Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-10-14
CONNUNlcATED.

involves the best Interests o! his country. In
ITS support and extension the lives and morals si
the community are highly concerned. 1t has eli.
cited the genius and industry of numerous wri-
tiers and speakers. Much has been said and writ
enupon the subject. 1t stii! employs the thoughts
and excites the energies of every phanthrophist.
Ali are anxious 10 see the evils Of intemperance
removed from our land. Every bosom pants With
more or less desire to see this Hydra forever crush
he'd. Schemes Of various sorts ha. been propos-
ed, and all of them have failed in degree. When
these societies were first started ardent spirits
was the principal legion which was prescribed.
Such is the case, generally, at the present time,
tho in most of the newly organized societies, IL
uuors Of every description are properly denounc-
ed, as equally injurious to the welfare and morals
Of the community; it being clearly tested BY ex-
perience that all liquors equally destructive,
and that the use of all should be equally prohi-
bited.
In every community, for the purpose of accom-
plishlng general good, there must be a mutual
surrender of tastes and prejudires. Il is unrea-
sonabe to expect, that sacrifice should be made
by one class Of men, exclusively. All in order
10 10 good must make individual sacrifices. II
men were animated BY this priucipe. we should
discover little or no difficulty in the progress of
the Temperance Cause. A society having disn-
terested benevolenCe for its basis would speak for
ITSELF and stand III no need of arguments for the
acquisition Of friends; but a one sided Temper
ance Constitution is easily assailCd, and render
ed vulnerable 10 the attacks Of all who are dis
posed to make them. What is the nature of such
constitution: Men who advocate the use Of a
particular kind of liquor call upon their fellow
citizens to unite with them in this indulgence
And is there any sacrifice in this? Certainly not.
An exclusion of one species Of liquor is an allow
ance OF all others. Does such a society strictly
deserve the name of Temperance, when it is no
torious that intemperance springs from the use of
any and every kind of liquor. Such society is
defective in the essential requisite OF disinterest-
edness. A rich man who INDUCES in wine can
with no propriety ask poor man to join con-
stitution which cuts him Of from the enjoyment
Of his favorte beverage; at the same time he HES
in the face of an acknowledged fact that tn" en-
ioyment of these fav orite beverages makes both
poor and rich, Incorporate.
If sacrifices are to be made, and they must be
made in order to attain an important end. every
man in society is equally bound to make them.
There must be no surrender of principle. either to
the rich or to the poor; to this or to that set OF
drinkers. In all great moral institutions, they
are upon footing. They have at stake the same
vital interests. They are equally concerned in
the peace and happiness and good order OF the
community; and why should an endeavor be made
to sacrifice the tastes and prejudices of one par
ty to those Of another Where is the propriety
Of constantly assaiing class of drinkers. where
all are equally condemned. Is there any reason
in denounciug one species of liquor, more than
another, when the use of any. or all of them is
the fruitful source of wretchedness, crime and
poverty. Docs not the justice of the case de-
mand from both sides surrender of opinion. and
peculiar attachment to any liquor. If temper
ance ever iourishes in this, any other country,
il must be the effect of the joint association of all
classes of persons, renouncing their particular
Qualifications. All must offer up their sacrifices
on the altar of patriotism. Tastes and feelings
aud preiudices must be surrendered. Intemper
ance will continue to lnundate our land, so long
as constitutions remain, which allow the use of
any intoxicating liquor, and it has been proved
that all liquors without exception Intoxicating
Can we ever expect to witness the Punishment
of the accused vice of drinking and its hdeous
train, so long as any constitution tolerates this
or that fayorite liquor! What is to guard against
the food of intemperance rolling back upon the
land. but the formation of societies upon the
plan of total abstinence from liquors of every de-
scription. Societies Of this SORT the phianthro-
pst may approve with all his heart, because they
are founded upon the principles of mutual sacri-
ice. They destroy the very rocot of the evil Z:
They moreover tend in their very nature to re. {