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

unknown-a sober nalion-u Republican empire col
tanning seventeen millions Of people, free, sobe
healthy, and, far this prolific parent OF msert
was concerned, happy ALI the disease, all the ni's
~, all The long catalogue Of crimes which have sprun
from drunkenness, banished-no, not banished but u
e born, unknown. unheard Of: Suppose, say, Tbs
e with this object in view, an appeal should be mad
10 these members of Congress to come forward, eac
, in his place, and example to those who ha
commissioned them-to those whose image 1t was thei
duty 10 refect-to whom they should be as miro
and whose virtue and happiness it should be thei
PRIDE 10 eoird-a proposition were made 10 take so
emn public pledge that they never would stain thei
lips with The polluting contact OF q poison VINO
must destroy their countrynen ask, SIR, who wonl
. panse' Who would refuse' Who would reject
pledge, The impossible barrier against such nunda
ton of misery would not-l am sure would not
So far from considering such pledge The 'surrrn
der Of my freedom OF action" should exnlt in lh
deed one by which had secured my own and pre-
served the liberties of my country. The friends of tn
temperance cause, however, are unhapplly not in TIN
condition have supposed. The demon has not onl,
approached, but has been welcomed to shores lie
has already wrough, among amount of mischie
and misery which | am wholly incompetent to describe
1t is object TO arrest aud expe what cannot now
prevent We seek 10 secure in aid OF the most lori
Gus moral and social revolution of which the world
the introduction Of Cnrislanily-to enlist in this cause
the countenance and support and TO throw around il all
the dignity and influence, which necessarily attach to
the movements of those connected with the Govern.
ment.
We are sometimes told or cause, like every thing
else that is great and good, has its difficulties and its
enemes that the pledge proposed subjects necessarily
the man who takes it TO the implied admission that he
is himself laborng under the evil in question, and flies
to this means Of escape from it, This is grossly
unjust view Of the matter, and in uous to cause
rs is untrue. II is to the sober here appeal
We call upon them to rally 10 the standard Of snbrie
~; invite the temperate to guard the ofem-
perance. Shall shame nerpose here? Can the man
who loathrs the bottle, and shrinks appalled, from all
the degradation TO which the bottle leads blush to pro-
frss openly the honorable principles which he practices
You who are temperate, how you withhold your aid
from u.s. The aid simply Of your and countenance
Temperate refusing to join temperance society!
Withholding their name and influence. nay, throwing
by their refusal, the weight OF both against vs. il IL
unnatural it is uninteligibe, it is cruel It's most
cruel in those untanted by this destroying vice 10 cast
the whole weight Of the cause upon It's wretched vic.
TINS wrthing and struggling with the chain which
darkly binds their strength, stretch out the arm,
free and unpaalysed by its weight, 10 aid in rendng
its links asunder. You (Mr. NJ. here looked steadiast'
y and earnestly at Mr. Wise)-you incur no risk; you
make sacrifice, you brave painful notoriety,
your lives are as yet unstained, your good un
scathed. Not shade darkens the fair field OF your
unsulied esculcheon. There is no room for shame.
Nothing but honor to yourselves, and blessings to
others, can follow your union with Us. Ashamed OF
pure and perfect Temperance Oh! no, true dignity
surrounds her; the diadem of honor sparkles her
brow; and the flowing robes ofvrlue encrce and adorn
her elastic and graceful form. Mine sir, differ
ent Mr.. President, we ofthe "Total Abstinence
and Vigilance Society" in our meetings at the other
end OF the CITY, much in the habit Of 'tellng
periences," that have myself fallen somewhat into
it, and am guilty occasionally of the egotism OF making
some small confessions, (as small as can possibly
make hem.) Mine, then, sir was a different case
had earned most unenvable notorlety; by excuses
which, though bad enough did not half reach the re-
putaton they won for me- | never hubitual
drunkard. ] of your spreeing gentry. My
sprees however, began to crowd each other; and my
Perhaps my long intervals OF enre auslnretieA per
hnps something peculiar in my form, constitution,
or compile xion-may have prevented the physical
Indications 40 usual, of that terrible disease which,
till temperance societies arose, was deemed incuraoe
and resstless. Perhaps, had nonrished the vanity
to believe, that Nature had endowed ME with yer.
satilty which enabled me TO throw down, and take up
at pleasure any pursuit. and chose TO sport with the
Gift If So was brought 10 the very verge OF fear.
ful punishment Physicians tell us, that imtemperance
at last becomes, of itself, not habit voluntarily IN
duloed but disease which its victim cannot resist
had not become fully the OF that hendlsh THIRST
that horrible yearning after the dstillaon tron Inc
oIembck of hell winch said to scorch in the throat
and consume the vals Of the confirmed drunkard with
fires kindled for eternity did become alarmed, ano
for the first time, no matter from what cause, lest
the demons fangs were fastening upon me, ana
was approaching that line which separates the man
who froIics, and can quit, from the lost inebrate
whose appetite is disease, and whose will IS dead
I Joined the society my own account and iet
Inst must encounter the title of 'reforned drunk
ard" annoying enough 10 me- assure you J luog-
ed from the cruel publicity given through the press 70
nv Crolics what had 10 bear and brave. But did
brave i, ALI and would have dared any thing to break
ths cham which at last discovered was rvetting on my
sou TO unclasp the folds of that serpent habit whose
fu embrace death Letters from people never had
heard of, newspaper paragraphs from Boston to New
Orleans were mailed and still mailing 10 me, ny
which am very distinctly and in the most friendly
and agreeable manner apprised that enjoyed oil over
the Republic the delectable reputation OF sot win
one foot in the grave and understanding almost TO-
tally overthrown. doubt not, Sir, that the soce.
lies who have invited address them at different
nlaces in the Union, will expect to find me with an
nnhealcd carbunce on my nose, and my body Of Inc
graceful and manly shape and proportions OF dem''
ohn have dared all these annoyaLces, all this cee'
brtv have not shrunk from beng text Tor Tempe
rance preachers and for the outpourng oil the
sympathes of people who have more philanthropy ,hah
| n,lue,ess more temperance than tase. signed the
n,dge on nv own account Sir, and my heart lsapea
to find that free. The chain has fallen from my
fire.. born limbs not link or fragment remains 10 zen
over wore the badge OF servltude. Mr. President,
tho temperate members Of Congress are exposed, as
have said to no shame annoyance from the act 10
wb,ch wp invite them II is TO rescue others mat we
summon them. To rescue others-ay, Sir and place
Themselves beyond the reach of danger from which
none are exem pt There are men of stamp when Sc
cures them absolutely from every thing winch can oe
Grade save only this vice There is no danger at
man of lofty mind spirited, we'll educated gentle
man, will s,oop to other vices which sink and degrade
humanity He will not lie, he cannot steal, he IS ncapa
HE of dshonor. Death itself cannot drive HIM 10 Inc
perpe,raton of baseness. Poverty, want starvation
may assn him. he is proof against them al, h ms aGns
can can guard, vha, magnanimty shield u.s. Who has not
seen The most towering, the most majestic, sink van
uushed be neath its powers Who has not seen germs
PROSTATE, courage dsarmed manhood w'!heed, before
the march of this fell destroyer ofa mat ,h
e sgn s malice tyranny, and the ambitions policy Of
eonqseror, this grim king selects the oflest victims,
and fram those WHO otherwise are formed 10 be Tue