The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-09-08

Ewes, and blind their better understanding Y
with inAammaiory speeches; and, in too
many instances, regardless OF truth, they
state as facts, what they either know, or
might know, we're untrue. Yet witness 1
with what avidi,y these statements are ,
guped down BY the intoxicated rabble, and
how eagerly they are circulated as undeni'
able truths! Would men Of common un' {
Outstanding be thus gulled we're Il not Tor
designing demagogues, with the aid oil ar
dent spirits or could such designing men,
without this aid, accomplish this end! /,
for one, am decidedly OF opinion, they could
not. ask, would an enlightened, civilized
and chris,ianized people. los we boast our
selves to be) in their cool, deliberate mo-
men,s, support BY their suffrages, for the
hinhes, h0nors IN our Government, men /
who are entirely regardless of even com.
mon heather morality In this respect,
have we acted soberly and wisely Or
rather, have we not acted, at least, as It
under the influence Of intemperance J.
Have we not. III the heat of party zeal,
aud madness Of enthusiasm, lost sight, not
only OF religion, but even Of common mo-
rality 10 the selection of our rulers! We
all profess TO believe in the Bible-and tina,
good Book saws Prov 29h, End v.)"When
The righteous are in authority the people
rejoice: but when The wicked beareth rule,
The people mourn" Need we therefore be
surprised at cur hard timesl Or have we
not much greater cause Of surprise that our
times are no worse !! And have we not
much reason to fear, If Ihe Bible be true,
that unless we amend our ways, as ma
ton, aud act more consistently with our
christian character, in the selection OF our
rulers, that our land shall mourn still more
! deeplyl On this ground have had my
! fears for fifteen years; and the only hope
: | have Of being saved from The curse oil
wicked rulers, is, and has been, in the ten.
S perance reformation. And consider the
!. unparalleled success of this noble cause
j. within the last few months, as one Of the
. mos, happifying omens Of better times.
y In reviewing this subject, it is moi sur
$ prsing, that, notwithstanding intemperanc'
;. is thus destructive TO individual, social ant
}, national happiness, yet SO many are toun'
q in our enlightened age, who refuse to s,gl
h the pledge, and who, by SO doing, take side
y with the drunkard? For remember, tina
% on this, as well as the important subject c
g religion, there is no neutral ground. Their
I'd are but two sides--he that is not for US,
Oh against us-and by refusing TO aid the ten
~ perance cause, you, however undesigDedy
ef yet taci,ly throw all your influence into III
ie scale Of intemperance. All the objection
&c which have heard advanced against thl
cause, are so absurd and futile, as reali
Ve not to deserve a serious reply, and Irresis
nc tally impress my mind withthe belief, tha
IN their opposition, in truth, arises from .h
h, Lore of spirits however unconscious the
0. NAV be OF the fact themselves. II there
ie, hitherto Deeu vorrvnts- w.-....-~--, Ls
pr excuses, would beg you to ask your ow
,st heart, whether or not you do not love III
be accursedthng And your conscience n
IN plies in the affirmative, would say, 90
iln are the very one who are in the creates
mp danger. Trust not TO your own frmness-
IN, many mightier than you have fallen. N
III, man ever expected, or intended, when |
10. commenced drinking, to become q drunl
%. ard-far from the abhorred the Yer
les idea Of such o ihlng--in his own imagin;
n ton he stood firm as you, but with the US
on the fondness for il increased, until lii
Bile Sampson, he was shorn Of his strength, AT
ed became, not like other men, but like 9th,
lef drunkards.
te' I, is thought, and believe, that The lo'
Of arden, spirits is not natural TO man; b,
ch when taste is acquired, and habi, ONT
es. formed, its course is onward to the gray
or, Every sin hardens the heart, and prepas,
of it for a repetition Of the same crime, b
lie. intemperaUce not only hardens the hear
k but Supplies the understanding and sea
I'd. the conscience as with q hot iron, al
ed, thus prepares i, for the Preparation
Isl, erery crime. Ii the taste, then, is n
lily natural to man, How is it acquired ?
no To this question, we must look TO Mot
res ers for an answer. Do you rememb
m how often you have prepared To-day fl
we yourselves perhaps) under The pre,encc tn
rig your infant needed, or wanted il Al
in. when it refused 10 drink the poison, {
w, you not remember how you added Il
of tie sugar or honey, and then urged yo'
IN innocent babe to take little Of the good
ow as you termed it? Do you not rememb
ew we'll that you persevered in this way, u
40 til. like yourself, it acquired fondness
II, it? And what has been the consequence
be 10 ten thousand instances! Parents VIC
i've may trenble when they remember how {
IN ten they have planted, and how careful
Jus they have cultivated these seeds of dea
TO. and destruction in the hearts Of their ION
be cent offspring: and the only plea in abat
nd ment that can be offered is, that they d
lie. it ignoranily. Blu, light has sprung u
pc and this plea Can no longer be offered as
in paIliainn of such conduct. Mothers shou
an remember that the first, the deepest al
i've most durable impressions ever made on 4
at hearts Of children, are made by their pr