The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-09-10
From the Pearl,
Female Influence.

! When the men wish to 1iatter us, they talk
of our influence but when we endeavor to
exert it to some good purpose, they are very
! apt to sheer at our eXertionS.
We understand perfectly well that our sex
has peculiar intluence-we know that it has
| too often been eXertcd for evil, and we are
anxious that this evil should in measure be
| atoncd for, by its being used most powerfully
| and etfectually in the cause Of temperance.
II is a melancholy fact, that female influ-
ence at this moment, produces large pro-
portion Of the intemperance in this city!
We are quite prepared to hear doubt ex-
pressed upon this point-but we are as well
prepared to maintain it. Surely there is
no improperly in our knowing such facts
as we are about to state-knowing them, it
seems to be our duty to make them known
to others.
About one half of all champagne wine con-
suned in New York, is sold by women, and
bought and drank by men at their solicitation
We estimate the sale of this wine and imita-
tons in this way, at $4,000 baskets year.
costing, say 100000 by the basket, and sell
ing at 100000, or, almost million of dollars
Here then is female influence, acting directly,
on scale Of vast extravaganza, and making
drunkards of thousands!
If any person doubt the correctness of our
estimates-or rather their moderation, I'VE beg
that he would procure the necessary informa-
ton, and make them himself.
Besides the places alluded to above, where
female influence lures men to buy and drink
expensive wines and poisonous mixtures bear
ing their name, there is deep hell of horror
overspreading portions Of our metropolis
where female influence in its most degraded
form, induces men to drink bad brandy, gin,
and other liquors. Here is to be found the
lowest description of vice of all kinds, and
especially the vice of drunkenness which ac-
companies and aggravates every other. 1t is
impossible to make any estimate of the female
influence thus cXert1d but it is sufficient to
complete the ruin which had commenced, in
a hi cher grade Of vice. Such views Of female
influence, not being very fiatterlng to our
pride of sex, We sel;om have presented to us
but it IS not the less necessary that we I'M
derstand the whole extent Of the evils we are
called upon to combat and let us devoutly
trust, ere long, to conquer.
We come now to still different exertion
of female influence, but yet, in favor of in
temperance. Within a short time there has
sprung up new c ass of grog shops, worse if
possible than any that have preceded them.
They are generally on the second floors, in
fashionable and trequented quarters of the
town, are handsomely furnished and are kept
by yo ing attractive females. OF course they
exert themselves to please their customers
They smile and chat in the most amable man
ncr with I'LL who call upon them. Their GUS
toners are for the most part young gentlemen
Of very tender age. They cannot withstand
the destinations Of these pretty bar-maids, and
they drink glass after glass, if only for an ex-
cuse to speak to the divinity Of chalk and
rouge, behind the bar Few men of mature
age, or common sense 90 to these places, for
several reasons, two of which are, that though
they tlpple themselves, they are disguised at
seeing mere boys following the same course.
Another, and perhaps the chief reason is, as
we are informed, that as a general rule,
whenever there is pretty bar maid or any
other extra attraction the liquor is sure to be
bad in proportion; and your careful drunk
ard has no idea Of killing himself in ten years
on bad liquor, when he may hold out fifteen
by drinking good.
The female influence exerted in these new
feminine grog-shops is of the worst desc.p-
ton. Bad brandy produces terrible effects
upon these soft-hearted and softer-headed
youngsters, who it is sad, sit and drink them
selves blind drunk, at sixpencc a glass all
the time they are ogling the pretty painted
creature mixing toddies behind the bar, and
fancying that they are making an impression
upon her heart-a heart open as day to their
sixpences, but Of much better proof than
brandy against the ardent gances of these
verdant youths, whose fond mothers have lit
tie idea Of the dangers to which they are ex-
posed
Alas ridiculou: as is the description of
thi. kind Of female influence, its effects arc