Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-05-17
PUBLISHED By REQUEST o.
THE CONNEN IlON.
Fp1rSDS AND FELLOW-CITIzENS -

Friends AND FELLOW-CITIzEN5 -
At the present advanced stage'o of the
Temperance reformation, It would Sc, j
needless. before privileged assembly like
this, TO dwell upon thar train of horrors
and ruinous evils which mark the progress
of intcmperancc. This branch OF the
subject has been again and again present.
cd in its most rcvotiag and hidccus as.
pccts. We have had painted ii troc and
lively colors the biighting influence of the
use OF ardent splits upon domestic enjoy
ment-upon the prosperity and peace oi
iamii~s and ucghborhoodS. We have
all, in SOM measure, Witnessed is rum
Gus influence upon the civil, moral and re-
ligious condition OF the world. We have
seen families where domestic peace with
all its attrac i've charms once dwclt-
where a COOL name, which IS better than
precious ointment, once found an abode
where the horn OF plenty poured It's treas
ures torlh--rcduccd TO contention. iaiI-
my and be-gary, aad tA" haplcSS children,
instead OF enjoying the benefit OF blame
less example, ard the means of education
and improvement, planted III the path OF
ignorance and vice, and nurturcd il tn
school best lit cd to make them loatliSomc
scourocs Of their race il this world, and
e; associates Of demons in the world 10
come, We nave sen thc man Of lofty
bearing and priGc OF character sufficient
to elevate hi%, to lis proper rank among
his fellows, ana make H!n blessing to Ills
race, stript by tie Ruthless hand OF
Bacchus, Of lis own sell-rcSpcc;--o: cv-
cry tender sonsib!itv- of every generous,
manly sentiment, reduced 50 low that he
can feel no mercy for thoS: upon w5on
he has brought wrctchcun2sS and rU'n-
no commsseration for the bCrgdred wife
and infant pledges Of her husbands. love,
whosigh in vain for protection. No. He Is
pas. signing even for his owa basencSs.-
Conscience s;ihed and scared, has ceased
to lift its montory voice, and h", dead TO
the cotnmoa feelings of h&Hnani;y-to al
Justice and right passes .hrOngh his
probation arravcd in the trophies CT guilt
and rioting in the spoils Of innocence.
Nor are We without sad traces Of the
influence of intcmpcranca upon the coz
dition of civil Society. Here We have
had occasion to lament its dcbasing ten
dencv. We have heard how large a pro-
portion of criminal cases n our courts OF
Justice have been traced to this origin.
The turmoil of the court yard--thc con-
fusion and strife oftEr street.-the obscene
and filthy language ana blaSphcmy TO
which it has given rise, proclaim is degra.
ding and brutal dominion. The govern
mcnt groans under its influence in the ig-
norance and corruption which it cngcn-
ders, and the opportunity which is thereby
afforded to selfish and designing dcma-
gogucs successfully to appeal to the base
passions Of human nature, and thereby
undermine the bulwarl;s Of frcedom-blast
the hopes Of patriotism and bring abont
the reign Of anarchy and confusion.
But its effects upon the social and civil
condition OF society are subordinate to
those which it cxcris upon the moral and
religious world. Here is its banetCl lntln-
ence most scnsibly felt and most deeply
deplored. True, we have reason to hope
and believe that the light which, III these
latter davs has been shed upon the conSc,
ces Of this ruinous practice, has well n'S'
it not entirely thrown It beyond the pale
Of the christian church. Ii is hoped thai
in tbs day Of Increasing light and accc!
lerated moral renovation, there are few
verv few of these who have vowed obcd,-
ence 10 God, and taken upon them the sol
cmn profession Of the purc-holy-scIi
DENYING religion Of Christ, who have no
spurned the poisonous draught, and freely
and heartily rallied under the banner 0
Temperance. Thanks to the cause anI
its great promoter, that it is so. 1t pre-
sents pleasing and happy contrast Will
the past. For there are few otus soyoun>
as not to be able to look back to pcrlot
when intcmperance was one OF the crying
,urseS of the ChurCh-tllc fruitful source
of alienation from God, and OF cOAScqncn
1aneness and deficiency in all the dulic:
ofrcIirion-when il dried up tho fountains
of ofdeyotion-closcd the avenues OF bcncv
oIent effort and philanthroPlc charity
diminished the sympathy of brother to
brother, aud opened the food-gatcs o
corruption and poured in tho waters OF h';
terncss and strife. Tins has the >avIou
bccn wounded in the house of his friends
and deep ana lasting injury inflicted
upon his cause which all the blessings o
reformation NAV ncvcr repair. Fhc e.