Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-02-10
COMMUNICATION.


state of your health from attending the Tempe
rance Meeting on last Thursday night with your
PERMISSION, will present through the columns
OF your paper, synopsis of the very interesting
and eloquent address of Mr.. Powers, delivered
on that occasion. have attended many Tempe
rance meetings and listened to many addresses,
and can truly say, have never attended one with
more interest than the last, nor listened to an adj
dress with more pleasure. In this brief notice
do not pretend to do the address Justice. because
cannot. Nor can ] do more than advert to the
dinerent points presented in it. 1t was clear,
bold and pointed, yet mild, courteous and per-
suaS've-and contained nothing that could give
offence even to violent opponent to Temperance
societies.
In the outset, Mr.. Powers briefly explained
lhe ooJec. 'i the meeting, exhibiting intempe-
rance 20 view, and the remedy. He next depicted
the true nature of the vice; presenting in the
strongest terms, its hcinousn ness, demoraznc
ana degrading ELECTS. And he contended, that
aithouSh every man in the community was pre-
pared to admit that iniemperance was one of the
greatest curses that ever visited any land vet
Su"nSe 10 tel, yet no more strange than true, it
was viewed with general apathy. He gave as a
reason Tor this, the fact that iniemperance WAS al
ways In our mldst-that lis effects were Gradual
mat the ineoriate commenced with the intoxica-
Ting cup among us, and went on step by stem.
unconscious perhaps of his own danger, until he
was landed In drunkard's grave. He then sta
OF our own highly favored state and country. to
establish the fact that incompetence was the frut
iui source OF disease, death, paupeisn and crime
l. ne hGst propositions were established by the
opinions OF the most practical and INTELLIGENT
P"ys'ciahs-'he next by the assertions of the
managers of poor houses and the last by the
declaration OF the judges of courts of iustice and
'ne heepefs oil penItentiaries; showing mos, con-
cius!vely that disease is the natural consequence
c' tiie use OF Intoxicating drink, and that three
.ourths OF the crime and pauperism in our coun-
try may be traced to the same vice He noxton
tered the family circle, and i'm colors most vivid
described ITS desolating effects in that hallowed
spot, ana how entirely destructive it was To every
thing like domestic happiness. We had present-
Gu 70 us the black and dreadful picture of the woe
anu misery mat the drunkard produces among
those who should be TO him most dear: the Ioss
OF MS property, character, credit his worthless
ness In TINS world, and his hopelessness in the
next. II there was man present whose iuebra
lion mad ever made his own home the wre,cbed
picture That was depicted, that one must have fell,
the pangs Of gully conscience, and been m,do
to pause and consider.
lie stated the fact that all drunkards were
once moderate drlnkers-that their stems were
sometimes slow and gradual, but AWAY onward
t"a' every man who drank at all was i'm danuer
and that total abstinence from all n,oy;c.i;na'
drinks, was the only remedy for the Jrnni.srTS
ana the only safe ground for moderate drinkers
Inc encacy oil total abstinence is self evident
propositions; and it was clearly shown Inv reior.
ence 10 the late temperance movements in our
own country and In Ireland, in the almost count
less number OF drunkards who had been rocIsim
ed and snatched from a drunkard's Grave and :,
urunkard S doom, that the tota! abstinence Mode,
mas saved Its thousands. Mr.. Powers did not
deny to men the right to drink, but contendod
they were safer If they did not, and that chris
n .iah charity, on the ground of example and in
iiuence, declared it to be inexpedient After No
ticlng some of the objections to the scheme of
total abstinence, and contending that its princi.
plies did not Interfere with the rrht to use wire
az the sacraments, he concluded by a thrilling and
eloquent appeal to the drunkard, to moderate
uiihNt rs spirit dealers, christian parents young
men, and last, but with no less point, to the la
dies. Each class was addressed with annronr;-
dlehess' ahe am sure that every one in their |
respective positions, must have been made TO feel
thelr quit, their responsibility to themselves IN
on ~ aholier' 70 the community, and to their God
ho''ce the arguments which were urged to |
all thcse classes OF persons with SO much earnest
ness and zeal, would be to occupy more snace
IMAM Is intended by this article. The inheritance |
u te SUBJECT, The position that each of us occupy
DIS citiZens OF THIS community, ought to be- and is |
sulhcient to bring us to reflection and to action.
we should no longer sleep over duty, but take |
our position at once in opposition to vice and M,
await an eternity OF woe to deyelope our error
and inaction "" 'i'0i
Aiter lhe address was closed, an opportunity
was aioroed TO those who desired to take the
Pied9e' and many persons did so. | trust it was
uohe under the conviction, that in view of all the
circumstances, II was expedient. And | hone
this Is but the beginning of GOOD work i, o or
village, which is TO do much to discountenance q
gfauing vice, TO discourage dangerous habit
anu promote temperance, morality and religion.
CONSTITUTION
" tie Sfaunton IJtai abstinence Sycjet,,