Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-12-21

. members, it is believed that there near 100
g Societies, and not much short of 49, 900 mem
''-bers. So it may be in other States; and from
Is the best information. which has been obtained,
{. it is concluded that there are now formed in
{" the u. States, on the plan of abstinence IRON
g the use of ardent spirits, more than 5000
" Temperance Societies, containing more than
~ $780, 600 members
From the influence of these Societies, and other
causes, 100000 more may have adopted the plan
of not using ardent spirit, or furnishing l, tor the
use of others Connected with these 6OO,O0O,
the children and persons in their employment
and under their control, may he as many more;
and thus 100000 may already have been brought
under their influence, and may now be experience
ing the benefit of the Temperance reformation
Among these, should they continue to refrain
from Intoxicating drink, there will never he a
drunkard: whereas, had they continued in habits
which prevailed five years ago, $4,000 OF them
might have come to the drunkard's grave. So
that, should this reform be now merely station
arg, and make no further progress, it may have
saved $4,000 from the drunkard's doom; and
how many it may save of their children and chill
dren's children, none but God can determine.
More than one thousand distiIleries have alrea-
DIV stopped. and the owners OF them, 1t is be''eV'
ed. would not open them for any consideration.
II is stated that in one tnwn, in which there was
l6 distilleries, there are now but s: and in many
towns ardent spirit is not even sold
Since January 1880. more than one hundred
and fifty vessels have sailed from the port Of
Boston, which do not carry ardent spirits; and
it is supposed that there are now afoat upon the
Ocean more than 400 Of this description. The
longest and most difficult voyages are made with
out it, aud greatly to the health, comfort and
safety of the men. 1t is with pleasure we state
that several vessels sail from this port, which
carry no ardent spirit OH board as an article of
drink.
The report from which the foregoing state
ments are taken, is a most interesting document;
and we recommend 1t for the perussl Of all who
feel interested in the success Of the Tempe
rance cause. 1t contains the testimony OF ply
sicans with regard TO the destructive effects OF
ardent spirits upon the human system; that OF
Judges OF courts, who bear evidence to the tact,
that of nearly all the criminals brought before
them, the first step to ruin may be traced to the
use land that moderately Of ardent spirits; and
that Of shpmasters, who aver that 1t is the cause,
in great measure, of the mutinIes that occur,
and the vices that exist, among seamen, and
sometimes even of shipwrecks. The Secretaries
Of War and the Navy state that It's the cause ct
vast amount Of evil in the branches of the pub
lie service over which they respectively preside,
and they have accordingly, with the appreciation
of the president of the United States, diSconti-
nued its use in the Amy and navy.
While temperance societies have been thus
producing such beneficial and important effects
at home, their influence has also extended to the
other side of the Atlantic, and Great Britain is
following the example set by America:-her 60
vernment has ceased to furnish ardent spirits to
her armies, and gives substitute to every SOL
der The Chancellor Of the Exchequer, in a
debate in the House of Commons on petitions
from the friends of temperance, declare that, 50
far from government desiring to promote the con-
SUMPTION of ardent spirit. they would rather see
the people.refrain from it altogether. The Rev.
| DIR. Hewitt who has been 70 tia. country as an
agent Of the American Temperance Society, has
returned, and brought the intelligence of the for
| nation of the British and Foreign Temperance
Society, on a plan resembling the British and
Foreign Bible Society.
Temperance Societies have also been formed
in Stockholm. Gottenburg. and Torkioping, in
Sweden. They have also been formed in great
numbers, and are now exer,ing a mighty infu-
cpce in the islands of the South Sea. Nume-
ryus villages, whose inhabitants few years ago,
Acre. as body, for days intoxicated together,
have now not an individual in them who uses
any th,ns.,hat intoxicates. The traffic is de-
nounced as immoral. and prohibited under Sc
we're penalties, by the government; and may we
not hope that the time is approaching when the
traffic will be viewed and treated as notorious
and destructive in mOrality over the whole earth