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For the Temperance Crusader.
AN APPEAL FOR SNAKES.
[concluded.]
In our last article, we discussed, some*
what summarily, two classes of reasons
urged for the extermination of snakes. —
AVe attempted to show, that there is. no
such thing as an instinctive enmity against
this class of animals; and that they pos
sess no magical powers, such as are claimed
in the thousand and one “snake stories” of
the day. Many may think that we have
unnecessarily alluded to these two points.
We have done so, out of respect to the
large number of persons, who really enter
tain such opinions, and who religiously in
culcate them in the minds of their children.
We think them unfounded; and if we have
succeeded in unsettling their faith in these
two points, then the battle is half gained
and we shall look forward to the day, when
snakes will receive like justice with the
other lower orders of animals.
The third class of reasons is founded
upon a belief, that many , perhaps a ma
jority of , snakes are poisonous. As the
whole question really turns upon this point,
we invite particular attention to our re
marks under this head.
The division of snakes into poisonous
and harmless classes, must rest upon the
presence or absence of poisonous fangs.
Poison is never secreted in any other part,
and there is no secretion or exhalation from
their bodies, of an injurious kind, which
can be inhaled or communicated by hand
ling. The fangs are placed in the front
part of the mouth, and are easily drawn
out, by a stick, from the sack of flesh, which
encloses them. Their size, length and po
sition. distinguish them from the common
teeth. In addition, all poisonous snakes,
with .one exception, have thick, clumsy
bodies, bln n't tails, small necks, large tri
angular heads, a deep pit or indentation
between the eye and nostril, and few teeth
(not more than one row) in the upper jaw.
As some harmless snakes have short, stum
py bodies, the shape of the head and neck,
and. the pit between the eye and nostril,
are the best characteristics of those that
are poisonous. Now, using these as guides,
we shall find the number of these exceed
ing small.
In the list of snakes, compiled by Dr.
Hull)rook, of Charleston, for White’s Sta
tistics of Georgia, we .find 33 species, which
are found within the limits of this State.
Os this number, only (1 species are poison
ous—less than one-fifth. In Baird A Gi
rard’s Catalogue of North American Ser
pents. compiled for the Smithsonian Insti
tution, are 110 species, of which only 18
are poisonous—less than one sixth. Below
we have arranged the two classes of the
•e-rgia snakes, under their common names,
> far as known.
POISONOUS.
imled Rattlesnake, Highland Moccasin,
diamond Rattlesnake, or
♦ ii ouncl Rattlesnake, Rattlesnake’s Pilot,
Water Moccasin, Bead Snake.
It A KM LESS.
(Pass Snake, Scarlet Snake,
Black do. Pine or Bull Snake,
Corn do*. Coach-whip do.
Ring do. Green do.
Pilot Bl’k Snake or Racer, Ribbon do.
Chicken Snake, Water do,
Chain ■ do. Do. do.
King do. Do. do.
Ilelicops Erythrogram- Copp rbelly,
mus, Garter Snake,
Horn Snake, Grass do.
Ground do. Hog-Nose,
Calanaaria Elapse idea. Black Adder,
Brown Snake, Spreading Adder.
* Gopher Snake.
The snakes of the first class are so coin-
Mionlv known, that we need call attention
to none, except the last. This, the Bead
Honke, is about 2 1-2 to 3 feet long, slender,
anil its body is made up of red and black
vino’s, 14 to 19 each. Its fang is immove
able, its head and mouth small, and its bite
so-insignificant, that, but for the possession
of sanes, it would hardly he ranked in this
class. 1
Os the snakes in the second class, the
poisonous qualities ot the Glass snake, as
well as its power of re-uniting its several
parts, when broken by a blow, are mere
matters of tradition.
The Horn snake is equally harmless.—
Its tail tapers to a fine point, but has neith
er horn nor poison-sack.
The Green snake has a bad name, be
cause of its unfortunate color. By many,
all poison is supposed to he green, and,
conversely, every thing green must be poi
sonous. The caterpillar, that, in anger or
fear, ejects from its mouth, a greenish drop,
ns harmless as water, becomes, in their
♦ ■ves, a terrible monster. The Grass s*nake
is much more formidable, for he is so full
of poison, that it lias penetrated his whole
system and colored Ii is very skin.
