Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-12-11

lHE CAUSE OF TgNPERANcE.-The friend who
asks us to republsh extracts from tho Speeches oil
IncSsrs. trelinghuysen and Grundy in b.half of
temperance, shall be graiiiod when the event
taxes place to which he alludos-wc mean the
enlargement of our paper. Meanwhile we take
the liberty TO make an extract from his own letter,
calculated perhaps 10 do much good as the more
iabored efforts OF those gentlemen He is very
huch mistaken in assuming that we are the foes
Oh temperance Societies, and may have overlook.
Gu evidence TO the contrary which has appeared in
our columns
"Whcn will you be u convert TO
mat greatest OF reforms, which has spread SO wide
~ ana oenefcially over our. country cannot but
suppose that YOU have seen, fairly and fully
stated The arguments in support of Temperance
Associations; else, such is their strength YOU never
could have resisted them. Bat the misfortune is
'hat almost tho only newspaper champions of that
Cause are the religious ones; where those arguments
are so blended with pious snuflng and cant, such
10 inc nasal twang Is appropriate to, that an un-
god'y man is too apt to oathe them, unes they are
forced on his mind by some accident or other If
you would get hold Of some of the publications on
this SIMPLEST, least tanned With ent >; ncorous in
gredient, (thcrc some, by physicians and others
sinners like ourselvcs,) orwopld read even many
OF those repete with holy nonsense, just brush
ing that out OF your way as ycu go, and
guarding against the prejudice it is likely to
u" oAe", you Wouiu unu much to satisfy you
that the wealth. morals. happiness, health and Ii
liberties OF the community would all be promoted
by diifuslng the Temperance Reform as widely as
Possioie. Ihe immense run 1t has had, and the
pausioity, Ito say no more) given it by the num-
Der OF enlightened minds that have espoused it,
certainly make 1t worth examining, if it be merely
thro curiosity, to what it bc that the world
is making such pother about. The snguarity of
tine phenomenon consists in its having been tho
growth OF but six years, and in it's pretending to
nothing miraculous. The reform works by plain
natural means, such as p,iori might be expected
to produce exactly the effects they have produced
and are producing. There is trinity, no tran
substantation, stopping OF sun, moon and stars,
no roasting for countless millions of centuries be-
cause our ancestor six thousand years off, ate an
apple; no mysterious influences Yet, (what would
be miraculous, if human folly could ever be so,l
many, who devoutly swallow all those whales, can
not be brought t" believe in the superior power of
united, over solitary resolutions, or the influence
Oh pubic opinion or of popular habit!
III could enlist you in this cause / should
consider myself public bencfactor. From
nan column to two columns of your paper
devoted TO- selected paragraphs relating tenn
perance-iliustrative of the mischiefs Of strong
drink, and the benefits of abstaininp from IT.
and suggesting methods II don't care whaU
OF doing away its familitr use, with occasional.
ly one of your racy editorials to the same eff
feet, would do more good, hesitate not 10 saw
than all the discriminating articles ofthe Wing
ana Enquirer, with any ten OF their associates,
for the last eight years. l beseech you ponder
the suggestion. The Journal of Humanity Ando-
yer, Mass., the Genius of Temperance, the Tenn
perance Agent, and the Temperance Advocate
published, do not certainly know where, would
supply plenty OF matter for selections. The J. of
humanity has been one OF the best miscellaneous
papers have ever known, but have seen but little
OF 1T lately You would doubtless, however, find
1t worthy OF your exchonge list"