, 1840-07-04
From tie Pennsyipdnian.)
HARD CIDER AND HARD DRINKING.

<A4ND l11ltD OTll4NA1-NU
The debauchery and generalization noticed
in various parts of the country, as having
been caused of late by the new mode O
electioneering adopted by the Harrison party
is beginning TO attract general attention
among well disposed men Of all parties, who
now see and deplore the evils that have al
ready been accomplished in this way. in
leading both the youth and those further nd.
vanced in years, in habits easily formed. but
difficult to eradicate. We recently publish.
ed an article on this subject from the New
York Evangelist. a religious paper, which
earnestly demonstrated against the political
drinking frolics of the day; and we now sut-
join a few sensible remarks upon the same
topic. made IA few days ago at the annual
temperance convention of the State Of Con.
necticut, held at New Haven. The speak
er was Mr.. Leonard Bacon. a clergyman. and
We presume from his language, a member of
the Wing party. After abiding to the mani
fest backsliding in temperance, he said:
"There is another reason why the cause
of temperance is retrograding. Ii is, (a.d i
say it with no wish to offend any person.l
Owing IN 4 great measure 10 causes af re-
cent occurrence. Within three or four
months, Intemperancc has become the badge
of 4 political party? The hard money hum
bug was hard enougb-but the hard cider
humbug will prove more disastrous to the
country, and more degrading 10 those concern
ed in il. Yes. intelligent men-men. who
have enj wed the benefits of Christian teach
ings-and who live in a land of gospel light
are called upon to exhibit their enthusiasm
N a Political strife, by drinking hard cider.
made harder by hard brandy, for the glory Of
General Harrison! Yes-at these conven.
tons and committee rooms MANY ayoungman
wiltake his first lessons in drunkenness, which
will bring him to the almshsuse or the pris.
thousand men will be made drunkard's in one
year, by this 'hard cider enthusiasm"
That this picture is not overcharged, there
are abundant evidences. The newspapers
have teenied with accounts of the debauch.
cries arising from hard cider assemblages.
and the New York Evening Post ~testifies to
the state of things among the opposition in
that city, in the following language:
"lf any Of our grave and sober citizens
who are the fathers of young men belonging
to the Tippecanoe clubs in this city, should
find themselves perfectly at leisure of a fine
evening, when the clubs are advertised to
assemble, perhaps they could not better en-
ploy their time than by walking out and drop
ping in at the meetings, which are public, in
order Just to satisfy themselves what their
sous are about. They will then be able to
judge for themselves whether these promls-
cuous convivial associations are proper
things TO encourage. a:.t whether the news
papers perform their duty in commencing
them and councelling their readers TO attend.
We have heard that the number OF young
men who are seen at these places in a state
of intoxication is so great as to excite alarm
even in many who ut first saw with ~satIsfac-
ton the establishment of the Tippecanoe
clubs as a party engine
The inference is strong that such is the
case from the style of the calls in the New
York Federal papers. which generally an
nounce on the occasion of ~"rallies at The
ward clog Cabins" that there will be "a
great variety of speaking. and singing, and
a plentiful supply of real Harrison hard CT
der."-.Good speaking and spirited singing
may be expected" says the New York
American on one occasion; and the %subloln.
ed quotation is literally from the Evening
Star of the same city:
sThere will be a rousing meeting, this
evening, at the TippecaDoe Club of the 18th.
Music, public speaking, GOOD SINGING. md
HARD CIDER"
We cannot do better at the close ii tnpse
statements. than suhirin the fnIIow'nI DIM
rabie reflections !r'u ~. E-.nf-. p.
which doubtless nave H. , '-'a,
application:
"Fram all that g 20. .e r"a,nD
1ieve that Mr.. Bacon has neither over stated
the fact. nor over estrnaioi The danger.
Whatever may be thought OF the prudence
and propriety of some of the measures resort
ed 10 by the Jealous friends of temperance.
there can be no question with any man.
that it is more desirable to preserve all thai
the community has gained in the general pre-
salence of temperate habits, and that any
relapse towards that vice which is the parent
of so many crimes, so much poverty and so
maRy diseases, would be most depiorable.-
The relapse however, is going on; going on
rapidly, contagiously; spreading with all the
fury Of a new fashion, under the auspices of
aparty which pretends to the exclusive pos