Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1850-01-11
Yours with nluca respect.
ADDRESS,


obedience TO the request Of vour society.
but with no expectation Ok saving anv thing
that viii interest YOU Experience has
proved, that the reformed drunkard makes
the best temperance lecturer. Hen who
are tossed upon the temnestuous sea Of
lntemperaucc. VIII listen with interest to
slch an experienced sea captain He
knows every avenue 10 the du1karI-s heart
ne can taGeA every chord 50 that it via
vibcase to tie soul He has been in their
situation, he has felt a. they feel. lie has
been the voyage and knows It's dan-ers.-
Mems attention IS arrested bv tie fact
that they have found his chart true as far
as they have gone and few nave the fore
thought II stop, but q great majority are
led oa By the fatal deiasion, that thaF can
venture iIt1.e farther, aud still turn back
with safety. Several vears $50 a man in
Buffalo, \. Y, who hafi jast bsult steam
boat, determined. upou her first trip. to
90 down Niagara River with her. further.
and consequently nearer the Falls than
any boat had ever vet been 80 taking
on board a. Iiaasure party. Le launched
has boat into the cErT5ut. and was soon
descending the river with the speed Of an
arrow For time al was mirtl and hi
laritv ON board. till a5 length, by obsarv-
ing the rapIGdE with which they few PAST
objects ON the shore, the attention of some
Of the passengers was called to the fearful
velocity with which they were approach
ing the dreadful cataract. They went to
the captain aUd eatraascd him 10 head the
boat up stream. But he told them there
was no danger he should turn about be-
fore there was any danger This siIenced
the passengers for 4 few moments. But
as the attention Of one after another was
called to tie amazing velocity with which
they were approaching the Falls. excite
ment rose To its utmost height: and the
excitement caused the roar Of the thun-
dering cataract to become fearfuIIv audi
BILE They rushed TO the captain. and in
tones os authority commanded him to
head the boat mp stream lie reluctantly
ohcEed The beat w.rS or"uglr bout. bur
S-lH see went down. Let on all the steamt
the captain cries: It was done The en-
gine worked with mighty power. the tim
Ders Of the boat creaEed. and the whole
boat treHlblod Ike man with the palsy.
but Ii moved nos IA Iuch it stood still ia
the stream. the current opposed its shout
der to the prov with giant strength. 1t
was the captains turn to be frightened
now. Throw pitch and tar he cries. It
was done, the beat gained little Of the
current, the machinery all happened to re-
main sound. and the lives of the passcn-
gers were saved. But wc NAV welI mag
inc that those passengers would not wish
to run that risk again We should he sur
prised to sec boat after boat leave Butfa-
10 to trv the same experiment over again.
But men will continue g. launch into the
current Of iatemreraaca and notwith-
standing tLcvsce uluItitGdes Cf shipwrecks
ahead Of them, tbcv float carelessiv down
the stream, and vIiic wind and current
and steam are all fastening them to the
brink Of She ir,ghtiul pTsc1pice they man
fest nothing but drunken mcrr;ment. and
thouEht.czsncss. Il their attention Is
called TO the rapidly with which they are
leaving home and friends. and every thing
dear To them ON the shore. they think they
can descend . LITTLE farther and vet turn
back IN safety, and thus they approach 50
ie2rfully near, tHas they are drawn over
tbc falls III 8 fit Of drunken stupiditv CT
IN the rawlings Of deIirium tremens -
There are comparatively few saved after
they have once got into the main current
The falls in the river Of intemperance be
gin at Its very head, and increase with
frightfuI raPidity all the way, until its wa
tiers take the final plunge Men know
and acknowledge this to he true, but
still suffer themselves to carried away By
the current. refusing even to lay hold Of
the rope thrown to them from the shore
They acknowledge the right. but pursue
il not Ail men acknowledge the force Of
habit but still maHF act as if they know
nothing Of its power The Roman Em-
pcror Nero. In bis youth was very tender
hearted. could noe bear the sight IF blood.
and tie first part II his reign was mild
and humane, but IN the latter part Of his
reign he was distinguished as the most
blood-thirSty. cruel iubumaD tvEaBt the
world ever saw. he even veut 80 tar rs to
set Rome On 6zes that lie might gIat Lis