Besides the Copperbelly, there are three
water-snakes, which are confounded with
the Moccasin, but which are entirely harm
less. “With a little practice, they may he
easily distinguished by their brighter co
lors and more cleanly appearance.
The three Adders, black, spreading and
hog-nose, are, also, incapable of harm.—
They have a threatening appearance, but
it is a means of defence, given them, by
the Creator, to the exclusion of more dan
gerons weapons. Every person, accustom
ed to going into the fields, has trodden near
their heads and been frequently exposed
to their bite, and, yet we have never known
one to be bitten by an Adder. This sin
gular exemption is explained, when we
search for fangs and fincf none,but the com
mon teeth, intended for catching and hold
ing their prey.
In the above classification, we have done
violence to the common belief on this sub
ject, but vve are -sustained by every natur
alist, who has studied these animals in per
son, and by every intelligent man, who has
risen so far above early prejudices, as to
give the matter an impartial investigation.
And this is all that is required to set the
question at rest. The generality of per
sons have received their faith from their
fathers, and, in the absence of proper tests
for satisfying their own minds, have help
yd to propagate error, which a moment’s
•personal examination would dissipate. It
A a n ewv matter to determine, which have
fangs and which have not, and we trust
that our readers will have the manliness
and hardihood (for it requires both) to sa
tisfy their own minds and to spare the rep
tile, that, however loathsome and threaten
ing, yet has not power to harm a child.
You will thus feel greater security in
your own person, and will save the lives of
many, which will help to exterminate the
Moccasin and Rattlesnake.
Dennis.
Penfield, Feb. 4, ISSG.
H §1 Iffll l m
For the Temperance Crusader.
LETTER FROM FATHER GRISHAM.
Canton, Ga„ Jan. 24, 1856.
To the Editors of the Temp , Crusader :
In your issue of 19th inst., the first num
ber which has reached me, I find under the
Editorial head the following:
“Where is Joe Grisham —Dabney Jones,
and Ben Brantly ?”
With due respect, I respond to the enqui
ry. lam here !! Although laboring under
bodily pain and debility, have not been idle.
In October I attended the Grand Division,
and tried to rouse them to action, but the re
sult of the election paralized all effort there.
On my return I sent you notice of a propo
sition to be one oftwenty to pay one hun
dred dollars each to employ a State Lectu
rer. I have had one, and only one, to re
spond ! I published in the Republican and
Discipline an offer to be one of twenty to
pay each five hundred dollars to purchase a
Press and materials to print Tracts and a
Periodical, to supply the Lecturer, and all
Prohibitionists with papers and tracts !
Two Printers have proposed to contribute
labor, but no man as yet has offered money !
Hearing that General S. F. Cary,has been
at Columbia, S. C., and addressed the Leg
islature on the cause of Prohibition with
good effect, and had gone to labor in North
Carolina, 1 addressed him a letter at Ral
eigh, inviting him to come to Georgia and
help us—and proposed if he would make
two or three speeches to the Legislature,
and as many at Atlanta, I would pay the ex
penses of himself and wife. (On asking sev
eral friends if they would help, the unani
mous reply was No!) Although Brother
Cary cannot come, 1 am not disheartened
Why should Ibe ? “We shall reap in due
time if we faint not.” I send you a copy of
Gen. Cary’s letter, which by publishing,
your readers will see that neither Gen. Ca
ry, myself, nor the Sons of Temper once are
yet dead, and though we may die, the cause
will not, till God shall have accomplished
His purpose.
Salcm, N. C. Jan. 8, 1850.
Red’d and Dear Bro. —Your very kind
and flattering letter directed to Raleigh,
reached me here last evening. Nothing
could afford me greater pleasure than to at
tend your meeting—but my engagements
are such that this pleasure is out of the ques
tion.
1 sympathise with you, my venerable and
beloved brother,in your unrequited and gen
erous efforts, to promote the cause in Geor
gia, Unfortunately, there are but few Jo
seph Grishams in Georg'a, or elsewhere,and
were it not that our cause was the cause of
God, and that He will not permit it to fail, I
should long since, have left the held in dis
pair.
Keep on the harness, my dear brother,
and God will reward you in this life and
that which is to come.
