The Columbian fountain., 1846-01-10

to the desecration Of tina, day. When a
rum-seller talks about bloody strife IN our
streets,'' in case of the non-interierence OF
the Mayor to prevent temperance leciurlng
on the Sabbath day, it is time that the or
der-loving and lap-obeying portion OF our
citizens should act with promptness and en-
ergy to prevent such an occurrence as IS
here threatened. Citizens of Washington,
you are, all of you, aware that nearly all
the murders that have ever been committed,
have been perperated under the influence
of ardent spirits. Man, under the excite
ment produced by this poisonous beverage,
has been known to commit deeds, at the
mention of which humanity shudders--the
cold-blooded murderer prepares himself for
the commission of deeds of blood by re-
peated draughts of alcohol--deeds from
which even he would recoil, when sober,
under its baneful influence he can contem-
plate and commit without repugnance or re-
gret. Can you doubt that he who deals
out this prolific cause Of crimes of every
grade, and source of -boundless misery to
mali-can you doubt that such an one,
under its influence, would hesitate to ex-
ccute the threat, or that he would incite
others to the commission of outrage, and
thus nuke our streets the scene of bloody
strife.
He says, that nothing but respect for the
Sabbath and the law of the land prepented
6 forbearance will cease to be virtue, if this
acretch, SAVAGE, is suffered to desecrate the
Sabbath SIC. Ifthese are the only motives
which will operate as preventive, what se-
curity have we? None at all, save the RUM
sellers respect for day which he is con-
tinually ontraging, and his regard for a
law which he is perpetually defying and
evading.
Is it not enough that he is allowed by law
six days in the week to sell to mankind the
draught which poisons existence -dashes
from his lips the cup of happiness, and in
its stead commends the poisoned chalice,
which vitiates all that is human in his ma
ture--destroys all resemblance to the origi-
nal, and leaves him no enjoyment, save the
qualification of a beastly appetite, the indul-
gence of which makes him devil, fit only
for the commission Of deeds of violence
which induces him to clutch the incendia-
ry's torch--to drive the concealed weapon
to the heart of his unsuspecting neighbor,
and to riot in scenes of blood and strife and
contention? Not satisfied with this privi-
lege of wholesale corruption, he would re-
strain those philanthropists who would place
themselves between the living and the dead,
in the hope of mitigating the evil, and event.
ually causing the plague to be stayed. Re-
4 strain them! No, indeed The authorities
to whom he would present them as nni-
sance, should, in justice, hurl his msera-
bic letter at his more miserable head, and
drive him in disgrace from the sanctuary of
Justice, and compel him to stand outside its
walls, clad in sackcloth, and do penance for
his legal offences and his moral crimes
The question:, then is, Shall these men,
acting in the discharge of high moral duty,
which they owe to society in sustaining the
supremacy of the laws, in restraining immo-
rality, in alleviating human misery, and in
4 the promotion of cause involving the well
fare of the community and the salvation of
mankind, be restrained from the fearless and
timely discharge Of that duty, in holding up
to public reprobation the diabolical voca-
ton Of that pest Of society, shameless deal
Ter in distilled death and liquid. ruin.'
On the day of !, -- -
died suddenly. He had just come from
the Church, where they held a temper
ance meeting. He had made fine speech
in favor of total abstinence, and joined a
number Of others in singing the ode eve
are a band Of brothers, SIC. Who would
object to the time and mannerof this death I
Would any Of the relatives or friends p
None. And why' Because there was
ground for hope.