The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1842-09-10
TO TIE FRIENDSHIP TEN
PER,4.NCE SOCIETY.

perism and crime" have now to state.
that in relation to the first Of these OBJ
jects, my researches have been for the pre-
sent, brought TO close.
| met the Trustees of the poor, at our
Aims House on the 7h ult, and viii
here take occasion to say, that during my
Investigations, received every attention
from the members OF the board, which
urbanliy and kindness could suggest as
well as the hospitality Of the careful stew
ard.
The house is tcnanted by about sixty
inmates, OF every age, sex and color, whom
| visited IN their various apartments from
the hoary victims of rum, down through
all the minor grades of excess, to smiling
iniancy-the latter of whom, paupcrs from
their birth: seem destined to fill up the
ranks OF dissipation and wo, as fast as thew
are thinrcd by premature disease, unless
sna'chcd from their impending fate BY the
hand of bencvolcncc andlove.
Having obtained the prevailing senl-
ment of The board, in connection with nv
own observations, and the private history
of the inmates; | unhcsiatingly assert,
that nlne-tcnths at least of those now in
the house, have been borne to their pres
ent wrctched abode, either directly, or III
directly upon the fiery wheels of alcohol.
In this estimate those only arc included,
whose iorlorn condition can be diSiinciy
hdccd, backwards up the stream of life
until Its source is discovered i'll something
connected with intcmperance.
Hence ii is evident that instances of I'M
avoldable destlulion are rare indeed, so
much so. tina: it is scarcely possible, that
the necessity for summary maintenance
OH that account cou'd exist. Those unfor-
lunate few, whom the common lot Of hui
mainly might consign to perjury and want,
would find an ample security in the pril-
ciples which supply the springs Of human
sympathy-wilhout mourning the painful
alternative Of u dependence upon the cold
and reluctant hand Of public charity. Dry
up those prolific sources OF misery which
arc found to exist in the drinking habits
of the community, and our aims house
must fall to dccay-or be converted To
more useful purposes. Taxes for the sup
port of the poor would be unknown-or
IL Wv WIZ htSCoSul az al, Cbuju DUL
be incurred by few solitary instances Of
debility or arrangement.
Itarpcars that the property was purcha
sed i'll the year l7SS, and consists Of about
l76 acres, upon which are considerable
erections. The original cost was fifty
shillings the acre, say $1lOO. The H.
mount expended in buildings, have been
unable to discover, but to keep within the
truth we will state ii at s 1900, making un
aggregate of $1,000. This sum at COM
pound interest, would now have amounted
to upwards of SG4,0O0. The average an
nual expenses Of the institution may be
safely set down at $4,000; they have reach
ed $4,000. This yearly expenditure it.
sell, 10 say nothing Of interest, has now
arrived to 100000, making in all grand
total Of one hundrcd and $crcmy M0usaJd
dollarS-chargcable to the establishment
alone, since It's location on Cherry llIl
From these data we may form feint
conjecture of the loss and disadvantage,
under which we have been labcring. But
when to all these are added the immense
though unknown sums continually lost
q loosing; by our Merchants, Physicians,
Farmers and Mechanics, together with the
cost OF criminal prosecutors, court trials,
&c, many o! which are clearly traCcable
to acoholic causcs-the enormous amount
TO which the whole is swcllcd, is sulT-
ccnt it might be supposed to engage us in
one united effort to shake ourselves from
the grasp of the monster, whose scrpen-
tine coils have long weighed us down.
paralyzcd the nobIcst principles, and OBJ
srurcd the brightest virtue, which the
bountes, Of IA beneiicent Providence has
bestowed upon us.
Could the means thus drawn from the
hard earnings; and might add, from the
moral character ofthc community, be now
placed at our command for purposes of
public utility, they would build school
house in every ncighborhood, and cdu-
cate every child in the county-would
pay our portion of the state debt, and re-
llevc us from the necessity Of taxation for
many years TO come!!
In conclusion permit me to add, that
from what have seen Of the grievous i'll
roads, made upon the happiness of our
people, by this universal scourgc of the
human race, it requires but an honest dis
charge of duty, on our part to turn the
tide triumphantly in our favor. Our citi-
zens cannot turn deaf car to the appall-
ing facts, which a thorough investigation
of this subject would bring to Light
Crimes ofthe darkest dye have stained the
soil of our county-our treasure has been
poured out like water-the staff of life
has been converted into means, that have
poisoned the fountains of our prosperity