Mv tour through North Carolina has, been
attended with blessed results. Divisions
have been reorganized, with large numbers
ol the right kind of men, wherever they had
broken down, and large accessions made
where they were feeble. At Ashvili£, we
initiated 76 new members in two days, and
this is but a specimen of my work. 1 make
it y first object to show the necessity and
constitutionality of Prohibition; then show
them the importance of organization to se
cure Prohibition, and then point them to the
Order as the only hopeful instrumentality.
In a few days i leave this State and go to
Virginia, and hence home. My labors have
been arduous beyond all former precedent,
yet God has blessed myself and wife with
excellent health.
My partner in foil sends her best regards
and kindest wishes to you.
May God bless you and permit you to
live to see the land redeemed from the curse
which you have labored and prayed to re
move.
In haste, your liro. in the cause of Truth.
S. F. Gaily.
Rev. Jos. Grisham.
You must now know my whereabouts !
It is for you, the young Joshua, to muster
the forces! Appoint your day. and place;
it able I shall be there ! 1 have lost none
ot my zeal, my faith is unshaken, and hope
to remain sled last to the end.
Joseph Git isham.
.
For the Temperance Crusader.
VACATION IS GONE!
Heigh-ho! how soon vacations pass.—
Like angels visits, they are few ami far be
tween; like them, they keep away during
their continuance, the evil spirits that mo
lest us poor girls.* We may, then, enjoy
some peace, quiet, seclusion. We may go
to church without having to force our way,
going in and coming out, through a dense
crowd\f students, congregated at the en
trance-laughing, talking, criticising our
apperance, and enjoying our embarrass
ment; may sit at ease on our seats, spared
the annoyance caused by the steady and
impertinent stare of a score of unmannerly
eyes, our ears not plagued by the mingled
sounds ot mirth and whispering while the
choir is singing; our sense of decorum not
outraged by restlessness, yawns, and other
indications of inattention to the sermon.
In vacation, promenades are not interrup
ted by ditches bereft of their bridges; par
ties are neither saluted by miserable cari
catures on gentlemanly serenades, nor edi
fied by weak, gosling like imitations of the
Shanghai’s note. The henroost exults in
comparative safety. Turkeys understand
the periodical change, and strut forth be
yond their prescribed limi|s in conscious
security. But what i<? the-feeling of relief
experienced by these dumb creatures to that
which thrills the pulses of living, breath
ing girls '{ Out miniature fetiiality breathes
Ireer, lives freer, laughs freer, and enjoys
incnbns. that ordinarily confines its soaring
spirits. At night, it is so much more p ea
sant to sit in one’s own easy little chamber,
weaving into fantastic textures the silent
fancies suggested by the cheerful 1
in and the whistling winds without, than to
pass-wearily, hour after hour, in the dull
parlor, endeavoring to amuse and interest
some student visiter who will neither be
amused nor interested ; or what is worse,
drumming the piano out of tune over march
es, waltzes and polkas, that afford no mu
sic to his unmusical ear. What a relief to
see him take his leave! Again, it is such
a luxury to be free, all day and all night,
from filthy tobacco smoke, from boisterous
and uproarious mirth, from rude songs,
from foppish affectation, snobbish imperti
nence, and other harrassing attendants of
boarding house life.
But vacation is gone! The little Miss
with bright eyes and happy face walks
briskly and eagerly to school, for she is go
ing to her beautiful grove and play-ground,
and knows nothing of the cares of her older
sister. The Penfield Daily has, again and
again, discharged upon the town its whoop
ing, swaggering, blustering burden. The
morning prayer-bell that waked us rudely
from the pleasant dreams of overnight, to a
bleak, cheerless, matter-of-fact winter’s day,
waked us more rudely from the more deli
cious dream of vacation to a long term of
un dreamy, unpoetic, but inevitable incon
veniences. Noise is again heard in our qui
et village. Turkeys shrink to their former
insignificance and dare notshow their bends
abroad where lately they rioted in undis
turbed freedom. Henroosts quake. Shang
hai’s tremble, lest their two-legged breth
ren monopolize their occupation. And —
alas! that mine should be the pen that re
cords it—the girls are deprived of their
short-lived exemption from annoyance.
Lola Lapdog.
Penfield, Ga.
For the Temperance Crusader.
