Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-07-17
HENRY A WISE

Wise, the distinguished member Of Congress-,
in reply to Il lettor received requesting his in
nuence in favor of Temperance Society OF
Virsinio. The answer is in character with the
real pecularites and life of the man.
,7comock County, i. s. Va. !
May 22d, 1887.
Dear sir:--I have received youl very graf i
fvinu letter BY the mail before the last, and
have 10 return 10 you my most sincere ncknowl'
tJgcments for the honor OF your invitation, 10
attend tho Convention OF the Maryland State
tTo,nr crancc Society TO be held n the city Of
Baltimore on the last Wednesday Of The pres
cni month, and for the Adttering terms in which
you were pleased to couch your request for m c
10 attend its sitting
You were correctly informed sir, when tod
tlat am an advocate Of tho temperance cause,
aud consider il one Of the highest compi-
mcnts you could have paid me TO credit the re-
mort To be a member Of a temperance socie-
w is 10 the stranger, with me, one Of the high
cat recommendations Of character, not only for
sobrietv, but Tor most Of lhe virtues which con-
sliiue good citizen.
Il would give INC the great 81 pleasure to
attend The Convention, but very recent domos-
tic aflliclions, Of Tie seye est kiud, compel me
10 iorego that pleasure and 10 decline your IN
vitniion. ! may, however, avail myself very
properly, hone, of this opportunity oil bear
BY vindicatinc my moral character from the
aPpersions and calumnies which have been cast
upon il by the insinuations Of prongoc par
izan nrcsscs-hnt in my humble efforts IN
Congress 10 restore pure and n Irce adnnnls'
tration oe the government, have been habltu.
nIv or at tines more stimulated by alcohol
than q love of country. Now, sir, am but
thirty years old, and for the last eight years
and some months of my li'e | have not tasted
fIa r ,s,.,I, 1su, q
iolf a gallon of zine. In 1929, while residing
i'm Nashville, Tennessee, | became a member
Of society to abstain from the use Of ardent
spirits, and was appointed corresponding Sec
rotary Of the Stale Temperance Society; oil
which Phillip Lindsey, ID ID President OF the
University OF Nashville, was President. Since
my return to the Eastern shore OF Virginia, |
have been active in forming societies in the two
counties Of hccomack and northampton, and
with others hnve been successful in organizing
the number OF some five OF six, embracing in
all between Two and three hundred MEMBERS
Since member of Congress, / defy all The
,nalisnity OF The bi;,ercst and most false polil-
chi or personal opponent TO assert that have
ever, in the least, departed from the strlcest
pledge Of n temperance society which permits
vino 10 be tasted at ALL ! have paid in part
the expenses Of mcsses Of gentlemen, who al
the ho1rdng houses provide themselves with
tpine for the table and for the customs oil hos.
ptally to visitors; have never bought wine
or used ardent spirits al all, and but touched
wine at times, in Observance merely of the
forms Of society at the metropolis. ] am thus
particular, in regard to yseIf SIR, in order
that | may most emphatcally reply TO those
who would impair certain statements which |
have maze ms public man in the nation, by
the impuation Of ntemperance 10 me by. say
ing, az was not -nad," nor was drunk, "most
. noble Fesius." Another reason for this par
ticulari'y as 10 my own case, is to show that
the beam is out of my own eye, before pro-
roee TO point out the mote in the eyes OF 9TH
ere. 1t Inns fortunately, or unfortunately,
know not which, fallen TO my lot IN public life
TO be the instrument Of exposing abuses in
public affairs, and offences in the men who con
duct them. Such as think worthy OF expos
ure I shall not shrink from casliga'ing by
speaking o. them in my place and out OF my
place ut will, with 5ut any regard 20 tho conso-
1ncncos. | state the fact then 10 the nation,
that some Of The executive officers at Wash
ineton, arc and have been, notorious drunkards
-drunknrds in my sense OF the term-habtu-
ally affected by ardent spirts-drunk at least
0nco weelS-impaired in constitution by the
use OF strong drink; and further state that
have often heard the reason assigned, and !
believe il was valid one, for The House of
Il representatives. Of the Congress of the United
States not sitting in the evening after dinner,
when the public business required it, that ma
nv Of the members were so much in the habit
Of intoxica,ion that they were not only UNFIT
themselves for public duty after certain hour
10 the day, but were likely TO prevent others
N Iischareing their duty by inlerrnpting the
erlcr Of proceeding During the latter part
Of tho session Of Congress, when the TWO
Houses were compelled to sit late, members
tnn drunk for the decency Of tavern bar
toom were not uncommon siahts in [ Sem
ate chamber md in the hall Of The House Of
Representatives. or Republic, whose fathers
hnndrd down to it the unhallowed and immuta.
hle truth, chat no free government or the
blessing Of liberty, can be preserved 70 any
people, but by adherence 10 justice, modela-
lion, Temperance, lrngality and ,rtue!" These
ure facts, sir, which in my name, II you choose,
YOU may bring to the attention Of the Conyen
lion us worthy Of the attention of the people
Of the United States. | am utterly opposed
10 making the temperance cause political
ca zine in any way whatever: but il the friends
Of temperance will MD in Kidding Congress Of
so,s.--no matter to what political party they
NAV belong, for they are disgrace and an ac-
tual injury to any par'y-lhey will be subserv'
ing their own work Of good morals, and do The
country some service. Indeed, the facts which
have stated, apply with force and truth To
both Wings and tories IN about the eXact ra'
ITO Of their numbers in the list Of public men,
and let me mol be misunderstood as rcproach
ing tho administration, except so far as hisl
and responsible Offices are entrusted 10 intern
pers,e ncumbcnts, whose habits are known
by tho boys in the streets Of Washington
have been candidate three times for the suf
RACES OF the people in the Oldest district Of Ole
Virginia, proverbial for "hOnsy drams." "mn
iuleps," "hail storms" "slings," "dec- Drops
and every description Of nectared drink, ant
have never found i, necessary OF requisite tt
obtain single vote, to resort to the vuls