The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-04-20 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

TEE-TOTALISM

We are not teetoallers, because we have not yet read or
seen anything which convinces us that it is our duty totally
to abstain from a temperate use of wine and spirits. We
hold this to be an " open question," to be disposed of by ex-
pediency, or what relates to the peculiarities of individuals ;
we readily admit, however, that the more any one acts in ge-
neral on the " total abstinence principle," he pursues the
safest and wisest course. Nothing can justly be said against
the thing itself ; and the more it can be encouraged by legi-
timate and proper means, so much the better ; but while we
honestly say so, we decidedly disapprove of many exception-
able ways which we have long beheld inconsiderate people
pursuing for this purpose. We have been led to make these
observations at this time by our attention having been lately
directed to a pamphlet containing " Rules, &c, for the Fet-
tercairn Total Abstinence Society." In these rules it is laid
down, " that the members of the society shall consist of all,
of both sexes, above twelve years (of age we presume), who
shall agree to abide by the following pledge or declaration :
" I do voluntarily promise to abstain from intoxicating li-
quors of all kinds, unless as medicines, or in a religious or-
dinance, and will not give or offer them to others, arid, I will,
to the utmost of my power; discountenance and discourage all
the causes and practises of intemperance." A certain num-
ber of office-bearers and managers is then provided, without
the name of any individual being given, with power to make
laws, and to bind and loose members, who are required to
appear personally before them, and also to hold soirees, as
they may see fit ; while a social meeting must be held every
second Wednesday, and the members are admonished in the
following terms :—You must be regular in your attendance
at the temperance meetings." Provision is here made for the
admission of all descriptions of persons, however loose their
principles and practices may be, provided only they be
• above twelve," and take the " pledge." " All of both
sexes," on these liberal terms, may sit together as bosom
companions, without being annoyed with any ticklish squeam-
ishness of conscience 'about the impropriety of being found
where very scrupulous minds might have some misgivings.
Unlike most associations, the names of whose office-bearers
are published to the world, as a test of the respectability of
their character, and a pledge to the public that the interesu
of those who may become connected with them shall not ex-
perience harm, this society draws so largely on the credulity
of the simple, that it deigns not to hold out the name of a
single individual as a guarantee ; it only provides that a cer-
tain number of managers shall be elected at certain times ;
these have power to bind and loose, and make laws at plea-
sure, affecting the rights of families, as well as the liberties
of members of " both sexes." Under the irresponsible au-
thority of this court of unrevealed legislators, the " soirees"
the " social meeting every second Wednesday," and " tem-
perance meetings" generally, must be regularly attended ;
though such meetings may be, as most of such things are,
held under the cloud of night, and protracted to very late and
indecent hours, and attended by many persons of exception-
able principles and character. Few of either sex, particularly
females of any delicacy of mind, we apprehend, would choose
to subject themselves to obligations and associations like
these ; and though some were to agree to place themselves
in a position so questionable, what husband, or father, or
master, of any moral feeling, could permit his wife, or daugh-

ter, or servant, to do so ?
But there is more in it than this. This pledge binds chil-
dren of twelve years of age, when they cannot do a legal act
even with the consent of their parents, and when any pledges,
which they can take, are only such as belong to the nursery
or to the school-room. It also binds the married woman,
without her husband's sanction, although, by law, he " stands

in the situation of guardian" to her, aid without whose con-
sent " all deeds by the wife are null." It binds, too, the
servant, and prevents him from obeying his lawful master or
mistress, if he attends the meetings when he should be doing
his duty to his employer, or if he refuse to give or offer to
others, when ordered by his said employer, the least quan-
tity of wine or spirits, as a harmless act of hospitality. Still
more, it is a snare to the conscience, and cannot, in many
situations, be kept. In the middle and upper ranks of so-
ciety, in which a more generous diet is used than in the lower,
it is impossible for a mistress to order a servant to prepare,
or a master or guest to use, any dish seasoned with any quan-
tity of wine or spirits, however small, without violating this
pledge, if it has been taken, and being guilty of an act of im-
morality, approaching, in some degree, to the crime of per-
jury. Nay, if the liquors which the pledge forbids be really
so evil and so much to be detested as alleged, why should
the use of them be allowed "in a religious ordinance ?" Is
there no sin in giving to God a thing which is too bad to be
given to man !
With so serious objections as these, chargeable against the
rules and pledges laid down in this pamphlet, we cannot ap-
prove of such means of correcting the evil they have in view.
We wish, as much as the most zealous teetotaller can wish,
to see the base and beastly vice of drunkenness banished
from our land ; but we are not for doing evil that good may
come. Let every thing proper be done to promote tem-
perance—nay, total abstinence itself ; but let nothing illegal,
immoral, or impious be done, even for that good end. Non
tali auxilio, nec delensoribus istis, tempus eget.—Montrose
Standard.

Ann, Williamson, from Buenos Ayres, at the Cove
Alert, , from Monte Video, ditto
Jamaica, , from Liverpool for Calcutta, was spoken loth
Jan. in lat. 11 S, long. 31 W
John Garrow, , sailed from St. Helena for Liverpool lgth
February _ —•-

Conte Sesare, Bianole, and Felicity, M'Donald, hence at Rio
Janeiro
Aimwell, Hesse, and James Matheson, Branscombe, hence at the
Cape of Good Hope
Munro, --, hence at Monte Video
Cayman, (iron steamer) hence at Demerara
David Banks, Jolly, hence at Ancona
William Sr Jane, Jones, hence for Rouen, off Havre
Jonge Hendrick, Plukker, hence at Harlingen
Lovely Lass, Watkins, and Orwell, Hadgraft, hence at Helvoet
Egide, Haiwyk, hence at Ostend
Susan, , hence for Monte Video, was spoken Ist April; in
lat. 39, long. 13
Helen Anderson, —, from the Clyde, at Rio Janeiro. and
sailed 26th Feb. for Valparaiso
Bellona, --, sailed from Rio Janeiro for Pernambuco, 20th
Feb. and Scipio, for Bahia, 26th Feb.
Jane Goudie, Goudie, from Alexandria, at Messina, and sailed
22nd March, for Liverpool
Libra, Marie, sailed from Naples 22nd March—Redbreast, Bence,
and Splendid, Dishon, 25th March, all for Liverpool