The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-10 00:00:00

bestow his suffrage not in accordance with his
conscientious convictions. ,

The Ballot, then, is that to the attainment of
which every Reformer should direct his energies.
Whatever doubt or difficulty might formerly have
existed as to its propriety and expediency must
now be removed. Recent disclosures must con-
vince the most sceptical that such proceedings
require
_a vigorous and decided treatment, and
that, "the Ballot" will alone prove effectual for
their removal.

CRUIESHANK has already given the world his
" Bottle" as a warning against Drunkenness.
He has now presented to it his " Glass" as an
argument in favour of Abstinence. It would be
difficult to afford any adequate idea of the force
of this argument by a cursory allusion to the
pamphlet* through which its humane sentiments
are inculcated—almost as difficult as to convey
any sufficient conception of the woodcuts scattered
among the letterpress by a passing, or we might
even say by the most laboriously minute, descrip-
tion. Fortunately, the wide and well-merited
popularity of the artist-author will command the
attention of a tolerably large division of the com-
munity to the publication itself—attracting it, at
first, by curiosity, and fixing it, at last, by admi-
ration. Fortunately, we say, not because we
ourselves have any sort of complicity with those
very excellent gentlemen who take part in the
Teetotal Associations—entertaining, for our own
part, we will acknowledge it, a kind of instinctive
repugnance for Pledges of every description,
whether given at the hustings or elsewhere—but
because we entertain profound and dispassionate
feelings of respect for every gentle-hearted phi-
lanthropist like Father MATmEw, regarding their
labours as calculated to improve the morality,
and, by improving the morality, to enhance
the prosperity, and increase the happiness of the
population. If we are not mistaken the Tee-
totallers have already their organised organs in
periodical literature. We cannot claim for our-
selves the distinction of being ranked in. the
catalogue of those publications. Having, doubt-
less, a moderate infusion of the OLD ADAM in our,
nature, we confess t 9 a certain appreciation of
the pleasures of conviviality—viewing, not alto-
gether without interest, the movements made
from time to time towards the modification
of the malt tax, or the reduction of the hop
duty, in the Imperial Legislature—observing
with satisfaction the efforts now making with a
view to the ultimate diminution of the imports
levied upon foreign wines ; and to speak more
comprehensively still, in regard to the whole of
the rather delightful question at issue, like Mrs.
MALAPROP herself, fairly owning the soft im-
peachment. Nevertheless, we are always ready
to accord a respectful hearing to those who think
differently upon the subject. We are always
prepared to admit the elevated and generous
motives of those benevolent enthusiasts who be-
lieve that the virtue of sobriety may be the most
effectually diffused throughout society by the
complete renouncement of all kinds of intoxicating
beverages. We believe them to be actuated by
the highest motives of which human nature is
capable, and, while we cannot feel ourselves
called upon to participate directly in their pecu-
liar endeavours to " put down " the vice of in-
toxication, we view their resolute self-denial with
admiration, and form in our mind and in our
heart the most genial estimate of their conscien-
tiousness. We believe that personal participa-
tion in their labours is altogether dependent upon
a man's idiocyncrasy. DOGBERRY, it is well
known, considered reading and writing to " come
by nature." Certainly it must be so to a very
considerable extent with teetotalling ! It must
require a peculiar sympathy like mesmerism, or a
peculiar aptitude like a predilection for the
mathematics. However such things are, and
though they may not " overcome us like a sum-
Iner cloud without our special wonder," • they
command from us, we conceive, a very respectful
consideration.

Everything hitherto recorded as to the effects of
the Total Abstinence movement has proved that
its influence has never yet been injurious, but
that in a variety of ways it has, on the
contrary, been in the highest degree bene-
ficial. That at least must be allowed. Again,
the number of its advocates is no longer insigni-
ficant. It has extended, within the last quarter
of a century (the period during which the system
has been in existence), from " the seven im-
mortal men of Preston," in Lancashire, who
agreed, in 1832, to the proposal that they
should " abstain altogether from fermented
liquors, that they should abstain tee-totally"
(and hence the designation), until the -aggre-
gate amounts nowadays to hundreds of thousands,
or perhaps, indeed, " millions," as here main-
tained by GEORGE CRITIKSHANK. Beyond this,
we find the, system actually—by a magnificent
kind of suicidal magnanimity—encouraged by the
brewers themselves. In illustration of this other-
wise incredible fact,we find our pamphleteer stating,
in a footnote (p. 5), that Mr. BASS subscribes to
a Temperance Society, according to his own ac-
knowledgment—though how the Hon. Gentleman,
the member for Derby, can reconcile the apparent
contradiction of giving the bane wholesale, as it
were, with one hand, while doling out the anti-
dote in dribblets with the other, it would be
somewhat difficult to conjecture. Another cir-
cumstance in connection with the progress made
of late in the Abstinence movement is that very
noteable one, that Teetotalism has secured to
itself, in various quarters, the support of direct
legislative interposition. This interposition ap-
pears to have been brought about by the resolu-
tion of one or two determined municipalities in
the United States—the example of one of these
States, that of Maine, having, it would seem,
' proved very recently so contagious, that it has
resulted in the prohibition of the traffic in strong
drinks throughout the British Province of New
Brunswick, an Act declaring as much having
lately been passed by the local legislature, and
that Act having received the final approval of
the Sovereign. "So that," exclaims Mr. CRUM-
SHANK, with very reasonable ,exultation, when
alluding to this occurrence, " there is now
a portion of the British Empire where the traffic
in strong drink is prohibited by law !" Query—
if he conceived that such a course was to be
adopted in the mother country as well as in the trans-
atlantic possessions, would the representative of
Derby, we wonder, feel himself called upon to encou-
rage the development of the Temperance movement
by personally subscribing to its associations ? It
reminds one of the very agreeable position in which
HOGARTH has placed that unfortunate gentleman
who is coolly sawing away the signboard upon
which he himself is seated astride, in the humor-
ous picture on " Perspective."
Returning, however, to the consideration of the
really important fact of the steady and rapid ad-
vance of the movement made of late years by the
Teetotallers, it must be admitted that one of the
most noteable tributes to their cause recently made
pane, was that which was announced a month or
so back at a public meeting in Exeter-hall, pre-
sided over by Mr. CRIIIKSHANIC. Of that tri-
bute, and consequently of that meeting, the pre-
sent pamphlet is a very delightful celebration. Iti
impresses yet more strongly upon the public mind I
the fact that the New Crystal Palace Company at
Sydenham have resolved not to permit the sale of
spirituous liquids on their establishment; Deter-
mined to do his very uttermost to force the recog-
nition of this conversion in all its indisputable sig-
nificance upon the judgment of the community,
our distinguished humourist--not more humourist
by the way (and we should find it difficult to en-
hance our eulogium) than philanthropist --
GEORGE CRUIKSHANK. has enforced his vivd voce
arguments from the platform by others of a yet
more important, because more diffusable, charac-
ter, those furnished by his facile pen and by his
dwii;tehdiffionitt
not
inimitable pencil. Here, then, is the origin of
44 Thecuts too--cuts
deep and
Glassene'r'g—etainc.d It would
to
bow to the force and justice of the latter, whether
regard be had
to .the more droll or the more
illustrations. After a
ghastly illustra glance at that

* "The Glass and the New Crystal Palace."
By '
CRUIKSHANK. With Cuts. Bvo., pp. 32. Cassell
London. 1853.