Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-07-27
From the Philadelphia Recorder.]
Rev Mn. 2IpeELY's address before the Young
Mems Temperance Society Of Philadelphia.

Mems Temperance Society Of Philadelphia.
Mr. PREsIDENr:-I entirely coincide with
the gentleman who has preceded me III consi-
derIng il an auspicious Circumstance, thai me
appeal hich il is the intention oil this society
10 make to the community in which we live is
to be made this day. This is the patriots Ju-
bilee. I, is celebrated through our land. me
young and the old unite in It's rrjoicings-lt
ough, 10 be (and is) honored throughout The
world II is our nations festival. Fhc voice
Of gladness and exulalion will this day be
he ard Throughout our borders. Many all ora
tor will address his fellow eitizens Oh The sub
iecl Of American ind, peudence; and many
prayer be offered up f,r blessings on our co'n-
try. But il is also an humilialing fact, that the
birthday Of our freedom is TOO extensively
made the mad holy-day Of riot and iutempcr-
ance Many mol her will this night blush Tor
the follies Of her intoxlt ed son and many
wife will bow her head in silence and despair,
beneath the reviliugs and curses, and perhaps
the flows, Of her drunken husband. Surely,
then, season which is thus coDsecraled by re-
oollec ions the most hallowed-ennobled by 'hc
most generous feelings and disgraccd by prac-
tees the most dangerous and disgusting, is we'll
chosen for the meeting Of such Society as he
one that have now he honor 10 address
Sir, the Fourth of July has lorg been en-
loved TO commemorate our freedom; but u is in
our power to aim a higher object; for we
may do much al such time to give il perma-
nence. II ever nu, conn ny shall be overthrow,
il will not be by foreign foe. a nation hat
can bring one million Of bayonets into he field,
must ever be in,incibe. The navy Of Great
Britain, and the army Of the Russians, could
not cndanger US. No. The only enemies which
L. Il
within our own borders Slavery is one; aud
the voice of a powerful combination OF f'eemen
will to- day utter its warning in the nations ear.
incompetence is another. sill more awful, still
more alarming. To tina, we speak, and in re-
ference to tina, it is our privilege o ac;.
We have assembled this day for the purpose
Of solemnlv accommodating the encampmenf of
the foe. His hos, has been accurately number
ed-Four hundred thousand drunkards inf, ST our
land Az Amy more active, and more formi-
d Able than hat with wAiCh,he Cois,can invaded
Russia, aud more appalling tnan the combined
forces Of all The world beside for they have
been recruited by the Grea Adversary from
our brothers, who are carrying on a civil war
against us. They are leagued for our destruc-
,iou and their own. II is war Of exte:mina-
ZION tina, they wage. They spare nei her sex
nur age. They destroy every thing useful;
they desecrate every thing holy; they degrade
every thing that is noble in human life The
forces of this terrible enemy are rapidly in
creasing; for they swelle by d~serers from
our own. Men of all classes, from the highes
TO the lowest, are seen fuckng iu mul i,udes
around his bloody banner. They secretly un.
dermine our liberty. They openly aSsail our
laws The very rsmparrs Of the nation rem
bic beneath their blows They are quarte'cd
upon our families; garrsuned in our forts;
some Of them have gained the very CITADEL Of
the country; and they pro(aDe in mulu,udes
the temples of our God.
The terrific enemy, against which, my brc,h-
rem Of the Society, WE have united our strength,
and whose desola ing Course i, will be our
sworn endeavoI TO arrest, is the most ruthless
and ssnsuinary Invader by which any people
ever were harasSed or assaled fle wsdes
through an ocean Of human gore. Thirty thou
sand Of our count,ymen annually foil beneath his
destroying s,0ord And what makes This slaugh,
ter still more awful is, tina, he does not kill
them a, once He first takes them prisoners,
deooys Them within his reach by falsrhood and
dece p,ion, birds them hand aud foot, pre- pares
them for course Of worse than Indian tor
ure, aud having, by process which need not
describe, perverted their inteilects, scared their
con sciences, and polluted their affec IONS Sc nds
them back inn socleiy, (half -bru'e, half, devil)
10 rarge ard destroy. They are filthy as the
viest b. asts, fierce and malignan, when oppos
ed as the tends Of hell; and fitted for no place
IN all creation, but that place which has been
" prepsred for The devil and his angels"
Nor is This army of j. furiare invaders. only
TO he feared because Of the blood which they
pour out as il il were wafer, upon 'he thirsty
ground, The amour, Of property which is
mady and wan,ony destroyed by ,hein, while
they are accomplishing his work of death.
swels our calculation to an amount which is
wonderful and appalling The waste which
is directly produced, when taken in connection
with the indirect results ha, are accomplished
by them in the increase Of pauprrism-the en-
f.ebling Of intrllect-the corruption Of morals,
the value Of the time lost by premature dea h,
and of thai destroyed by the Incidence or nelp-
l., ffl dripk .rIe ha.