Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-09-13

minated 0y prayers ouo oSuSoiCttoi' Ahe"
followed The usual salu,atons, refreshments,
&c. and at ii o'clock the bride, otter tax.
ing an offectionate leave Of her fellow pu-
nils. her instructors and friends at the !nstl.
tuition, departed with her husband and his
friends, TO her new home west OF the fas-
sale.
Could we without invading the sanctIty ol
domestic peace, and without holding up
private character before the public in un-
pleasant aspects,-could we give the details
Of the evil produced by the Gros Shops I"
Columbia, alone, they would show to the
most casual observer the importance OF the
work in which we are engaged. We DO
not mean by this, that Grog Shops are
worse here than elsewhere, SO far as their
simple character as places OF Retail are con-
cerned. Grog shops are pretty much on
par, so far as intrinsic moral character. Is
regarded, find them where you may. One
definition ,akes in the whole group-a ie~
eslzed curse to Health, to Property, !ol
Morals, public and private, to Domestic
Peace, to Reputation, to The Immortal Soul.
And without boasting of great logical skill,
we unl,esitalingly assert, that every item OF
this definition can be fully proven. We
believe that all that is wanted to prove to
.l,e whole mass Of our follow. citizens. The
truth of this, is simply 10 spread before them.
on the authority of good men, whom they
know, the details Of what Ardent Spirits
has done and is now doing in our Stale.
We have said tha, Grog Shops in Colum.
bia are no worse, considered simply as
retailing. .houses, than they are elsewhere,
but in other important aspects, they are
incomparably worse than the generality OF
Liquor Houses. We believe that the Grog
Shops in Columbia do more injury 10 the
State, than three times the same number
elsewhere. The fact that our State College
is located here, with hundred and sixty
or hundred and seventy Students, at an
age when habits and character for future
life are in formation state renders it ncal.
culably important thai Grog Shops in this
place be suppressed, ifn no other part OF the
State. .
Now, how is this to be effected ? AS
preparatory work for it let the Citizens OF
Columbia, let The Trustees Of the College,
let the Members ofthe Legislature, let every
Parent who expects TO educate son here
Jet them know what evils have been ex-
perienced BY our College, and through It,
by every part Of the State, from Grog
Shops, Oyster Houses, ct omne i'd genus,
in Columbia. We have no opposition to
eating. g.houses-there should be such in
every Town ; but all the places oftla' kind
we have ever known here, were mere Grog
Shops, with an eating department Of secon-
Diary Importance appended. by way OF CO.
dicil to the establishment. These are the
sort ofeslablishmenls that lie in the path OF
the inexperienced and generous.hearted
young student, and whose attractions induce
him to enter-to return again and again he
returns, until tho foundation of dissipated
habits arc laid, and he returns horne. butto
wreck the cherished hopes OF an affection.
ate mother, and to carry down fathers
grew hairs in sorrow to the grave. Not a
| few of the Students of South Carolina Col
lege have been entombed nthe Drunkard's
grave, and some of them almost before
manhood's seal was stamped upon their
brows. How much ofthis has been The
work of Columbia Grog Shops, we know
not ; that some gift has been, WE DO KNOW.
| We, ,wr,e no, this in anger, or with an I'M
proper spirit Of hostility to these places.
This subject excitcs too many melancholy
retrospections to indulge in anger. II
brings up associations Of earlier years. It
recalls the friends of opening manhood-the
gay generous ,hrong oflighl- hearted youth,
with whom VIC were linked in joyous fellow.
ship. A little mound of earth meets our
eye hero and there, through the State, to tell
that death has been doing his work even
among them. Many have fallen in early
,, life, and but for the poison ofthe Gin Shop,
some of these might still have been living.
We in, ite the Graduates ofthe College to
respond to the CIRCULAR Of the Executive
Committee, through onr columns. The
whole cannot be told, perhaps not half but
vast amount Of startling facts can be
brought forward. We know something
about this matter. Most sincerely do We
wish, that we knew less from personal OBJ
servation and experience. We understand
distinctly the operation Of these places on
our College, and for one we shall respond
to this Circulars.
Temperance Advocate.