Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-07-27
MEssRs EDITORS:

OF close and rigid examination as TO the Kind
Of Influence exer,ed By US in our associations
with our fellow mem. To professors OF religion, I
{and especially ocGetrs in the christian church)a
solemn and impressive warning is given o,avosd,
uuder all Circumstances, That which viii BE
The occasion Of brothers INJURY To !. no,
derate drinkers, whose offerings 1.-THE ,ssbrine
of fashion" are mingled. w it'll the blood n theu-
sands an appeal louder than the voice 81 then-
der Is made, calling upon them TO throw of The
restraints imposed BY The enchanting hand Of
custom, and contribute their influences "a sun.
pressing vice, the 5aneful effects Of which Are
faiikfully REPRESENTED in tie unfortunate subisc,
Of the following
THRILLING SCENE. 4
! . ~ From the .7IbGny aiIasg
:. Permit me 10 illustrate my views OF
temperate drinking by relating substan.
tally thrilling scene which occurred IN.
town ln a neighbofing state, v here the
people were gathered together 10 disc ss,
the merits ofthe license question, and de
eide informally whether neighbors should
any longer be permitted TO destroy each
other by vending alcoholic poisons.
p The town had suffered greatly from The
sale and use of Intoxicating .liouors--ihe
men Of influence were opposed 10 total
abstinence. AZ the meeting, the clergy
man, a deacon. and physician. were pre-
sent. and were all in favor OF Continuing
the custom Of license; alt in favorSof Der.
hitting few m en- Of moral character 10
sell alcohol; lof they all agreed lin ltAe
onlnlon. 1Rat alcohol. in moderation. when
used as a oeveFasess y X. gcoG Cfedturc
Of God--ahd thaifo restrict tits sale; or
moderate use, vas an unjust interference
with human liberty. and reflection upon
the beEevolence Of the Almighty. They
all united in the belief, that, 10 the, use Of
alcohol. as beverage, excess alone was
TO be avoided
The feeling appeared 10 be all one wsy,
when single teettotaller, who was pre-.
sent by accident, ba who had been for.
mer resident Of the town, begged leave
10 differ from the speakers who had pre-.
ceded him. He entered into a>histort OF
the village from its early settlements. He
called he attention. Of the assembly !o1fffe~
desolation temperate drinking had brough.
upon families and individuals. He point.
ed TO the poor house and grave yard Tor
fits numerous victims He urged The peo-
pie, BY every consideration Of mercy, 10
put down the food-gaies. and prevent as
Tar as possible. The continued desolation
Of families BY the moderate use of alco.
hol, Butl all would not do the aEgu:
merts Of The clergyman. The deacon. and
the physician, sacked by station, learning,
and influence, were, loo much for the SIN
gle tee tolaller. No one arose 10 coniu.
ae the discussion. or support, him and
the president Of The meeting was about 10
lputthe question, when all at once there
arose from the corner ofPihe room miser-
ableskelelon Of femals. She was thin.
ly clad and her appearance indicated HE
Utmost wretchedness and that her mortal
dareer was almost closed. After mo.
ment OF silence and all eyes being fixed
upon her she stretched her atlenuated
body 10 its utmost height. then her long
arms TO the greatest length, and raising
her voice 10 a shrill pitch. she called up
on all TO look upon her. Yes T. she
said, look upon me. and then hear me. All
that The last speaker said, relative to tenn
peraie drinking as being the father Of
drunkenness, is true. All practice all ex-
perienceI declares IFS truth. All drinking
OF alcoholic poison,as afeEersge, in health,
is excess.
II Look upon fne you all know me. or
once did you III know | was once iae
mistress OF the best farm in this town !; you
all know, too. once had one eRAhe best,
one oEthe most devoted husbands; you all
know ! bad Eve noble hearted industrious
boys: Where are they now. DOCTOR
where are they now You ell know
you all know they lie 10 a row, side bv
side, in yooder church yard all, every
one Of them. filling The drunkard's grave.
They we're sh taught no believe thai fem:
Peraie drinking was safe, excess ought 10
be avoided. and they never acknowledged
excess. They quoted you, and you, and
you, pointing with her shred Of finger 10
II the priest, deacon and doctor. as asthori.
l1x. They thought themselves safe under
such teachers. But / saw The gradual
change coming over my family and pros
II pects&ith dismay and horror. felt We
were all 10 be osesvhelmed in one com.
mon ruins | tried 10 ward of the bloS
tried 10 break the spell-,he delusivs
| spell-in which the idea Of the benefits o
-l1enperate drinking had involved my bus
| band ard sons | begged. prayed bn
! the odds were greatly against me. Til,
: priest said the pQisoa that was destroying
: my husband ihd boys was good treaturl
of God the deacon who ats under thi
pulpit there. and took our farm to pay hi
rum billl sold them the poison; The ply
j. xicIan said that little was Eood. and ex
cess ought 10 bc svoidea My poor h0s
band snd my asst h9Hs ieli lnlo 4he snare