The Columbian fountain., 1845-12-06
THECOLUMBIAN FOUNTAIN.
SATURDAY MORNING, DEC 6, ls4s.
CONSUMERS OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS.


To men who use intoxicating drinks as a
beverage we now pay our visit. We know,
in making our address, we have to treat
with various grades, and must, therefore, be
careful not to mistake the character, and
thereby misapply our arguments and exhor-
tation. First, we have the temperate drink
er Then, secondly, the moderate drinker.
Thirdly. The occasional drinker. Fourthly.
The constant drinker Filthy. The inn
moderate drnker. Sixthly. The hard drink
er. And, lastly, the beastly drinker
Now, the man that drinks temperately is
one who takes but little, and that little but
seldom always thinks he has some good
excuse---resolves never to take it, but for
good and sufficient reasons-never takes 1t
because others take it--never knows what
benefit he derives from it-sees no harm to
himself or others-but before he is aware,
he has formed an appetite which leads him
degree further, and he becomes lnoder-
ate drinker. In this, his second degree, he
can take two glasses, where he took one be-
fore; yet he does not see any evil to him
self Or others, until, led on by an increased
appetite, he takes his third degree, and oc-
casionally takes q glass too much. When
its effects have subsided, he regrets that his
temperate and moderate course has not con-
tinued, and he resolves within himself thathe
will not again go beyond the bounds Of
moderation. But the truth is, he has enter
ed the tract-he has taken his lessons and
unless he retrace, and unlearn, he will get
into the high road, and 60 on to complete
his education in the higher degrees Of in
ebriation. Coming up to the fourth degree,
of a constant drinker, such is his appetite
that he is never at ease, unless he is touch.
ing q. little, as he then calls it. Then he
takes. it as medicine, as necessary to him as
his food. And here we find him in his
fifth degree, drinking immoderately; and
very soon, indeed, he takes another degree,
and becomes the hard drinker. Glass after
glass, liquor after liquor, until liquor itself,
however potent its form, fails to affect him,
because lie is always affected. Then comes
the finishing degree, that Of the beast
sonis so far subdued, the man is SO far con-
quered, that that which may be contem-
plated in mans character as ennobling, in
mans ,enjoyments as rendering him pleas
ure, is gone--no motive placed before him
to induce his contemplation or his action,
whether it refer to time or eternity, to him
self or others-his family, his friends, or his
foes--nothing that moves rational being
moves him-he is under the influence of
steam, and it is only by steam that he can
be moved; and when moved, it is only to
pass in the same downward course, until
the frame itself, once the habitation Of the
man, but now lost to all that is manly, to
all that is noble, by the immense pressure,
is thrown down; and, although the way in
which he started seemed to him right, now
he finds the end to be DEATH! eat1
Look at this, we who are just commenc-
ing life-attend to know wisdom-hear the
wise man speaking to you: "Look not up
on the wine when it is red, when it giveth
its colour in the cup, when it movcth itself
aright-at the last it biteth like serpent,
and stingeth like an adder.o He introduces
this by way of exhortation, after he an
swers the questions he had proposed:
1Who hath woe Who hath sorrow
Who hath contentious? Who hath bab-
blingsl Who hath wounds without cause
Who hath redness Of eyes? Then he goes
on 10 show its further demoralizing infu-
ence, and the wretchedness it will bring up
on us. O, sons Of men, hearken to the
voice of wisdom, and be Wise.
s,SEAsoNABLE HINT.-The eighteenth sec
ton of the Act to provide for the preven-
ton and removal Of nuisances, and for other
purposes provides aThat every person re-
siding on any street or avenue in this city
shall, within six hours after any fall of snow,
b.,,o tho oo,no rouovod from tho ravonont