Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-01-16

whose characteriS we'll known among US;
II have understood Thar yourself ami Il
MIR. FIournoy are traversins the slate, ur-
gIns upon the people the passage of an
aull-tippling law. II will cost YOU both.
no doubt, some anxiety, some morlifica.
ton and Il great deal Of expense, Time aud
labor, all OI which could have bec' 'nareil
could YOU only have prevailed ,.n the
Legislature 10 pass the act firss and discuss
its moral aud political bearings afterwards.
In this event. the consequences uf the act
would have out pleaded Mr.. Flournoy
and yourself, both combined and multiplied
ten tunes over. Such was the course pur-
sued in liiis slate, and now the friends of
the act leavel, 10 the advocacy OF its own
visible and glorious results: aud its enc
mics stand dumb-luunded hcfOrc these,
wherever it has gole into cIIrct.
Proofs like the foregoing might be null
tipled an hundred fold; but if The witness
ses alread y cited, oIcc our fellow citizens.
and distinguished for probily aud intelI-
sencc, will nut he believed conviction
would not he produced. although uue
should rise from the dead"
Here is the testimony Of six gentlemen,
distinguished as Mr.. Lumpkin assures US
for "probily and intelligence" citizens of
Mississippi, living in various parts Of the
Stale, assuring Us That the law has succeed
ed there beyond their ''mosl snnsuiue anti.
c,pations." II would be wasting lime to
comment upon this testimony. We see
'ha, the gallon law in Mississippi, IN
stead OF producing ''ihe horrors of civilized
warfare" has succeeded beyond their most
sanguine anticipalions." 1t is matter OF
regret, on account Of the false impression
which This Report may make upon some
who will never see This reply, that The
Chairman was so grossly imposed upon
hy incorrect statements of this matter
The Chairman well knew, as every one
does. The importance of an argument
drawn from experience on This question.
He therefore very properly based the
whole argument of his Repor, upon The
experience of England and the Z. Staics,
on this snhjecl. And had the facts bcen
as he supposed them to he. coufcss thai
the argument would have been well nigh
fatal To our cause. But fortunately fnr
The cause Of virtue, it turns out that The
Chairman was totally mistaken, in each
aud every position he assumed. have
shown from the History ofMat dug. that
lhe act of Parliament of 1856 has nothing
10 do with The measure proposed at this
llme IN South Carolina. have shown
from esIinony hat no man dares to qucs-
lion, that a law, much stronger than The
onc ,re propose, has succeeded in the''ho~ lie
kuilc stale of Mississippi" beyond the
mnst sauguine amiripations of It's
irierds. This is sufficient TO convince eve
ry one ,rho is open 10 conricLion. Those
who are rcsoired not 10 be conrinctd NAV
find, too Iale, that there is more virtue in
the people than they "dreamed Of in their
philosophy"
The Chairman admits that the retail
system is "the source ofindividual aud So
cial distress of the trepest die" And We,
he is opposed TO all legislation on The sub
iect. because he thinks the people would
not submit to the enforcement of The law.
Whence is this formidable oppos1inu to
arise? Not from the Chairman or mrr nf
his cast, for ne sees The evil aud would re-.
joice al its suppression. The opposition
then is not to he apprehcndctl from The
educated and the virtuous-huI from the
pcoplc. Who and what arc the penple!-
Are they headlcss trunk without seuse
or soul! Is there no virtue in thra? Are
they incapable Of instruction? And yet if
the Chairman's argument be true they
must he either fonls or knaves. How else
can he suppose that they will defend what
he admits to be whitening curse upon the
country! view them in ditieren; LIGHT.
There is no dluger from the people. five
an only escape from the politicians. Are
We to he told that South Carolina is so far
behind the age in civilization, that she is
NOT prepared for the moral reformation
which has already been effected in ''ihe
bowie knife STATE of Mississippi" ! trust
our people will, when the day arrives. mo-
hv viudicaIe their character from this foul
aspersiou, aud show those who entertain
this con,cmpluous opinion Of lhcm, Iha,
they duly appreciate and fully reciprocate
the feeling. The appeal in The Repor to
the prrjndices of The poor, is so AT war
with every feeling Of my nature, That can
not trus, myself to speak of it. This !
Looked 10 hear upon The hus,ings. but did
not think 10 sec il in n legislative Report.
The Chairman calls The advocates Of
virtue an,l sohriety "fana,ical reformers.
r.citus rallpI the rcliqiun of Jesus Christ
IA pernicious superstition"
Ii any think that | have treated this Re.
port with unnecessary harshness, TO such
/ reply. that am oflho injured parry
The Chairman has sci forth in his Report
a very thougfless and unsuarded arEu-
ment. highly injurious to the cause ] ad
vocale. Not content with this. he has. in
the zeal of his opposition. permitted him
self apply the opprohrous epite' of"fa-
natical refnrmers" to large aud respccta.
bile portion Of his constituents. TO all this
4 L.. al, c.1