Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-08-18

tusies' ihciIS was tie arm that shook
: the battlement OF Ignorance. Theirs the
beacon-light that, flashed in fearful, vet
I glorious spiendor amid the concentrated
: gloom OF ages. Theirs the watch word
e that rang IN the despot's ear, the knel
! Of departed power; while superstition
shrank abashed from the Indignation OF
: an abused and insuted people. Let us.
my brethren, Initiate their example, so
tar at least as moral courage is concern
ed. We have one of the most heartless.
unfeellng. relentless, hlrbarous tvrants
TO contend with, that ever swayed scep-
ire over any portion of our race. One
who can gaze with apparent composure
upon the most appalling spectacle. even
the dellnum tremens will not paralyzc a
nerve, or disturb a muscle. while a dime
remains in the pocket of his unfortunate
victim. he can In the person of his
agents, hear the cries, and entreaties of
that feeble, emaclated, hagard, and pale
mother; while she entreats for the sake
of that little group of halfstarved, half
clad, uneducated children, to cease Civ
ing to her once loveing, and spriehtIy,
but now stupid, b,utGiizsd, Ioathsome,
6toated husband, the intoxicating bowl.
All this he can see, and hear, unmoved,
and still deal out to the unfoFtuu ate hus-
band and father the accused poison, IN
til he has heard his last dime Jingle in his
draw, and then. with the feroclIy of ii.
ger, hurl him from the door Of that mis-
cradle hole, that pit of destruction, to
| make his way home to his worse than
widowed wife, and orphanized children,
10 share In their wretchedness and power
ty.
Let no brother give way TO a spirit of
iethargy, OF cowardice, or false modesty,
Dat let us lay hold upon the pillars of the
totterlng, dliapldated temple OF Bacchus,
and by one "long pull, strong pull, and
pull all together" level it with the ground.
And If, like Sampson We perish among
the ruins, our names will 60 down to pos
terity as benefdctors of mankind, and
martyrs IN the cause of moral freedom.
But must hasten to notice other obec-
lions. 1t Is objected that ours is q Secret
Society, and that secrecy is incompatible
with innocence and purity 1t is true,
TO some extent, that ours Is Secret So
ciety; but is secrecy a crime If so,
the lmaculate Savior of our race has
commanded the commission of crime,
ana challenge contradiction. He has
SAID, that the nobiest acts of which man
Is capable, should be performed with the
most scrupulous regard to secrecy the
hgure Implied by Him indicates that He
would have US conceal from our most in
innate friends, those acts of our lives for
which we are authorized by Him to look
tn Ii E,t, ra,.r,rl
crecy then, is not, in and of itself,
crime. To my mind, this objection or
charge, is shorn of its strength the mo-
ment 1t is touched. IT'S potency lies In
its vaguen eSs--lts want OF anything def
finite to plead 1t is like one OF those
very wise looks accompanied with
shake of the head, curl of the lap, an
lnimitable grin, which you may have wit
messed IN the company of gOssips. On
mention being made Of some absent IN
divdual there is nothing said that admits
of a reply; no charges presented 10 such
form as to enable one to defend and
still from these dark insinuatlons and IN
vend"es, the character of the absent Is IN
great danger Especially if a strangely OF
being much injured if not totally ruined.
Thus it is with associations. They may
sustain more injury by those dark, vague
insinuations, than they would by a deh-
mite charge made in a manly and honor
able manner, though it be true. Our OPP
posers in urging this objection do not
treat US with fairness they take Tor
granted what needs to be proved, and
what they never can prove, WIZ that
IRE, in our meetings commit deeds wor-
thy of censure, for if they deny that they
thus accuse us, then they admit that the
only objection to Us on this point Is, that
we do not tell them all we know, or IN
form them of every thing we do When
pressed on this point, they vary some
what the form of the charge, and say
they orly object to our extortlng prom
Use of secrecy before making known to
the candidate what he IS to keep. In
this however, we do better than most OF
those who object to US; for we do so tar
instruct the candidate into the nature OF
the secrets as to satisfy INN that ne Will
be required to make no pledge or promise
which will intefere with his religious, pO-
litical, or domestic duties or privileges IN
any way whatever; and how often do
YOU say to your friend or neighbor, 81
have secret which will tell you If you
promise TO say nothing about 1t" and ex-
tort from him promise of profound Sc
crecy before you make the communion
ton, and that to, without giving him the
least hint, touching the nature of the Sc
cret, for the safe keeping OF which, you
are extorting from him promise of hon.
or: and do YOU still complain of Us on
the ground that we promise to, and DO
keep we know not what On Consls-
tency, thou art Jewel. There Is one
thing of which we can boast and It Is,