EDGAR ALLEN POE.
Poetry is undoubtedly the grandest at
tainment that, the Author of nature has be
queathed ,to man. It has been the channel
through which the talented of all time have
poured forth their golden oracles for the de
light and instruction of the human race. It
is the God-like part of man which bursts
through the earthly form, and shines for a
moment in the bright radiance of the Eter
nal. It is the innate man that beats in uni
son with nature. Wherever the hand of
the Creator has scattered forth beauty and
sublimity, it is there that the soul of the true
| poet finds an object to rouse his feelings.—
In the beautiful and sublime, there, poetry
catches its inspiration. The boundless uni
verse. the storm-tossed sea, the starry mid
night, and all thatexpands the mind, elevates
the soul and bids the affections claim affinity
with trie godhead, are the scenes of its pe
culiar choice. Not only in the material
world does poetry find objects worthy of its
study, but it views with admiration every
noble action. Wherever the Godlike and
the heroic appears, it is there, that the God
dess of Poetry delights to dwell. It chron
icles the magnanimous deeds, and with
words of celestial glory .clothes them with
immortality.
These thoughts have naturally occurred
to us in reading the poetry of Edgar Alien
Poe Whatever may be said of bislile.it
matters not, he was a true poet. Ah, the
truest that America has yet produced Let
the evils of his life rest in the grave, ile
has produced works that would redeem a
life of darker stain.
The chief characteristic of his poetry
seems to be a deep-seated melancholy and a
dark foreboding. It rests with its sombre
weight upon all the golden beauties that
have issued, like brilliant scinilations of ge
nius, from his pen. Indeed, it is to this pe
culiarity that his poetry owes its principal
charm. In the death of an adored and an
gel wife we are to trace the origin of this
gloomy melancholy. It is
“The fatal remembrance —the sorrow that throws
Its black shade alike o'er his joys and his woes—
To which life nothing darker or brighter can bring,
To which joy hath no balm, affection no sting.”
In all the poems written subsequent to the
death of his wife, frequent mention is made
of the last one. To the lovely image of the
“Lost. Lenore.” he pours forth the homage
of a gloomy and sensitive nature. The
sweet lines, “To one in Heaven,” is an elo
quent tribute to the memory of the loved
and lost.
•‘The Raven,” is his principal poem, and
we think it is his best. The melody of these
lines is the sweetest that the hand of genius
ever produced. It is too familiar to quote
entire, but we cannot refrain from giving
one stanza. The melody of this whole po
em is unsurpassed, notice the first two lines
particularly,
“And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each pur
ple curtain,
Thrilled me —filled me with fantastic terrors never
felt before ;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood
repeating,
‘Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my cham
ber-door,
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my cham
ber-door ;
This it is, and nothing more.”
There is a melancholy sweetness about
these hues that haunts the mind of him, who
inis re.id it once. Let the shadows of Iwt
light steal round him and the mournful dirge
of “never more” is continually ringing in his
ears, like fancies from the spirit world. We
seem listening to the voice of a syren in some
old deserted cathedral, surrounded by thq
gloom of a dense forest, where the winds is
heard sighing through the trees, and all be
sides is still and hushed. Yet with all this
melancholy we dearly loved to listen to his
sweetly sounding lyre and ponder with de
light over his mysterious.beauties.
“Annabel Lee” is another gem of poetry.
Annabel is represented as liis bride, so pure
and beautiful that the angels in Heaven en
vied him her love, and bore her away to
their home in the clouds. As an image of
artless love, there is no poem that surpasses
it in the English language,
The. hand that penned these sweet lines is
now withered, and the heart that trembled
with melody, is now hushed in the quiet of
the grave. Butliis memory can never pass
away ; no,,not while we have hearts to ap
preciate his genius, and pens to perpetuate
equal behind, we
will cherish his name. Let ns say with one
who loved him while living, and wept over
him as a sister when dead,
“Let the turf.press lightly on him,
Lay his lyre upon his breast; *
And the laurels fame hath won him,
Hang them o’er his place of rest.”
lon.
For the Temperance Crusader.
Friend John ll. , —Having some sympa
thy and acquaintance with vour position
and character as a young pioneer in Edi
torial life, induces me to contribute a few
incidents to relieve the monotony and to in
vest variety and spice to congenial (not ar
dent) spirits. Hoping the contribution will
pay the investment, I pass, believing you
will taste before condemning it.
