Days,
There must lie dark days in every year; days
| when gloomy mists hang around the horizon, and
the day star wraps his bright glories in a veil of
clouds. And so there must he dark days in human
life; periods of trials and sore affliction, when the
evanescent joys which, fora while, beguiled the soul,
have departed, and Hope seeins to have bid her last
adieu. When the smiles of fortune, which like the
voice of a: Siren lured the trusting Spirit to indulge
in fond dreams of ambition and glory, has changed
to angry frowns, and the heart, buoyant with expec
tation, falls from its high aspirations at the leaden
touch of Disappointment. When the rich warm cur
rent of the soul’s affections, coining in contact with
the icy ledges of the world, flows back upon thy
heart, colder than the waters of Zembla. When
j those, upon whom the richest gifts of friendship have
been lavished, turn away with cold indifference, or
| chilling neglect. These are dark days indeed. Then
; would the desponding one willingly close the portals
| of his sympathies, cut off all intercourse with his race,
i and bury himself in the anchorites cell. The lone
| sea-girt island, or the dreary desert waste, is then a
I wished for spot, w.cro sorrow may have its end, tn~
l seen by human eyes. The noise and hustle of e 4
i joyment around him breaks upon his ear in wilder
j discord than the confused melody of an untuned lute.
| Weary of action, of suffering, of existence itself, he
j feels as if he would gladly resign life and its cares for
j the peaceful quiet of the giave.
Dark Days must come; days which bring neither
I calm pleasure or exhilirating joys; when gloomy
forebodings hang around the future, and shut out
the light of hope, i hen all times and seasons of
by-gone years appear more fraught with happiness
(ban the present. The Sepulchres of Memory yield
up their dead, and events of the past crowd upon the
mind in all their original freshness and beauty. Its
troubles and sorrows are forgotten, while its joys rise
up in melancholy splendor, as the setting sun dyes
retiring clouds in tints of gaudiest hue.
Dark Days must come. The balmy softness of a
vernal morn, or the calm serenity of a summer's eve
cannot continue always. There must he clouds,
winds, rain, raging tempests and wintry blasts to
make up the varying seasons of the year. And so
there must he changes in human life. Despond not
then, if on the ocean of Life, angry waves beset thee,
ami thy bark he driven by adverse winds. Bear up
with patience and resignation. Vigorously strive to
repel each surging billow, and close thy canvass to
the unpropitious breeze. It is in mercy that these
tribulations are sent upon thee. It is thy God who
has made thee to pass through the furnace of suffe^r !
ing, that the worthless dross of earth may be driven
oil, and the soul he prepared for a re-union with its
heavenly essence.
Dark Days must come; but even their darkness
gives promise of future light. The Morning Stav
rises in the darkest hour of night; the rainbows
curves its glittering arch above a flood of fallen w;l
ters. Despond not then, though a darkness surronntL
thee, thick ns that which the Prophets wand called
np on Egypt’s sho.ie. Sickness, pain, and sorrow,
must do their work. The silken cords which bind
the soul to its tenement of clay, must be severed.—
The Spirit must be baptized in the sable floods of
sorrow, must purify itself in the waters of tribula
tion, and pass through the gloomy valley of the shad
ow of Death, ere it can enter the haven of rest, where
dark days are unknown.