The Litchfield County post., 1827-06-28
COUNTY POST.
FOURTH OF JULY.
LITCHFIELD, JUNE e8, 1927.

claraton of Independence" is just at hand; and so
 long as this land shall be the home of Freedom, SD
 long will this day be remembered and its annual
 turn celebrated with joy and gadness. But how ought
 to be celebrated As rational beings who cannot but
 remember that of the fftyve who signed that noble
 instrument of our liberty only has outlved fifty short years: and of the many tens of thousands who
 participated in the sangunery work of defending the
 rights thus claimed, but here and there solitary nd
 vua is left to tell the tale of their sufferngs & share
 in the rights their bravery achieved. This single fact
 viewed in the light of immortality, should deter every
 rational believer in Christian Revelation from spen-
 dug the day it has been too often spent, in
 of roting and excess. Instead of feeling Ea-
 thers felt that in God was their trus and his arm
 alone they leaned for victory, have almost invaria
 bly, appeared to feel unmindful of the Wisdom which
 guided, and the Hand which sustained them in their
 otherwise unequal contest. Men of moral and vrtu-
 ous characters have appeared to feel that licens,
 might, the Fourth of July," be given to almost
 cry species of indulgence; cspec aly to the sin
 of ntemperance. We have frequently thought that
 had country deiied the abled Bacchus, and ascr
 bed to him the glory of our independence we could
 not possibly have honoured him in different way or
 with more zeal, than by pursuing the very course
 ''- ~ ~-.A->~- ~-A'~AsA%
 national birth-day. From the countenance which has thus been given to this species of vice. so completely
 has rot noise, and ntoxication on that day, became
 national feeling that in many places where the more serious members of society have gone up to the House of Godto acknowledge his mercul loving kindness to our fathers and to their children they have been tackled, only with noise and insults, but with brick-bats and clubs, and that with the approba- ton of men, who almost any other day in the year would have joined rather than have opposed this sistant band of fworshippers. Now can suppose puritanca saying that this proclamation of the day, besides being insulting Heaven tends of itself tonal ruin. It becomes foster-father to vice. With the thoughtess and the immoral it becomes day of great joy, because it is day which gives license to every species of indulgence. Not only is its return hailed with pleasure, but other days and of n temperate indulgence multiplied, and entered up- on, until eventually thousands and had almost said millions of our countrymen become literally sons of Bacchus" We are hero forciby led to remark, for the truth and propriety of which appeal every candid and enlightened man in the community. We have been often called, and with much truth, Ga nation of drunkards." We have, as people, ccle- brated the annual return of our Nations Birth dayby an excessive indulgence in intoxicating drinks, and given a countenance and license to all that excess of riot which is the natural consequence of such indu- gence. By so doing, we have, people, forgotten and dishonoured the God fathers instead of rem derng him that tribute of praise and thanksgiving which his mercies required offer upon his altars. We have therefore, as people, virtually denied his Providence in guiding and protecting fathers and attributed the glory of their another agency and and renflv he most vic,-noise, riot, and intorication-If then a " spirit of Intoxicaton'' has been permitted, by an overruling Providence; to march through our ia.sd leaving its sad impress of moral desolaton end death upon thousands of Freedoms fregt sous, have not reason believe that great cause of this judgment is the abuse and proclamation of that day which is celebrated the anniversary of our eountrys freedom I've arc not infdel enough to doubt the continual overriding Providence of God in all the aE fairs of men; much less doubt it in relation to subject ofthis magnitude. The history of the church and ofthe world proves ncontestbly that where sic nal blessings have been conferred upon people, sho have reduited these blessings with signal ngra,itude
 proportional judgments have followed an that too in way of their own choosing. Is not the present de- gree of ihtemperance in our land tremendous judg- mcnt? Ask the thousands of afflicted parents whose grey hairs will go down with sorrow to the grave,
 through the intemperaaee 6, consequent ruin of be. owed son ask th- thousands of broken hearted wid- ows, who have been rendered douhiy desoate by the ntempera:,ce and consequent iafamy and povsry of heir late bosom lords! ask the ten thcusand, of. 'rpaan children who have been left in poverty and wretchedness by the inorinae thirst for spirits which ragged iu their fehc.s breasts and then decide whe-