I will remind you that this is the Capital
of Alabama, and the Legislature is now in
session. I have just visited both Houses,
and find no important matter on hand, it
being the morning session—which was de
voted to reading bills, &c., and were alto
gether local in character. I waited, how
ever, for Nebraska Bill to come up (which
he did not do) that I might make the
Liou in the fight. He is certainly an inde
pendent character, and the wildest Bill I
ever knew. Perhaps it was a scare given
him that, pitched him before the Georgia
legislature, for I see he is tliar. lam at
times bewildered in canvassing the human
character. It is passing strange that men
of talent, and statesmen, should pitch up
on Bill for a fight before any General As
sembly, when the Compromise Act puts a
quietus, as an ultimatum, upon his future
state. I will mention, the members com
posing the General Assembly are a hetero
geneous mass, with intellects varied as
their physiognomies, and how the vanity
of some got the advantage of their better
judgment, to offer as members, is certainly
a problem. Ido not intend to sav there is
no genius here; not so, for there is some
very respectable talent among them, and
as old man McKinney used to say, “I gan
ny, now you hear me.” If you wish me
to institute a comparison, so far as intel
leet is concerned, I will say it is on tother
side of Jordan —Georgia has it; that is, if
lam any judge. It is the talent of Geor
gia that gives her character and position
among States, and it is our father land
too, that makes her the “harp of a thou
sand chords,” making her the Empire, of
the South.
I promised you at the start, variety; the
spice, you will perceive, is in the sudden
transition from one subject to another—my
style and manner being native, not foreign
effusions. You must catch the idea as the
goose spreads out —for she never adds on
a prefatory. Fancy is on my heel, wish
ing a description of the city. Presuming
she might go into paroxysms, I hav’nt got
a word to say. It is Peel’s Minstrels and
the Circus music that is putting me through
to close. Respectfully, Oconee.
Montgomery, Ala., Jan. 29,1856.
aiagMgniiinHi> i ri r,,-.™ ~
LABOR AND REST.
“Two hands upon the breast, and labor is pash”
Russian Proven).
“Two hands upon the breast,
And labor’s done:
• Two pale feet crossed in rest —
The race is won:
Two eyes with coin-weights shut,
And all tears cease :
Two lips where grief is mute,
And wrath at peace.”
“So pray we oftentimes, mourning our lot;
God, In his kindness, answereth not.”
Aye, when life seems a burden too great
to he borne, and when the sky of the soul
is dark, without a sun or a star —when the
pilgrim on life’s highway feels ready to
sink clown without ever gaining a glimpse
of the dear Mecca the eye had hoped to
see, and when all friends seem to have for
saken and the ties of nature seem torn
asunder, then the prayer goes up to hea
ven, to take us away from the earth and
give peace and rest —“hut God, in his kind
ness, answereth not.” It is a part of our
being to mourn, at times, and to look upon
all that surrounds with gloomy forebodings,
as if all was indeed dark; and it is well
perhaps; for when hope dispels the clouds,
the heart leaps.with lively joy and the eye
kindles at the glorious prospect that bends
above of golden sunlight and skies of blue.
How glorious is the dawning of the better
day that cheers after the dark night of the
mind! The pathway of the pilgrim is beau
tiful, with sunshine and flowery hemmings
—there is a sweet music thrilling the harp
of the heart, and the distant Mecca glows
with a resplendent light, from architrave
to dome, that cheers the pilgrim on his
way. We all have a Mecca in view, and
we are all pilgrims bending sometimes with
heavy steps to its sacred
of the Age.
-
WOMAN’S LOVE.
