The northern star and freemen's advocate., 1842-03-10

&z> Address by Professor John Foster, of Uni
on College, at the Anniversary of the N. Y. State
Temperance Society.
ResOIred, That the acclamatonns of rejoicing
Sreemen from the other side Of the great water
should animate US to effort, energetic and indom-
stable, till we too are free, all free.
Mr.. CHArRMAN-You will, am confident, re-
Jolce with me, as will also this assembly, that the
obligation referred to in this resolution has been
extensively felt; and that this feeling has already
led to appropriate action. The time has scarcely
passed, when the faith Of temperance men in the
final surceSs Of their cause was almost gone.-
The temperance sky seemed shrouded in gloom.
Men reasoned thus: go to the drunkard and re-
form him; am no drunkard; need no reforma-
ton. True, thousands around me are drinking
and falling; but shall drink and never fall. For
me to sign your pledge would be as useless as to
erect props to sustain the armament Thus rea-
sons many man till he stumbleS from his rock;
yet strange to say, on his fearful passage to the
abyss below, in mid air the cry still, / shall
never fall. Melancholy indeed was the silence
broken by such cry!
Meanwhile frequent reports of temperance tri-
umphs reached us from Europe. Temperance,
it seemed, was to share the fortunes of religion,
civilization, arts and sciences The land where
first it bloomed was to become dismal waste
the flowers transplanted to other climes.
But at length even in Europe the progress of
the cause seemed almost arrested by the obstacles
1t was called to encounter. A shout burst from
Ireland. From across the Atlantic it reached us
in murmurs-we EsteG-caught the words-lre-
land is free! politically? No
stranger stIl--frPe from intemperance--herd drunk
ards taee.
We were los. in thought then drunkards can
b free? The fact had been known before, but it
a. half fbo r,1hhic of
ledge---believed by some---doubted denied by
most. To the general conviction of this fact the
temperance cause owes its present frightening
prospects, its triumphant progress. 10 this con-
viction are due the tears of joy now every where
trickling over cheeks once scaded by the burning
drops of grief and shame. The drunkard feels
that the chain which binds him can be severed.--
The temperate drinker feels that though fr9e HIM
self his efforts may secure the freedom OF the
slave. The reioicings from abroad then have
reused US to action, and shall they not rouse us
still?
The success of temperance presents singular
anomaly for the consideration of the political
nomist We have long imported from foreign
lands large quantities of vice. Not satisfied with
these SUPPLIES we commenced the manufacture
ourselves. There is threatened scarcity abroad
and our own manufactures at once seut up shop,
aid with the most provoking GOODNESS inform us,
that for the future we must de. end on the impor-
ted article.
An idea strikes me; | scarcely dare give il ut
terance Let US carry temperance into politics.
What! make temperance political tool! feel
that tread on dangerous ground Yes, make it
political instrument. Our Legislators begin to
aoitate the question of capital punishments.
would bring the whole influence of temperance
men to bear on that question. Judges, who have
lonc presded in our courts of Justice, assure us
that scarcely ever is there a murder committed
which has not connection, proximate or remote: