Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-07-31
ADDRESS

ADDRESS
Delivered before the s'FAYETrE County
TEMPERANCE SOCIETY,"" July 2Sth, By
Col. William Hodge.
Published by request of the Society,"
/ am much gratifed to be permitte d
to address so intelligent and respectable
an audience as that here assembled
and only regret, that extreme debility,
may perhaps prevent me from affording
you that entertainment, which, under
different circumstances, might posi-
bly, be able to do. | have no prenten-
sions to oratorial talents; and if | had,
my pursuits in life would prevent the
successful cultivation of them, and of
those graces necessary to qualify an in
dividual to shine in that department. 1t
will, therefore, not be expected of me to
attempt any thing like display of that
which | do not possess, as l would only
thereby render myself ridiculous. But
although l may not be able to soar aloft
into the regions of fiction, and present to
you the rich fruits and flowers which
grow and flourish in the fair fields of
fancy-or although l may be unable to
exhibit to you the treasures contained
in the rich cabinet of nature or science,
and invite you to an intellectual feast,
yet l may. peradventure, succeed in
furnishing you with frugal repast of
substantial truths, which may prove mel
Their unwholesome nor unpalatable to
those, whose moral appetites are unvi-
tiated. The kind Partially of the Ex-
ecutive Committee, has made it my du-
ty to address you this evening upon the
subject-of temperance-a subject which
has been so often presented before you
by gentlemen much more competent to
the task than l know myself to be. that
almost despair of advancing any thing
which may be new to you. | must ne
cessarily follow the beaten track, and
repeat much of what you have already
heard or read; and will candidly avow,
that considerable part of my address
to you this evening is selected from the
labors of others-with how much judy
ment it has been combined and arrang-
ed, will be submitted to your decision.
That intemperance is a great and
growing evil in our country, all are rea-
dy to admit. When we examine into
the state of society, we find the number
of those who are in the habitual practice
of intemperance to be alarming; and al
though we witness the effects produced
among our friends and neighbors with
deep regret, yet it is so common and
so fashionable to drink, that the sight of
it has lost half its terrors, and we can
look upon an Incorporate man without
those feelings of disgust and adherence
which his real situation is calculated to
produce. This is the natural result of
things. The mind becomes familiar
with the contemplation, the eye accus-
toned to the sight, and we pay but lit
tie attention to the object-he passes
on-we can sometimes be amused at the
exhibition, and become callous and in
different to the guilt. But if we would
seriously reflect upon the real condition
of the habitually Incorporate; call to
our minds what they have been, what
they now are-and if we draw aside the
veil of futurity, and realize what in a
few years they will be, and what the
situation of their famlies-we will dis
cover scene of wretchedness and mise
ry, which will not permit us long to re-
main Indifferent and unfeeling.
In view of this subject, the christian
and philanthropist must feel the neces-
sity of devising some means to check the
fearful tendency of their fellow men to
drunkenness, and they have decided that
the plan of temperance societies is the
best calculated to effect this object.
am aware that some object to the
plan; but it seems to me, that if those
who oppose temperance societies would
only investigate the matter, examine
their aims and tendency, they could not
long remain skeptical, but would fall in
with the benevolent intentions of the
friends of this cause. What is the ma
ture and object of temperance societies.
and the means used in their promotion?
A temperance society is nothing more
nor less than the associating together of
as many individuals as may choose to do
so, of their own free will, and entering
into certain engagements and regula-
, tons relative to the use of ardent spir.
its. Some of these societies are formed
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