Oh ! the priceless value of the love of a
true woman ! Gold cannot purchase a gem
so precious ! Titles and honors confer upon
the heart no such serene happiness. In our
darkest moments, when disappointment and
ingratitude with corroding care gather thick
around, and even the gaunt foi m of poverty
menaces with his skeleton finger, it gleams
around the soul with an angel’s smile. Tune
cannot mar its brilliancy, distance hut
strengthens its influence, holts and bars can
not limit its progress, it follows the prisoner
into his dark cell and sweetens the homely
morsel that appeases his hunger, and in the
silence of midnight it plays around his heart,
and in his dreams he folds to his bosom the
form of her who loves on still, though the
world has turned coldly from him. The
couch made by the hand of a loved one is
soft to the weary lunbs of the sick sufferer,
and the potion administered by the same
hand loses hall its bitterness. The pillow
carefully adjusted by her, brings repose to
the fevered brain, and her words of kind en
couragement survives the sinking spirit, It
would almost seem that God, coinpass on
aling woman’s first great frailty, had plant
ed this jewel in her breast, whose heaven
like influence should east into forgetfulness
man’s remembrance of the Fail, bv building
up in his heart another Eden, where peven- j
nial flowers forever bloom, and crystal wa- I
ters gusli from exhaustless fountains.
Cj \t Canjtrantt fasator.
PENFIELD, GEORGIA.
Saturday Morningr, February 9, 1856.
To Printers,
A good Compositor is wanted at this office, to
whom a permanent situation wifi be given. Apply
immediately to J. T. Blajn.
—
Receipts,
The want of space has unavoidably crowded our
receipts out of the present issue. They will appear
in our next.
Thanks for Clubs,
We return many heartfelt thanks to the following
patriotic friends, for clubs of new subscribers: Rev.
A. Adkins, of Republican; Rev. J. D. Wilson, of
Talbotton; and Mr. J. S. Fowler, of Warrenton.
To the Students.
We are under many obligations to the Students of
our College for their kind assistance in helping to
circulate our paper. Many of them have brought
us lists of new subscribers which helped our feelings
amazingly.
We hope our friends abroad will take an interest
in us, and circulate our paper among the people.
—
hlereer University.
The presence of the Students, and the ringing of
the bell has again given an appearance of life and an
imation to our village. The exercises of our Univer
sity were resumed on the first inst., under very favor
able auspices. Most of the old Students have re
turned, and a very respectable number of new ones
have been added. At no period during its history
has the University offered greater facilities to those
wishing to obtain the elemenls of a thorough educa
tion than at present.
‘ On .
Correspondents,
We present our thanks to “Wifi Weeney” for his
well written, chaste, and eloquent contributions, and
beg a continuation of the same.
Our thanks are also due “Emmie Emerald,” for her
elegant and tasty articles, and we trust she wifi con
tinue to favor us with them.
To our esteemed correspondent W., we would
say “Shy Boots” is respectfully declined on account
of its length, the difficulty to make heads or tails to
it, and because of its containing too many subjects.
We hope to hear from him again soon.
The “Reminiscences of a Methodist Preacher,”
from our highly esteemed correspondent, is respect
fully declined, for several reasons. We hope to hear
from her again soon.
To all of our correspondents we would say, “be
short.”
Female School.
We are mote than happy to learn that our Female
School has opened encouragingly, considering the
extreme bitterness of the weather. Mr. Dickinson is
a man of the proper spirit—talented, energetic, and
| living only in the present. We sincerely trust that the
| School, under his administration, may flourish pro
digiously.
Our people in the vicinity must send in their
daughters, and help us to build up a prosperous
Mecca of female trailing.
Miss Anna E. Macon “has charge of the Musical
Department, and we cordially recommend her as ful
ly competent to do ample justice to her pupils. Her
Musical talent is most excellent, and her desire (o
please and instruct, overflowing. She will exert her
self in behalf of her pupils, and we bespeak for her
the patronage of a!! those who have any desire for
their daughters to learn Music, the great and indis
pensable accomplishment of the age.
—
Stop Papers.—Settle Arrearages.
Persons ordering their papers discontinued, must
invariably pay up all their dues. We shall not strike
off any subscriber’s name who is in arrears.
Liberal Offer.
Any person sending us five new Subscribers, ac
companied with the “rhino,” shall be entitled to an
extra copy of the Crusader for one year. Orders for
our Paper must invariably be accompanied with the
cash to receive attention.
“Unole Dabney. 55
We have received a very interesting letter from
our esteemed friend, Rev. D. P. Jones, which a press
of matters prevents our publishing. He has been
making an excursion tlirohgh Campbell and Carre
counties, but at the time of writing had been com
pelled to take “port from stress of weather.” But
the coldness and inclemency of the season has notin
the least cooled the ardor of his zeal for the Temper
ance Cause. So long as he is able, be wifi think,
speak and act for the Cause nearest his heart. The
friendship and assistance of such men as “Uncle
Dabney” are indeed encouraging to a laborer in the
Temperance field.
