The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-06-17


with which the friends of the cause first
started, and which has ever since been
kept steadily in view--to rescue mankind
from the evils and wretchedness OF in
temperance,-to remove cause, the eff
feet Of which is to destroy health, virtue
and happiness. Our wish is to see all
men every where put away alcohol and
return 10 natures pure drink. Our well
fare is against no man, but against mons
ter, that has destroyed more of the hui
man family than all the plaques that have
ever visited the world, and bearing the
shield of truth and the sword Of moral
suaSiom we hope steadily to adv ance I'M
til every yestage Of this fell destroyer has
disappeared from our land. Our object is
to win the moderate drinker from his g lass,
to lift the inebriate from the depth Of
misery and degradation into which he
has fallen, to restore him to his family
and to society, and to prevent him and
his helpless offspring from falling lax
upon the community. This is the con.
summation we are labouring for, and if
proof be required, we point riumphanlly
to all the past history Of this great relor-
nation view it i'll its origin, its progress,
lis RESULTS,-and you will see that the
propelling force, that moves the whole
machinery is simply patriotism and phil
aathropy. One great obstacle i'll our way
is The custom Of using ardent spirits for
elcclloneering purposes. In protesting
against this practice, view us not as enc
mics or intruders, but rather regard lis as
friends of humanity, pleading for the we'll
fare of our county, end the safety of our
fellow citizens. Where is the good result
ting from this custom2 Is il necessary
Is 1t righ2 Are men more capable OF
judging OF the merits Of party or of
candidate after ,parlaking of portion Of
this destroyer! Is our county so lost to
virtue, as to render it necessary to press
the poisoned bowl to The lips of her citi-
zens in order TO secure their suffrage?
No reason we presume can be given
why this practice should not be immedl-
ately abandoned The amount OF evil
that grows out Of it can never be correct
| ly estimated. We do not expect in this
address to produce conviction in the
minds of all, of the enormity of this evil.
| If we succeed in directing the careful at
tenlion Of our fellow citizens generally to
| this matter, we shall have accomplished
| all we can at present expect. Reflection
indeed, we believe is all that is necessary
on this point, for no discriminating mind
Can upon proper reflection fail of seeing
the soundness and business of our re-
quest. 1t is beyond doubt true, that this
custom tends TO encourage drinking and
if drinking, of course drunkenness. The
influence of those that countenance this
custom, not only operates against the
spread of temperance, but gives an I'M
pulse, an appearance of responsibility to
intemperance, Thus do we see in this
practice one OF the avenues through which
incompetence makes her way over our
land with all the blasting, desolating and
destroying effects that attend her,-Is it
not strange-is it not absurd that men
who are candidates for office and who
are either TO enact or to enforce laws, for
the peace and protection of the communi-
ty should openly and jealousy encour-
age, that the direct tendency.of which is
to violate all law human and divine;
should press the poisoned bowl upon
their neighbor, and then visit upon him
the vengeance of the law for an offence
which that very draught prompted him to
perpetrate. Here indeed is an anoma-
ly. An office which has been created for
the better security of the peace, protection
and prosperity of the people is to be fill
led, and he who aspires TO fill 1t, shows
his ability for so doing, by sowing broad
cast over the community the seeds of
strife, disease and restitution, he demon
strates his regard for the law, by useing
ard urging others to use drink,-the
undeniable tendency of which is viola-
ton to law.
From long association men often cling
with tenacily to usages trulysbarbarous,
and for this cause oppose the best
schemes for human improvement and the
soundest suggestions of humanity itself
But does this justify continuation in
wrong course2 The lindoo perishes
beneath the fatal Juggernaut, and the Pa
gan Widow is consumed upon the funeral
pile of her husband. Such they tell you
was the custom of their ancestors, but do
you feel that this plea for these horrd Gus.
toms, is a sufficient justilica.ioh2 Thou
sands are perishing beneath the Jugger-
naut of intempelance, or in bacchnalian
rites are consumed by fires Of alcohol.
Will you then lend the slightest aid to
propel the one, or furnish even one brand
for the unhallowed flames of the other
Is this fact or is it tiction2 II it be true
that this custom tends even in the reno
test degree to promote and encourage
intemperance, then is it all fearfully true.
Perha ps the reformed drinker, visits po-
litical meeting, he whom the mild genius
of Temperance has lifted from the slough