The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-04

iof the right or wrong Of its manufacture and
commerce is not now under consideration.
But, It seems plain, kthat,if We have any
law at all, we must be law unto ourselves,
socially, as well as personally and hold our
social relation upon the condition Of our pro-
mise to abstain from all liquor, that viii
intoxicate. ~
Now, is remarkable, that conscience will
bear witness to these voluntary promises and
resolutions 1t bears witness to the freedom
of the choice, to the sincerity, to the mo-
tives and to the ends. This negative char
acter and unity Of the pledge seem to bear
directly upon the political objection to vol
untary associations, as savoring OF govern
ment within government. Although tenn
perance societies seem not to have ielt
themselves called upon generally to oppose
to their objections the nature Of their pledge
Of total abstinence, moments reflection
must convince every body Of its inoiienslve
character, in relation TO the powers and the
laws that be. Against total abstinence from
all drink which intoxicates, there is no law.
There is no law commanding men to drink
alcoholic liquors, in any quantity, however
small Ana, it is presumed that no member
Of total abstinence society understands his
pledge as binding upon him, to compel 9th
ers TO Join the society against their own will,
or to require the members, in their society
capacity, to punish others for drinking alco-
holic liquors. The most, perhaps, that any
one feels bound by the pledge to do to 9TH
ers, is, to use moral suasion. But, the
pledge is silent, even on this point, and It
seems to be we'll that it is SO, taking into
consideration the difficulty Of settling the
precise extent Of social power. It has been
often matter Of serious inquiry, respecting
the movements Of voluntary bo'les--where
are they to end But, the end Of this
society is in the beginning 1t is to end in
total abstinence, Just so, the command,
Thou shalt not steal,'' ends in, not steal
ing If nobody else will totally abstain,
the members Of the society, who keep their
), pledge, must still remain sober men. The
decision Of the licence question or any other
question, cannot involve the principle nor
4 the consequence Of total abstinence.
But the cause of temperance is yet in its
in,ipience. Hitherto ii has been treated as
fact. Hardly any protested and systematic
effort has been made to treat the subject
scientifically, and to present it to the minds
Of learners, in its elements and its practical
demonstrations by scientific teachers. Every
science, to be successfully taught and learned,
must have its appropriate society. There
must be members, and character, and initu-
ence; nor must all wealth be wanting, as a
nucleus, around which scientific men may
form and cooperate. The labor Of science
is unproductive labor. 1t produces, for the
laborer, neither food nor raiment. No man
is 50 solitary and so little known, as the man
of science; unsupported by the friends Of
science, he must die, as well as live, in OBJ
security. But among all the subjects Of SCI
entifc research, few are more profound and
difficult of investigation than alcoholic ntoxi-
cation, or the disordered fction under this
stimulus, Of living human brain. Even
now, with all the aids Of modern discover es,
4 the most eminent anatomsts and physolo-
gsts and chemists advance their opinions
with difidence. It is not enough for the
great masters to write books. The cause Of
temperance requires living instructors, and q
living society is required to take an interest
in their instructions, and to become the de-
postories Of those instructions. Already are
i juvenile temperance societies formed. Are
these children to lay up for the parents; or
the parents for these childrens The Scrip
ture has answered this question according to
nature. Scientific catechisms are needed for
the juvenile total abstinence societies their
parents must engage SC entifc men, not min
listers Of the Gospel only, but men who have
employed lifetime in studying the physical
character Of human nature, over which alco-
holic ntoxication exercises so mysterious an
influence. The professors who teach the
healing art in our medical colleges, must be
invited to employ their pens in forming cate
chisms for our oviciftes and children, and
TO visit our schools and instruct and direct
our teachers, in company with our learned
f doctors OF divinity, and our most eloquent
preachers. Miniature apparatus and draw
ings, perhaps wax figures, will be found ne
cessary to teach US this self-knowledge.
There was a time when it was believed that
the sun and moon and stars could foretell
human events. Behold the change /; now,
men can loretell their events, thousands Of
years beforehand, and read their history back
wards for ages These ideal Gods are now
reduced to dead matter, and the mind is
, found in those who once worshipped them.
All this has come from the elements Of geo
, mstry taught to the children in the schools.
This is science
J. 1t cannot be too carefully intuca.ed, that
to know fact, or law as a fact, is not SCI
, ence or knowledge Of causes and effects, or
Of the how and the why and the wherefore.
il Nations may know and obey the laws or
commands Of their rulers, and yet be very
unscientifc. And the sane may be said of
members Of churches; they may be very re-
ligious and obedent to their church rulers,
and yet Understand little Of the science Of
religion Then knowledge may be limited
to facts. Now, ruler, in state or a church,
may forbid alcoholic intoxic alton, and the
most ignorant persons may conscientiously