Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-07-27

&C. l, would build college in every State,
an academy Cor every county, common school
for every township, and church Tor every pa
rsh in the United Sra,es. 1t would make the
| streams OF knowledge as copious, as free, and
as refreshing, as the rivers that roll INTO The
sea. And surely Mr.. President, if such an
amount of property is annually wasted or swal
lowed mp by The drunkards Of This country, it
may we'll be said, that their ,hroats are an
open sppulchre."
need no, de,ain you, sir, by further dis
cussion Of the evils Of inlemperanoe.
Go to our hospitals, and you will lind that
more than one third Of the maniacs Of this
! country are reduced to that most deplorable
condition by intemperance Go to our poor
houses, and you will be Informed that some
Thing like, iwo-thirds Of our paupers are redu>
cet o rags and wrcichedness, and thrown upon
the charities If tie public by incompetence
Many drunkard, as his eye rests upon the
splendid habita,ion which our charity has
erected 10 receive him. af,er he has wasted a
little more p -operty and drank little more
rum, asts off al Care for 10 morrow, and thanks
God for the poor house As he surveys the
afnmcnce tia, srrr"und, hin, he remembers
that he has tile to portion OF that property;
g portion 'ha i suffi lent TO maini ain him -
Aye and under h laws of the country, he has
such title as certain and well secured as If il
came to him by deed or desCcnt.
Go to our cou,,s Of justice and there they
will tell you, from aclaai an abundant obser
vation, that nineteen ou; of twenty OF The trials
for robbery aud murder originate In intemper-
ance; and ,f you go to our prisons and pe"itrn-
taries you will discover that neatly that pro-
portion Of their inmates have been m,enper
ate men.
Mr.. President, will not a'temp, to speak TO
you Of the consideration connected with this
subject which my be gathered from eternity
Sir, canno'-I should be utterly unable to do
justice In such an apps'ling theme. BIT. 1t any
man will take lie rouol, 20 survey the d strue-
live opera ion of this vice upon the land in
which We live he will feel abundantly convn'
ced tha. il is more dreadful than all he other
evi S with whirh we are afflicted - than he uni
led desolallons Of war, pestilenc' and famine.
Now let il be remc mbereo, that thi, Hood oi
incompetence flows from fountains that are TO
be sough, for on the mountain tops OF " MODE
RATION" which are Supposed 10 he lar above
I'll censure. The moderation! may add OF the
last generation Of III. men who were in their
prime Of lie thirty or forty years ago; and
who had the formation Of the habits and char
aciers of those who now occupy The place on
which they then Stood. And witt tnis'consid>
Grafton on our minds LEI US ask ourselves the
fearful question, it their moderation has pro-
duced suits tina: are. so stupenaous, what will
b. The consequences on those WIN shall come
after us, # our intemperance :"
And now, sir, the solemn inquiry presses IL
self upon us with awful urgency, what can we
do TO ares, these desolarions Can We not
brow UP mbapkmsnts by which THIS food Of
liquid fire can be stayed Can we do nothing
10 resist the army of drunken maniacs tina, de-
vas,a,e our country? Or shall our hearts faint,
and our hands hang down in utter hnpelessness
and despoir? This would indeed be cowardly
1t would be trai'orous. But let il ever be re-
membered, that the weapons OF our warfare are
not carRal but spiritual; and therefore mighty
through God to the pulling down Of strong holds.
The shield offai,h. the breast plate Of rigbte-
business, the sword of he Spirit-and whenever
we engage in this war Of ref,rms,iop, le' US be
sure that we are shod with the prepara-
lion Of the Gospel Of peace"
Sir, there are Two fac's that constitute The
foundation of my confidence on this subject.
First-That there is no natural love IF ardent
spirits in ,hc human constitution. The intan,
may cry for its mothers milk, but never for
this burning beverage And, Secondly-That
man is the creature Of motives. We every
where see him governed by moral influence.
Now am perfectly persuaded that it's in
the power Of this, and other similar ms 'utions,
10 present such muiiues 10 all who have not al
ready acquired ,a,.e for ardent spirits, as
will induce them 20 refrain entirely from their
use.
One cause Of the prevalence Of this vice, is
ignorance of its Gesolalng effects upon our
country Let such facts as those which you
have listened to this day, be proclaimed abroad
until every ear shall hear them, and every
mind be impressed with their reality.
Another is its obscure and olandestine cha>
racter in The early stages of is progress. Muir
der and robbery are well defined crimes They
are external acts known as soon as perpetrsteh,
Incompetence is sensation, and many are
sealed up by it for destruction, before they are
aware of Tvs existence. lie, a distinct and in
tellgible map be drswn Of this road to ruin,
G.. h,.s, h. 49, al 4, q .tI,