Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-09-10
MONTTOR-No. VII.
FOR THE PORTLAND GAZETTE.

FOR THE PORTLAND GAZETTE.
sorths prevailing vices of the age, no one IS nor
,;~rous or destructive to the happiness OF society.
:. attended by more fatal aud bancful consequence
d., ;af,mperaace. As temperance promotes health,
.,re.gtbeus the body, improves the habits ana .
,ssfuI and essential in the culture Of every mora
"a every social virtue, so an unbouDded and un
s..,raoei indulgence Of these licentious Appetite
:. saually subversve OF the Whole. From the mo
r,,t we Weld ourselves IT'S victims, we become To-
,.rv insensible TO shame, descend from the dignity
our species misuse our reason, and by this shame
ri abase of our faculties place ourselves, If pos.
ii. degree lower than the brute creation.
MoraIiss, in the ruies they prrscribc, as, On the
ono hand. they are sometimes too lax, SO on che
oher are they AZ frequently too severe. Some have
entirely forbidden the use Of ardent spirits; but
,rble we endeavour to point out the enoruity OF
tbs nrartice andahe evil and pernicous effects, its
;nov;,abe results we shall be careful not to run in
10 This extremity nor proclaim morality with " an
austery capable Of rendering it odious." Even
the real friends OF virtue and piety, have frequent
" by the rigidty of their maxims, and the gloom
IL which they depicted them, struck nearly a
deep blow, though unaware and unintentionally
Al their roots, their most bitter and nveteratc
onnouents Their ways, competent Judge has
loag since declared, are ways of peasantness, and
al their paths are puths Of peace. Ii used with
aprudent and retrospective caution, spurious
ouors are unauestionaby of much real service, and
e,,ouently attended by beneficial effects. But like
one Of the elements, they are good servants, but,
having gained the ascendancy, they become the
worst Of masters 1t is not their necessary use,
but their unnecessary abuse, against which we pro-
test And in this imputafion we may fairly IN
yolve. not ouy common drunkards, but every one
whom habit leads to this practice oftsner than
H. Oft. cts To- ptnr-
tain an abhorrrnce Of and despisins what they are
ulea,ed to term an excessive and unqualified indul-
rance and tho never seen detected ia state Of
intoxication. The merit many persons OF this des
cription would arrogate TO themselves On this ac-
count i, far from being their just due, but should
fbcnoyyed at all be ascrbed rather to the strength
Of their nerves. as the same, or perhaps, lesser
quantity, would completely Supply, persons posses
sing less strength of constitution and with equal
propriety might the most abandoned vofary CT
Bscchus plead similar excuse 10 extenuation OF
Biz practice.
The enormous quantities OF imported liquors
YEARLY consumed in our country, altho' enriching
vrivate individuals, and augmenting the revenue Of
he ration, are a source of the most inealculabe
ipnry to our citizens. Intemperance makes among
~ the most alarming progres, and assumes the most
denlorab,e aspect. Various means have been doyi-
,ed to remedy the evil, but have, in general, been
attended with comparatively little success. Should
re- even enact code of laws for the purpose Of
hyins a restraint upon, and assigning punish
nent to the incorporate, their result - still doubt
full. L. has been suggested, that the best method
for this purpose would be q thorough dissemination
Of religious knowledge This is so giaring fact,
and a subject of importance, that it calls loudly up
on every real friend to the peace, aad happiness of
the co.nmunty, to exert his utmost influence, aud
uro,o,e to the extent Of his power, an object SO
highly lauiable in its nature, and OF SUCH conse
aueace In its result; For intemperance Is an evil
which law, unsupported by religion, and deep
sease Of human accountability cannot remedy
70 crafty these propensites, sums which would
mere properly have been expended in purchasing
oresd end clothing for their families are frequent
lylaid out BY many in the purchase OF spurious
lauors, whilst children are deprived of their ne
esssary food and rament, to support the parent ~
hs bottle. A child in ragged and ta,terred cloth
Ing is too frequently found to be the offspring Of
intsn,s.rate parents To illustrate this assertion
let US suppose, for instance, that man expends
simple four pence half penny per dayin regaiing
hi.asef on bis favorte liquors. In the course OF
year il will amount to S22 81. This is a moderate
Imposition, though il is positive fact, that more
than i've or upwards Of ten times this amount is
daily expended in many families, who would yield
every comfort and every convenience Of life, rath.
er than deprive themselves of their daily copous Ii
baons to Bacchus.
But there is still more important light in
which this subject is to be viewed. II affects not
merely the habits Of the present, but also OF tie
rising generation and Of posterity. Deprived OF
the presence Of parent whose time is too much
occupied in his favore haunts, to be long at home,
and who even in those hours instead of benehting,
rather corrupts their morals, and poisons their minds
BY The contagion Of his example the children,
nnFcarained and unchecked in their first Essays in
vice and Of which the conduct of a parent affords
ia their eyes a sufficient Justification launch into
Still greater excuses, mngle with the viIest associ-
a,es, iabbe their habits, and thus early lay fouu
daon for life offuture infamy, which may ter
inmate ia al untmely and dsgraceful death. Cir
euasianses of this kind have happened in our own
day, uoder our own observation, and Afford an
awful warning, not only to the openly vicious and
lntenoeraie, but to every parent who is unmind
hl Of the high reposed in him, who fails pre-
senting good example befors his children, neg
lects so essential part of his duty towards them
and thus becomes an accessory aud an aeconP lice
IN their ruin. How many families have been to-
tally raned, thro' the misconduct OF one whose du-
ytt was, not only 60 contribute to their support,
pat to exert every faculty ana power 10 initiate
Them into habits Of virue, end teach them prinei-
PIES which would comp ietely reverse the misera-
n'e and unhappy end in which life OF vice must
inevitably terminate. Unhappy parents thus are
you the authors not only of your own ruin, but
also that of Others. L., the channel of vice. you
asuii not only yourselves, but also your une xpe-
nased and dependent Offspring. v.
iuIa at in her I