Valentines ! Valentines i!
We would invite special attention to the Adver
tisement in this paper of Benj. G. Liddon, Esq., of
Madison; offering to those who deal in the ‘commod
ity’ called “Love,” the largest and most splendid as
sortment of Valentines ever before offered in Middle
Georgia. lie is prepared to fill orders at prices from
five cents to twenty dollars.
To those who desire such articles for the approach
ing ldth, we would say they can have their fancy,
however cultivated or vitiated it may be, gratified at
the Madison Book Store. The Proprietor has on
hand every variety, from the most farcical to the
most superbly gorgeous and artistical.
See his flaming and attractive Advertisement in
this Paper.
Splendid Daguerreotypes.
We were shown, a lew days since, by Mr. G. M.
Ihomas, an Artist, at this time in Greenesboro, some
specimens of his skill in the Art, and we have
no hesitancy in saying they were superior to any we
have ever seen. His pictures are drawn to life—ev
ery delineation of the original is presented with ac
curacy and distinctness—and the individual is made
to appear as if protruding from the plate, and thus re
sombling a person in vita.
We were unable to discover a single objection to
the specimens, and^would say to the people of the
community that they now have an opportunity of
securing correct likenesses of themselves, or their
children.
Mr. Thomas will remain in Greenesboro but a
short time longer. Give him a call—you will find
him an accomplished and accommodating gentleman.
Rooms over Smith & Hall’s Store, Broadway, Greones
boro.
Who are They?
Almost every mail brings us information of foul
and inhuman murders committed by persons while
under the influence of strong drink. Who are they,
against whom the blood of these victims will cry out
to Heaven ? A heavy retribution will undoubtedly
be called on the heads of those whose hands held the
fatal weapons. But a much greater weight ol con
demnation must be passed on those, who, with poi
son, a poison which dethrones reason and destroys
the sensibilities, impelled them to their deeds ofhor
ror and shame. These are the real murderers, who
untouched by Law', and unharmed by public opin
ion, yearly commit thousands of the most shocking
crimes which imagination can conceive. Supported
by their licenses and sustained by legislative enact
ments, they, pour over the land a dark flood of death
and mockingly laugh at the efforts of philanthropists
to stay its course. Rolling in the pomp and luxury
which the price of blood has purchased, they knew
not, and care not, of the misery, destitution and suf
fering which they produce. The wail of anguish
from widowed mothers, or the cry of suffering from
her hungry children, never fall upon their ears- or
if it does, it is upon ears forever sealed to the voice
of mercy. They will flatter and caress the wretched
sot for his last dime, and when that is spent, they
wifi drive him from their door, even though the pelt
ing storm is raging with relentless fury without.—
They reduce the man of worth and respectability to
the lowest depths of degradation, and then pour upon
him their contempt and obloquy, though his shame
and ruin are but “the workmanskip of their own
hands.” Like the fabulous vampyre, they prey upon
the very life blood of society, but unlike them, they
never become satiated or gorged by their horrid food.
These arc they, to whom the Politicians pander,
‘and cringe, and pay flattering compliments and oily
words, not omitting material bribes to gain their in
fluence among “the dear people.” They take away
reason, judgment and common sense from the sover
eign voters, and entirely annul the freedom of elec
tive franchise. These are they through whose in
strumentafity men are sent to our legislative halls,
udiose heads would entitle them to berths in the asy-
— j
lum, and whose principles ought to send them to a
felon’s cell. They utterly destroy all religion, honor
and truth by their hellish machinations, and make
justice a mere nullity in the land. They disorganize
or derange every portion of the system of govern
ment, and spread throughout it anarchy and confu
sion. Yet these men, not only go unpunished, but
are protected by Law- and sustained by Legislative
enactments. And when we would fetter or destroy
this monster of ruin and destruction, our politicians
give us a boisterous harangue, full of patriotic senti
ments, about “ 'freedom ” and “ independence ,” and
“our forefather’s bleeding and dying for liberty,”
and our wishing “to take away the rights of the peo
ple,” and many other things which may amuse us
by their extreme simplicity, but provoke disgust bv
their shallow sophistry. That men of good sense,
when free from prejudice should be convinced bv
such reasoning, we cannot believe. Yet such are the
only arguments behind which the opposet sos Prohi
bition intrench themselves. Prejudice, a strong,
overgrown prejudice controls the mind of men, and
prevents them from reasoning with calmness on this
important subject.- But when does this prejuSfee
arise ? Does it take captive the man in his mature
years, and hold him thus fast in its iron grasp? No!
