New-York daily tribune., 1846-01-28
Hon. Ely Moore on Temperance.


Hon. Ely Moore on Temperance.
Eztraet from an address deitoed 6eore ne PT0speee l.
B. Soe.ety.
Allow me TO invite your attention ior non'ens @
to an important consideration connected win Ine
subject OF TEN perance IL is well known 10 eey
intelligent and close observer that tne ciass y.
yiduaIs most vulnerable 10 the vice OF lntemPerahce
:; go, nosed of men who inherit from The Creator
!; ON eminent degree the qualities ana attributes
which do most exalt and ennobie the nature ana
character Of man. In proportion as our systems are
deljcatel and exquIslteIy strung, our hearts ana
.,irds are sensitive and impressbe. The man who
combines in his nature or constitution, an ardent
;enperarent with fruitful NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. eie-
ments Of greatness as well as OF goodness-ls ever
The most inclined 10 court excitement however de-
eterious in lis nature ana 10 be swayed and swerved
BIZ lis influences. The more yielding and contding
mis- disposition, the more open and generous his ma
ture, the nobler and klncher his impulses and the
warmer and richer bis fancy, the readily is his
will subugated, and his Judgment unhlnged and
consequently, the more liable Is ne 10 fail into temp
taton, indulgence and excess Hence the vice oil
lntemperence IS rendered doubly odlous from tne
fact that those obnoxious TO Its evils are oy
nature the most brilliant. well as the most anna
bic and lovely Not only So but the inErmties In
cdent 10 the more unsuspccting and generous ma
lures are sure be increased as TINS wee IS lndul
ged consequently, those whom God particularly
endows with the brighter and loveer attributes ol
mentality of this evil the ready dupes and victims
of the unprincped, the calculating and the merce-
nary How many instances can you not call TO
mind. where the crafty and unscrupulous have
taken advantage of this weakness III their fellow
man TO deiraud and undo him and how often nave
you the noble, the generous and the philah-
ihropic becomes knaves. swindlers and mlsanthro-
pists in consequence OF the wrongs, the injustice
and the insratitudc which they experience at the
hands Of those who had oitlirnes pledged them IN
the flowing bowl" aud In whom they had believed
and contided.
Thanks 10 the brave and generous spirits who
were the pioneers in the Temperance causc; honor.
and praise and gratitude TO those who volunteered
10 redeem their fellow man from the moral curse OF
drunkenness and who, like the High Priest OF the
lsraelitcs. went out into the camp and stood be
tween the dead and living, 10 stay the plague which
ragged among the people
"Oh that could present to yonr lmaglnauons
n true and faithful portra,ure of the wrctchedness
and misery which is and has been inflicted upon
mankind by that monster and master vice-that de-
vouring Ogre of the social world-intemPerdhce.
Nav that | could gather, and group. and marshal
before YOU It's palsied and haggard victims, IN all
their squaidness and degradation-that yon might
behold if the horrid sight did strike you bear
and blind the extent and magnitude of that flery
and consuming curse, which, for season, threat
cned 10 overthrow and destroy the social and the
I moral world! But even tucil, you Wouu uDt pc
able 10 form proper estimate OF the sanatlve ana
~edccminc Influences which have been dispensed
bv the genius of Temperance. unless ! could at the
same time summon the lovely Goddess from her
etherjal abode into The midst OF that congregation OF
bloaed wretchedncss, that you nigh: also have dis
played before you the actual workings OF her mac-
ulous power.
Behold that cadaverous and oathsome group OF
inebriatesl Mark how sickening, how ghasty and
disgusting their whole appearance and their every
aspect! Their garments and tattered-ilteraiiy
dripping filth and biood-;her bodies bruised and
liberated their limbs trembling and palsied their
countenauces phrcnsied and distorted every yes
tige and lineament of mind and soul deiaced and
boued out--the very atmosphere which surrounds
them, polluted and poisoned by their foul and ielld
exhalations. See see how the demon lntempe-
rance, as he sways his triumphant scepire Ger his
PROSTATE, his helpless and hopeless victims, gloats
their deep and unutterable despair and revels
and eHults in the fancied supremacy and perma
nency of his power Hallelulah his reign and his
triumphs draw speedily to end. Lo the genius
of Temperance is descending to the rescue; and
the foul Gend starts up trembling and shrieiing at
the touch of her wand. The spell that bound his
subjects in moral darkness and death is broken and
as they feel the presence of the celestial Goddess,
they breathe freer and deeper She bids them arse,
and they spring to their feet She breathes into
them the breath of moral life and they stand erect
in her presence in all the dignity of primeval man.
hood She stretches forth her hand, and they are
healed-redeemed, regenerated and disenhraled.-
Once more their eyes are turned HeGvenward, ana
their step is as firm and elastic as of yorc. Once
more they walk abroad in the sunlight OF peace and
of purity with the stamp Of freedom on their brows
its badge upon their breasts.