Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-07-22

DRUNKENNESS IN HIGH PLACES.
The Hon. He.ry A. Wise, to Jsdge p. B. Hopper
AccoxMAcK COUNTY, E. 8. Val
May ed, 1887.
Dear Sir: received your very gratifying letter
by the mail before last, and have to return you
my most sincere acknowledgements for the honor
Of your invitation, to attend the Convention Of
the Maryland State Temperance Society, to be
held in the city Of Baltimore on the last Wednes-
day in this month, and for the Aattering terms in
which you were pleased to couch your request
for me to attend its sitting.
You were correctly informed, sir, when told
that 1 am an advocate of the temperance cause,
and consider it one Of the highest compliments
YOU could have paid mo 60 credit the report. To
be member OF the somPcr.sce enciefy il to the
dations Of character, not only for sobriety, but
for most Of the virtues which constitute a good
citizen.
1t would give me the greatest pleasure to at
tend the Convention, but very recent domestic
Affections Of the severest kind compel me to
forgo that pleasure and to decline your in
vitation. l may, however avail myself very pro-
perly hope, Of the opportunity Of bearing my
| testimony to the effects Of Temperance, by vim
dicating my moral character from the aspersions
and calumnies which have been cast upon 1t by
the insinuations Of Profigate partisan presses
that in my humble efforts in Congress to restore
\ pure and fine administration ofthe government,
1 have been habitually, at times, more stimu-
lated by alcohol than by love Of country.
Now, sir, am not 30 years old, and for
the last eight years and some months Of my
life, l have not tasted a table spoonful Of
ardent spirits, or one half gallon Of wine. In
1929, while residing in Nashville, Tennessee,
became q member Of n Society to abstain from
the use Of ardent spirits and was appointed the
corresponding Secretary Of the State Temper
ance Society, Of which Philip Lindsay, D. d.
President Of the University Of Nashville was
Of Virginia, have been active in forming societies
in the two counties Of Accomack and NorthamP-
ton, and with others have been successful in Of
ganizing the number Of some FIVE six embra-
cling in all between two and three hundred mem
; hers. Since member Of Congress, Idcfy the
malgnity Of the bitterest and most false political
or personal enemy to assert that I have ever in
the least, departed from the strictest pledge Of
temperance society which permits wine to be tas
ted at all. have paid in part the expenses o
messes Of gentlemen, who at the boarding house
! provided themselves with wine for the table ans
for the customs Of hospitality to visiters have
bought used ardent spirits at ALL and bu
. touched wine at times in Observance merely o
the forms of society at the Metropolis. lam thu
particular in regard to myself, sir, in order tina
: | may most emphatically reply to those VII
D would impair certain statements which l hav'
: made as !. public man to the nation, by the imPu
: tation Of intemperance to me, by saying, =
9 was not mad, !" nor was I drssk, 'smost nobl
: Festus.n
8 Another reason for this particularly il my owl
e case is to show that the beam is out Of my owl
= eye before proceed to the mote In the eyes q
n others. 1t has, fortunately unfortunately
e know not which, fallen to my lot in public life,
be the instrument Of exposing abuses in public u
- fairs, and offences in the men who conduct then
e such as think worthy Of exposure. / shall nc
shrink from castigating by speaking Of them
my place At will, without any regard to Persos
II nj consequences Estate the fact then to the NJ
!, ton, that some Of the higher Executive Officer
, at Washington, are, and have been notoriou
drunkards- drunkaras in my sense Of the tern
habitually effected by ardent spirits-drunk
ID least once q week; impaired in constitution
- the use Of strong drink; and further state that
y have often heard the reason assigned, and b
lieve it was q valid one, for the House Of Repr
- sentatives Of the Congress Of the United Stata
not sitting in the evening, after dinner when Ii
public bushes required it, that many of the meu
hers were 20 much in the habit of intoxicatio
y, that they were not only unfit themselves for pu
lie duty after q certain hour in the day, bat we
likely to prevent others in discAarging their du
by interrupting the order Of proceeding. Duil
the latter part Of the session Of Congress, VIII
. the two Houses were compelled to sit late, mel
~ hers too drunk foe the decency Of = tavern b
n room. were NOT uncommoa sights in the Sena
Chamber, and IN the Hail of the House of Reps
nd sentatives Of Republic, whose fathers hand
~ down to il the hallowed and unsuitable tru1
If sthai no free govesanent q The bsessngs q hb'
- ", can Be preserved b any people, but b @m
- kerssce DO Justice, nodentioo, se11esanee, Il
,. galisy esd virtue"