The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-08-31
TEMPERANCE.

~
e,at0;u of the Gecnu,ih Convention 1es-
pectfuly submit tic foHom'nS.
REPORT.
For the information of others, and for
the better understanding one another, we
would checrfu!Iv spread before the world
the principles and designs, not onlv OF
this Convention. but of every Society from
the scaboard to the mountains, and of eve
" individual member of such association,
as far as we have evidence, and ourselves
understand them, in efforts to promote the
cause of Temperance in Our State. For.
although we are objects, to some extent, OF
distrust and suspicion, and have been the
subjects of secret and public dcnunclatlon
by many, we have neither principle nor
design in our different organizations eltorts
which we arc ashamed or afraid to avow
which we do not regard as promotlvc
of the best interest OF society.
We war against the most popular, and
vet the most destructive vice, that has cv-
er obtained foothold amongst mcn-thc
sin of drunkenness. We avow, too, most
nnhesitatingly, that the war VIC wage we
intend, as to this vice, to be one OF cXtcr-
mipasioI1.s Our associations are voluntary.
An impressed soldier, driven into ranks
by Incorporation of law, or mercenary
hireling, tempted by the hope of money,
power or patronage, are unknown in our
service. Our only term of enlistment is
for the war-the whole acar-and whilst
this war is wagng, we will engage, as
Temperance Associations, in no other
service. We will espouse no other quar-
rel, and, when ended, and this our COM
mon emmy is driven utand destroyed we
pledge our livcs, our fortunes, aad our
sacred honor, that our army shall dIsband.
But ours is not war of brute force-it
is a moral warfare. We seek the good of
alive propose that the fruits of triumph
shall be shared by alive invite, and
with open arms, receive into our service
the father and son-the mother and daugh-
ter-thc husband and wife-the widow
and the orphan. The patriot-the philan-
thropist and the chris ian-the abstincnt
the partially abstinent-the temperate
and the Incorporate: and Of late day the
unfortunate Drunkard, coming even from
the camp Of the enemy, although covered
as he may be with the scars he has re-
ceived in harder serU,ce.
We knowthat we are fiercely denounc-
ed by not few-some of whom come
with fair speech upon their lips, although
we are assured the poison of asps is under
their tongues. Some arc themselves de-
luded by more artful mcn-somc have
ears. but will not hear-eyes, but will not
see: and many, very many, have not yet
considered, and are still destitute OF the
light. -,
The lover of the bottle, who has dellb-
erately made up his mind he will not, for
any consideration, part from 1.-THE man
wh5has fully investigated the whole mat.
ter, and is resolutely determined to spread
temptation before others, by the manu-
facture of, and traffic in, intoxicating Ii
quors, regardless of consequences, in one
point of view may oppose our efforts;
though even to such, we are better friends
than he is to himself or his neighbors.-
But, that the lover of good order, peace
and sobricty-that the lover of the souls of
men and Of the cause ofa common Sa-
viour, should be found in opposition to our
associations, must only arise from the fact
that our principles andsdesigns-our mo-
,tivcs of action and means by which alone
we hope to attain our end, are mot correct
" understood of all such we ask that we
may be Judged Of fby our fruits. We urge
them to attend our mcctngs-read our
addresses-hear our professions learn
our practices-scan our lives. BY these
shall We know them.
We seek to teach by example and BY
precept-reason and argument. arc our
weapons-and we address ourselves to
the understandings and hearts and con-
sciences of men. We persuade men to be
sober, anfthus seek to thin the ranks Of
our enemy. We beg men to dcsist from
the manufacture of the poison, and thus
seek to dry up the fountains oftbis evil
We spread before men every inducement
which hie or dcath--things past, present
or to come-whlch either earth or the fu-
ture abodes of happiness or misery are re-
garded as furnishing, to aid us in effecting
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