Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-09-29
INTEMPrRANCE AND MISERY.

INTEMPERANCE AND MISERY.
Scarcely a single day passes over,
without multiplying upon the criminal
records Of our city, instances Of mise
ries which result from the habit Of
drunkenness. In our courts, and po
lice Offices, evidence Of this fact are
but too abundant-is q man arrested
Tor assaulting his neighbor? he Offers
as an apology that he had taken drop
too much ; is lie brought up for thefts
he prays TO have his punishment miti-
gated, because he was intoxicated; is
he convicted Of murder: he tells YOU
he was driven mad by drunkenness. -
But this 10 not the worst; did the ILL
eGscts end with the momentary de-
rangement Of the individuals intel
lcct. the sober portion Of the eommu-
nifty could for the moment avoid him,
or place him under restraint /; but no,
the power Of judging Alright is weak
ened, all honorable and moral feeling
is destroyed, nay, the very instincts
Of nature are defaced so that the VIC
tim Of drunkenness ranks below all
other created beings. AS melancholy
instance of this fact, we will mention
a circumstance, that occurred Few
days since. On Sunday afternoon
AID. Palmer Of the 18th ward, in
passing through Delaney street, was
struck with the ruined appearance OF
small building which stood in yard
leading from the street he entered,
and the first object which attracted his
notice was an infant apparently aged
about thirteen months, rolling on the
cold ground, almost max ed, aud without
any kind Uf covering necessary for an
infant, laid down To reposs., The face
and limbs wereNCoycred with filth aud
vermin, while the poor unconscious in
noco,.t was endcavoring TO draw nour.
i-hmcnt from a small piece of hard
bread crust which IL held in its little
hand. In the opposite corner, asleep.
lay IT'S dcbased father in state ol
I gross intoxication and as il was af.
forwards asccrtaIned, its mother had
been dead about a fortnight Poor in
nocent little Sufferer, what prospects
for thy future destrue on-hOw inf
nitcly better were IL that the hour when
YOU first saw the light should also have
witnessed your removal to your eternal
Creator, than that you should grow
up under the guardianship Of drunk
AID parent.
The house or rather hovel. presented
a scene oil the greatest misery; It's
room vas chilling Matchmaking
which could be called furnitu,s--nol
even bed was to be seen! The be
nevOIent Alderman, struck viii, hOr.
ror AT the wretchcd appearance befOr,
him, went into the street, and procured
4 respectable and kind hearted lcmal,
10 take the poor infant TO her home,
where she had il oIeabsed, aud attirct
10 dress belonging To one of her owl
children, and the poor little creature
could now be with difficulty recog
Ezed, so much ~ i,s APPEARANCE i'm
proved. During Monday and Tues
day. Il sought tie food iiifor its years
with sravenous deslIe. Yesterday ~,
worthy Alderman had the happiness 9,
reflect that he had saved elpless fel
lo~ beng from IDeyItable destrBe
saw IL gwen into the hands Of the aims
house commissioners, Who through ub'
iDsirumentality IT the excellent 'nsti
; tuition to which they belong. will be a
bic to ,aise the infant, so that it MAJ
be hereafter an ornament or bench
to that community IN whose protects
u now -. One more instance Or
Tuesday afternoon several citizens "
Greenwich village. brought wretche,
looking female. with her hair disheyel
led, her bosom scantiIy covered, ans
her Feet bare, ant 10 = state Of intoxi
cation, to the Police Office. in oonss
qucbce 81 the dangers TO which III,
child vas exposed. The child sppear
Ell TO be literally starved; il was ir
fact mere skeleton, so that doubt
were entertAined,ss to whether II cOul,
survive. The citizens compIaine,
that the wfctoheJ, bcsotied ,nothe
0sually hlng ,he little infant on be