it is formed in his early youth, and “grows with his
growth and strengthens with his strength.” The
rumseller takes the timid, unsuspecting youth, while
yet the smile of innocence lingers on his countenance,
and soon instills into him principles, and impels him
to deeds, which would bring a blush to Satan’s cheek.
The dramshop yearly saps the constitution, destroys
the intellects, and corrupts the morals of thousands
of promising young men, and consigns them to un
timely graves in the spring time of life. It is at this
period of their lives that intemperance makes her vo
taries, and forever darkens their prospects and blights
their hopes. How many young men whose brilliant
talents might have told upon the destinies of the
world ; whose eloquence might have commanded the
applause of listening Senates, have had their ener
gies crushed, ffeir career checked in the very outsef,
and their usefulness forever destroyed bv this dread
ful scourge. 0 thou foul seducer of youth, and de
stroyer of human virtue, long, dreary, and inglorious
has been thy reign upon earth. Reason, mercy, and
humanity demand thy expulsion, nor would justice
prolong thy days. Ihe souls of thy ruined victims,
as they whistle through the gates of hell, shriek back
a long and bitter curse upon thv name. All good
nn n shall rejoice when thou art no more, and thy
knell shall ring in joyful peals throughout the world,
i ne requiem of thy departure will be a loud Tc Deuni
sung by lioerated thousands which rising up in one
full chorus, will make Heaven’s high welkin ring.
*
-
The Arbitration Bill,
M e are indebted to our able and efficient Senator,
Hon. I. H. Cone, for a copy of his Arbitration Bill,
which wifi be found in our present issue. The Bill
we think a good one ; one which our has long
needed, and which brings justice within the reach of t
every man. True, it would appear to some extent
to eonil ct with the interest of the legal raternity,
but it would benefit the mass of the People more
than it could injure the Lawyers. Were the provis
ions of this Bill carried into effect, the poor man
might obtain his just rights without reducing him
self to beggary by paying Lawyers’ fees, and piles of
law papers ot “Jarndyce and Jarndycc” would be
unknown. *
Rum is not a Gift of God.
1- rom the hands of that benevolent Being who sit
tetli upon the “circle of the universe,” directing the
destiny ol the human family, we receive nought to
injure or molest us, —all of his dispensations are for
our good, and that only—and all of his gifts are for
our happiness while upon the earth. Those mighty
engines of human destruct ion which damn our earth
and obscure Heaven, are of human origin, and hu-
man invention; and Rum, the great Sire of them all
was conceived, concocted, and created by man, foi
no where in creation can it be found among the gifts
ot our Heavenly Father. The following beautftulj
paragraph upon this point we find among our scis
sorings:
“W e affirm that in all the world—nay, in all the
universe of God, there is not a lake, a river, a stream
let or a fountain, of intoxicating drinks. There is
no such thing in nature. Water, God has every
where given, spread it all over the world, sent it
down from the eiouds, sent it bubbling up from tn#
earth, made it journey in ceaseless activity in rilfc
and streams and great rivers, towards the ocean.—\
He has, wherever man can live, given it to him atT
his very door, but intoxicating drinks he has pro vi ”
ded no where on the face of the whole earth, f hat
‘gift,’ whether ‘good’ of evil, is not the gift of God,.
but the invention of man—an invention that has de
stroyed more lives, desolated more homes, occasion
ed more sorrow and anguish, than war, pestilence
and famine combined. It may by many be thought;
a questionable policy to deprive men of the use of it
by legitimate enactment, but to call intoxicating
drinks the ‘Good gift of God’ is an abuse of terms,
and a burning reproach against the benevolence and
holy attributes of the Deity.”
•„ * ... J