Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-08-08
For The GazcItc
TO PRO PATRIA.


SIR: The merits of Temperance Snrie-
tie. involve ONLY two Questions: III, j. the
p,ac,ice of drinking ardent spnits de'tt
mental 10 h-slih, wealth, securlir of - e.
son aud property. domestic Ell ymrni.
and the good order of >ncm'y Cad II ~.
ought those who a.. acq,sio,-d with ihi,
truth 10 unite IN making il kaown.
Strange To tell. the latter Of ihrse arps.
ti,ns i, that which aersons find il most
diff .uIt 10 .ieciIe We see our NEG hbors'
houses enveiaprd 10 flames. aud them
+eivr. within, a.lerp Bat must We give
the alarm All. this is point # such
extreme driicacy. that we must take a
month, a year. or an aye TO deliberate /;
and NAV. at last. come 10 the sage conclu
sion. :. we have enough TO do 10 nnud nur
business If our seighhors perish. We ARE
inuoceni--wc did not cast them in'o the
6re."
would rather he condemned TO har,, Ia.
hr for twenty years. than TO the hop less
task of numbering all the numbrrles> oh
ieciioDs which have been urged against
Temperance Sociei,es. Before attempting
such work. must read an authentic his.
tory Of man who delivered Egypt Gom
the plague Of iocusts, by beating down
those insects. one by one. with a walking
stick. Most Of these objections. however.
evidently originate in misconceptions, IN a
perversion Of the cid ad.ge. :. dc eus;ibus
non dispufandurl." or in an instructive
aversion feIt III the bottom Of the poke,
"A region not far from the heat.
Some are resolved to teiigi0ni-e the
whole subject. With the mos, d-vuui
conntenaBrrs imaginable, they arrute as
Of transferring 10 other bodies. matters he
longing exclusively 10 the Church Their
pious souls are borr fird AT the sar,ilrgr nf
recommending any means for promoting
the happiness Of families, the good order
Of society. or the safety Of life and pro-
perry nnle-s the recommendation come
clothed in the sancrny al the ."tlpii. or in
tho wisdom of an Ecclrsisstical Cunt -
Why do not ihese persons otjrrt Ia all ei-
vii government P |. il not the business Of
religion 10 prevent IL" Il and murder
Others declaim firiou-ly against - the
spirit Of prescription. which," say ,h.y
" lies at the foundation Of the whole s,s.
tenn" These gigantic genIuses have made
the discovery. that one eighth OF the po-
pulation OF This country. are fast gaining
the favor OF the remaining portion BY dc
tanning and vilifJ ing ihem I;Vr"s.snily -
Bat what are the f,ci~4'y Which Ills most
remarkable Inference - wstr,n't,iP We
are prepared 80 produce 'cu eases o. whwh
personal character has ern iradur1d far
adherence TO the Tempe cause. for
every one in which IT has been a>sa,lrd 10
cons' qnence Of opposition 10 his CIT se.
Others cannot see hut so Car as Tenn
peiapcr Societies are concerned. the &C.
knowltdged change in public opinion. a.
TO the use OF ardent spirits. has been pure.
ly accidental II is not nv business 10 fur
nish people with eyes. state facts, and
challenge contradiction.
II cannot te shown that there was any
such charge in progress, when Tempo
rance Soriatifs were first Instituted - II
can be shown that ~ almost every soc'iun
of onr country the change began. as soon
az Temperance Sncietirs were infinduced
- not l., fore. Numerous distiileiiss have
been stopped. and merchants AID tavern
keepers have ceased 10 sell al de NJ s,iIis.
rr.frsstdly IN conscientious moiives-a
ding scarcely heard Of be fore. and aow
perhaps herfr heard of, .xcep, in conner
tior with Temperance Societies. There
are, in the United States, at this moment
thousands Of temperate aud respectable
men. who were once drui kaids. and Who
RsctiEe their reformation to the IL tlnt nee
of such Societies. These are lew al The
fscts-let the reader draw his own infeI.
,Gces. i II. X