Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-03-30
CAUSTIC.
FOR THE
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
Mr.. Peasants,

mr.. Pleasdnts,
Your useful paper is in
general well supplied with political
productions: Will you, therefore.
permit me to propagate a few moral
and physical ideas through the chan
mel OF the Argus?
MY observation of the manners of
the Americans induces me TO believe
that the great source of dissoluteness
which prevails among them, is their
being too much addicted to the use
OF strong drink. This vice fifth
which we are SO irequen ly and s. Sc.
yereiy rsProached by European wri.
ters,) is go expansive in its influence.
that 1t prevents industry, BY debiIita.
ting the constitution 1t precludes
uroanlty IN society, by obliteratire
those nice Determinations OF graceful
oshavl n which can only spring from
a healthy mind: 1t encroacaes upon
social happiness, by de. troying do
mestic comforts and endearmen
and IT ruins the repose of the mind,
by 'nHictlng those mental sings which
are by so much the more acute. as
they arise from the consciousness of
time mispent, OF fortune diss,pa,ed ia
IDLE and WORTHLESS pursuits, and
OF reputation too justly blasted by the
voice OF tie public. The keentst cur
oil all, however, to heart intrin icai-
ly virtaous, and to mind susce Duble
OF hne feelings, is that heat and that
h'ss, which pursue the victim of me
oriatlon IN the voice of the brutal and
the vulgar, whose reprob alton is the
never-iailing signal of general cen
tempt and of general pity.
Drunkenness, has not only moral.
but it'also has deleterious nafxroi
effect; tor 1t destroys more lives icon
sidered as general cause Of disease. !
than any other poison whatever. The
climate of the u. States is so var,a
bic, that it requires the utmost caution
even with the best constitution. 70
guard against sickness. NOTHING
leaves man SO open to the insidious
influences of a variable climate as in.
toxIcatlon.----To-day, perhaps, the
weather Is warm; a man INDUCES
himself Unexpectedly in the use of
ardens liquors; his system is stimu-
lated - the greatest possible tensi.
on. He goes to bed drunk; in the
course OF the night the weather chan.
ges the next morning is cold, and
ms frame, freed from the exci;ement
ut the liquor, Is langaid aud feeble,
Persplrauon is checked by The cold
lever ensues, and not unfrequently
1eath itself is the end of the frolic.
But IL death does not close the sceue.
the victim OF intemperance is incapa.
cltated Tor business: If he is a poor
nan, his family suffers, the conmuni.
y is burthened with new paupsr /;
IN from day 20 day, by this odious
'ractics of "hard dyinkiag," paup RS
IRE ncreased, society is IN this happy
md young C uutry oppressed By in,,i-
tutions for what are cailed charitable
purposes, and the A.nerIcans re-
preached for giving birth to that kind
OF mendicants which, In the ether parts
ot the world, are only produced by
The excess OF population and the ex-
cess OF luxury and voluptuousness.
During. the jate winter, the newspa.
Pers OF We city of Baltimore, in Ma
- laadGe entained the report of mum.
Der OF respectable persons who had
been appointed to visit the several
wards OF that place, to ascertain the
indigsnt and to relieve tn ir wants.
ms rePort stated thlt OF upwards oil 1
Thousand families IN the mos. needy
state, the miseries of the greater por-
non were occasiohed by the improp sr
use OF ardent liquors IA tact SO Oh =.
5r1ceidl 10 my country, that am al.
most ashamed to repeat il.
II the money which ia expended b,
POI persons Ia sTUng liquors wer,
'Psn1 In purchasing hanHeis aud Other