Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-01-14
CONTINUATION.
Address OH Temperance,
BY FREDERICK SPEECE.


lswanting on oui part hut steady unwavofng, persc
verance 10 render 1t effective of extensive good
We stand solcmnly pledged each other and 10 the
public that we will abstain from all intoxicating H.
qnos' aud so ian as may be prudenly practicable dis
countonancc the consumption of them by others
Cncnmspection, prudence, patience aud pcrsevcr
anco viii be necessarily in frequent exercise. We
neither possess nor desire Ia possess power oi
coercion. Our object Is by example, by expostuh-
ton, with all meehucss and gentlcness To persuade
men 10 warn them ofthcr danger, and To poini ont
the means of escape and we humhly hope thai He
who is ever ready 10 sustain every effort OF bcnevo.
lcnec, how feeble soever viii smile upon our enter
prze and enable us, while the demon imtemcmpr-
rance is proving around us, TO rescue some VIC
Tins from his grasp while the deadly stream of
drunkenness flows ON, NJ least IN some measure to
lessen lis siolcnc, and contract liz channel For the
purpose Of aiding your eNettlons in this sacred. and
noble cause, lay down the following propositions,
which design 10 illustrate and defend. As friends,
rs citlHcns rs RATIONAL and accountable beings, at
tend, and Judge what say
First, the manufacture OF ardent spirit is criminal
Second All traffic IN ii, as now conducted Is Grim
inal.
Third, the consumption oil except in cases Of ex-
trcmlly med cine is criminal.
Human labor, II not exclusively, approximatcs very
nearly the standard OF commercial value. Man rs
doomed To labor; aud though his pursuits and modes
OF subsistence be ramfed on thousand different di-
fcctous almost all finally teierable to this then
basis, md In like manner almost all labor may be
ctred TO agriculture IN other wo,ds to the tlaee OF
the soil. " Cursed the ground for my sakc
IN the Seeat ~ Hig tdce shat H0H eat brcdk' Thus
like Wcnrlng thunder tie divine malcdcton smote
the ground and iis deadly energy remains aud has
operated through succeeding ages, even 10 the pre-
sent day. Man sui abols aud swcats Ion his bread.
Indeed the divine promise guarantees To MS the sue
cesson OF seed time and harvest aud tho descent OF
fruitful showers the fields OF the unjust well
those OF the Just. Our bread has never vet failed
and IN this happy country, probably II never will :;
but surely the gteai BenciaCtnf claims tom us du-
ties spoudng to his bounty aud by the very acl
ofbestowmg, limits 10 the legitimate use al the OBJ
lcct bestowed, that is the direct at indirect nppca
lion of il 10 the support oil human life.
But saws the manufacturer, | procured my grain
fly my own Labor. x have tight to use il ~ please
The premises ale IN pant true but the deduction etfo
ncous. HIS labor was but nn auxiliary to tho genial
warmth the shower and the sunshine, which deyel-
opcd, cherished, and maturcdthc crop. lie has no
right to bury in the ground, TO burn it, or what 10
Icnfold worse, TO turn il INTO liquid fine, aud llndlc
mischief and misery around hlm herewith H
that iciHhoiRcH rom" says the inspired wrder ne
Pcople shall curse linn" To how much sorer a
curse is that man exposed who not only whholds
corn. bun DESTROYS II not only DESTROYS II, but sub
stitute4 place of a drug that does more mischief
and produces suffering aud sorrow than all D
thCrcluses put together
Another objeotor will tell us, II do not make
spnf5 others will, and my abslainng will not lessen
the sum total consumed The answer 10 this is oh
vlous, if an objection futile merit reply. Were
there no manufacturers there would be no spirits,
and by necessary consequence no dinnkagds Fifty
alsehoods cannot make one ruth fifty murders
cannot justify murderer nor any number OF ac-
tors multiplied hlly fold render HAT act just aud right
which is IN lis nature unjust aud criminal Though
hand join in hand these things III not 90 unpunlsh-
ed.
That the traffic in Spirits IS criminal is PROPOSE
ton, the truth OF which Is not very obvious 10 has
~ examination. Spcclous objections may be urged
and serious difficulties presented. will endehvor TO
answer a few of the iormeraud remove some OF the
latter by few brei arguments, and without Tear oil
successful contradictions again repeat the sentiment,
that he who puts his bottle to hs neighbours mouth,
IN other words, affords him every facility tur getting
drunk. sins against philanthropy and patrIotlstn,
agsnst all the endercsl charities, and all the dearest
interests OF social life.
Man as his physicalnature is chiefly acted upon
by passions appetltes aud habits so long AS hese are
kept under steady control he is a rational Icing
When they or any one oil them gains the ascendan-
cy, bears down aud controls the will and Judgment
he is madinan Now the appetite for strong drink
when habits OF ntemperance are fully formed is, as
all will admit one OF the most impetlous and lrrcsls
uble. The unhappy slave oin will drink lac can
Sustain, for moral motive power can operate
aud the will to resist is hnshed by the clanorons de
sire. II will drink though 1t beggar the wife OF his
bosom aud break her heart though II reduce his
children to rags and starvation, and cover himself aud
all connected with hlm with disgrace aud sha,ie.-
lie will drink, thong fully aware that IT IS hnrYing
him to early grave, and to that world OF woe be-
yond it. TO which The drunkard IS inevitably doom
ed Is il right 10 give madman poison 10 arm n
maniac TO his own destruction
Many dealers IN the habli oil urging this pleaand
have been frequently challenged TO combat II : q" J
do indeed sell ardent spirit also sell ron knives,
guns, scythe-blades &c. many Of them more ready
implements Of destruction than whskcy OF rum :;
how will you hold nae IN any case accountable Ton
the use and application Of them - The plea is
plausible but sound can il be sustained till
The appetite for guns and scythe blades becomes
strong as II is for whskey; TIL the thirst FOR human
blood is rs fierce and uncomfortable thar for strong
drink No man is unsuitable in selling bowie knife
to maniac just broke loose from bedam, conscious
that the first use he would make OF II would be 10
plunge 1t into his own bosom on that Of the first man
he may meet aud he is equally criminal who sells
intoxicating liquor to drunkard fully aware that lac
will the moral murder Of himself aud all who
are under his influence.
Another difficulty is sometimes presented in this
shape: If do sell BIN the spirit he will get
" elsewhere ; my Withholding will mi urc me and do
no good TO him" This plea has. in substance
been stated and refuted already but for the sake oil
further illustration viii lay down parallel case
Here is a traveller our seets who has IN his pos
session ten thousand dollars. Though he makes NJ
secret of his wealth. he is poor, weak, coward,
creatne and bv his manners aud conyelsatlo.
rather invites than repels assault. Ii is amos
certain that lie Will be robbed, therefore viii roi
him myself leave to YOU 10 make the applica
ton.
Were some superior being TO descend TO th'
world of ours, aequaInt himself with our pursuits
and mix himself with our mercantile concerns sucl
scenes as the following nigh, occur. We vii
f Inn "A hook