Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-05-13

surrounding Naturc-l say, S,r, w"aid mol exchange
M conscious being, as a s'r'cuy 'rh cay '"n1"e
sense OF re aova.ed ynuthlhe glad ph? WIN witch my
oues nov beat beautiful mus;cte hnundIny vivacity
with which Inc life blood courses lis eAuiins way
,hrough every i5re Of ny frane--,he communion high
which my heulhful ear aad eye now Fold WIN all Tue
GORGEOUS universe of Godthe spendors OF the morn
ma the soiluess of the evening sky-the bloom, the
beauty the verdne Of earth, tic music OF the AR ana
the waters-ai;h all the grand associations OF external
Nature re.opened to the fine avenues OF sense-->o,
ST. though poverty logged me-though scosn poih'eo
ITS slow finger at me as passed-though want and
,es,Ituton and every element oil earthly misery save
ONLY crime, met my waking eye from day 10 day-ho'
for the brightest and the uohlesl wreath That ever en-
circled S:atesnans brow-not II some anger com
missoned BY Heaven, some demon rather sent ifesh
from He'll, the resisting Strength oi Vlruous
resolution should tempt me back, with all Inc weai.h
and all the honcrs which world can oeslow-hol 'or
all tha, time and all that earth can give, would cast
from me this precious pledge OF liberated mind, tins
tssan against temptation, and plunge again INTO The
dangers and the which once b"set my path
So help ME Heaven, Sir, as | would spurn beneath
my very feet all The gifts the universe could offer, and
live and die | am, poor but sober
When MIR Marshall had concluded -
The constitution of the society read by the Hon.
MIR Howard Of Mich gan Secretary OF the society," ana
SIGNATURES in yted from members present IN the assem-
bly,.
The Hon Mr. Gimer 0hen occupying the chair)
said he had friend and colleague in his eye, from
whom it would greatly crafty the society TO hear IT he
were disposed 10 address them
In response to this call
The Hon MI WISE, of Virginia, rose, and address
ed the assembled auditory in speech, the outline OF
which is here presented:
Nj President: wish it to be understood by the as
sembly here present, that am not, as yet member
of the Total Abstinence Temperance Society," ana can
appeal to you, SIR, for my sincerity, when express
my surprise At having been alluded to, Us nave oeeh'
by the eloquent gentleman from Kentucky, ana Ut oe'
ing called upon say word on the present occasion
II would be impossible, however, not 10 RESPOND 10 the
auson made by the gentleman who has precedeo me-
He vii. pardon Tor saying that IN us own case, we
are presented with Of the most glorious examples
of the triumph of the temperance cause lie rs hlmseii
proofot the position he has taken that the possession
of genius of the utmost perfection of physical power
that none of the ties which ordinarily bind men 10
sociey-are any safeguard against the seductive power
Of this tremendous wee; and that, when It has once
seized upon man, the victim himself is usually inc
very last TO be aware of it, He vii! pardon me II say
that, when first became acquainted with MN, wh''e
was struck with the greatness OF has powers oo'h
moral and intellectual, mourned under the convic-
ton that their possessor was in the greatest danger
and took the liberty to warn HIM OF IT. Ana whcn
behed him, impelled by motives which heaven ano
earth must approve, coming forward 10 attach ms name
TO the temperance pledge as highly gratifed as
l had been before distressed And now. when he ap-
peas to me to 60 step further than nave ever ye
gone in This cause, cannot Withstand his appeal
Loud bursts OF applause
AS far back as lS93, when first entered on the ca
Temperance Society II founded on the philosophy
of the time and especially the views OF that true
philosopher in the cause OF human happiness, the ds-
tinrushed Dr. Beecher. 1t his essays on the sub:
iect that first attracted my atienon-a work which
have never vet seen surpassed have never been a
drunkard; in the habltual use OF noxicat-
ing liquor and never was drunk but twice IN my lie
when ! was nine years old, and again al INC
age of fourteen; but when did get drunk at all, was
drunk for dead In both eases had 20 be stripped and
Subjected violent friction, order TO bring me TO LIE
again a very phllosophc reason has been gwen Tor
hy friend Of miro, who said 10 me- ~ an nave no r'a
son boast over being sober for you had spirit enough
born in You to stimulate any man; you have quite
enough excitablity by nature, without needing To
heshten il by the Of liquor And II was true ]
can bear testimony that strong drink is not necessary
of human life never touch 1t. My own frame IS, on
this subject, my best thermometer and to me this pot
son is deeterious and is So in the smallest guam
tty.
But il was not physicl! alone which induced
me 10 abstain: it mainly moral reason-l mean
III fact, which has been so often alluded to- that VINE
once YOU touch the seducng cup there no security
against the man has no power oil resistance.
1t has been truly said that, wrese who will with old
John B,.leycorn, John snre IN The end, TO be Inc
victor care not how strong he may be-, the man VINO
contends against strong drink obliged TO fall he falls
by law OF Nature. What deferred me was not the
moral necessity only but the moral consequences OF
excess IL has been wei! sad oY 'sitns the tom pc
ast addressed w. secure his freedoms and If an
inebra,c signs because he is resolved longer TO
femain slave-the meansst and The basest of slaves
he is determined To remain in the enjoyment OF those
gifts, mental and corporea, which the Almighty has
bountifully conferred upon him; he has vowed to him.
self, and to his Maker, that in the beautiful language
of Scripture, his body is, ADD shall remain, temp Of
the living God. And say, either TO hun
self to another that he has rght 10 drink nor has
he. We stand 10 ccch other, in social condition,
IN this world. Is the organs of lie body stand toward
each other, in physical constitution As well nigh,
The stomach say, am not the hver and | will take
this poison If please: the liver say, am not the
brain, and w consent 10 receive 1t. And though
The stomach, the liver and the bran should ali cons nj
TO The ntoIica.ing draugt the man whom they con-
stiiute holds relations 10 the around him which
he cannot throw Off lie say, this my own body,
and shall destroy 1t if please: that is my affair.
say to him, Show the moral law that vii! justify
such doctrine. You stand not isolated from your
kind and if by the possession Of strong constitution,
yon able to withstand what would destroy another,
tt your example may tempt and may rum thousands
you have n father and mother; and oh. how does
II wiring TIE heart of mother 10 behold her dar-
Ling son reons under the effects Of habitua noxica
lion and how iervcny does she think her God when
she witnesses his reformation iou have father
"a loving father hose hope is fixed you yon
grow up AID marry, and you have second Self,
who cngs TO you the vine cngs about the oak
You have child and, beyond this immediate circle,
you have distant relations, who are in widening
circles around you You touch all these, more or less
closely and you strike al them ALL VIXEN you protaneiy
determine that you have gh 10 destroy yourself
say further, that you have not only this moral inlu
ence Of example-an influence that is boundless-bnt
you have sociu economical relations, we'll as animal
economical relations. My friend, (Mr. Burneli) the
other day, put forth public demonstration Of how
much Of the national debt general adoption OF the
temperance cause would avail 20 pay. | would add
another view of lis economical results. ask, how
many unwashed and uncor.bed children would The say.
ing accrung from tins avail 10 educate through
ont the land, throughout ,.e world
When all these considerations, ramiied as they
in thousand diverse forms and thousand d.
recons, carried out, no, b. the ung naio merely
hut by proofs and testimony which cannot be aside
when the cost of lntomperance IS compared with The
saving which lis destruction would effect, is duly
slercd-u no there That does not feel direct,
date irresistible personal obligation resting upon him