Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-09-20
and in short time must all be done over, attend
ed with the same ills.

prosecuted and hostile to the State; vet, by ihi.
rule OF evidence, as it now stands, their testIno
ny cannot be conlradicted, for they are the wit
nesses Ut the prosecution; hence the frequ nj
failures to enforce the laws. But there is anoth
er and stronger reason why these laws can eff
feet nothing tor Temperance. The Jaw of the
United States allows and makes provision fol
tne importation of ardent spirits, and this impor
tation Is lucrative source OF income TO the gov
ernment. The vendors reason in this wise, - i
the q vernment will allow spirits to be imported
and sold, and receive large revenue therefrom
why should we, who deal in less quantities, b.
prohibited by state Legislation, from making small
profits by vending the same article in reduced
stale? They ,oncelve that there is an inconsis
tency in the matter, and though the Supreme
Court ot the Uni.ed 5. ates has decided on appeals
from New Hampshire and Massachusetts that il
Is all fair and on the deads, yet it still remains a
deep mystery to their understandings, and hi 5h
stumbng-si0ne TO their sensitive conscienc,'s
Thus. the lord of the tap and corkscrew feels
that there is an injustice done him, and the habi-
tual sot becomes hero, and talks largely of free
trade and equal rights and, worst of all, society
sympathlzPs more or less with both. So that
against this unjust coercion the Bacchanal hosts
array themselves TO do battle. Such an agency
cannot, does not answer the purpose of an hon
oraDie scare-crow--it is a snare TO weak con-
sciences. Others who regard the Statutes and
their supplements as the highest code of duty, so
long as they keep within the penalties, think
themselves very godly men, and do not exert
those moral and social influences that alone are
sufficient. Thus, think the law is without the
requisite power to arrest intemperance. 1t has
not public sympathy enough to sustain it. 1t
lacks moral power. 1t does not appeal to the
retormatory principles in man. 1t only sees and
makes provision for half the evil. 1t cries stop,
to blind avarice, and allows appetite and habit to
march On unchallenged. 1t is poor argument
t" say that if you stop the sale OF Spirits you ar
rest drinking also, for it is not true in point of
fact; besides the converse is more true for if
you stop drinking there can be no sale for pur-
poses OF drunkenness but if there are no sales
each can and would manufacture his own de-
slruction. But worst of all, no law, even that of
wisconsin has not gone SO far yet, but think it
admits that selling is right and proper, and allows
it TO be sold if man has wealth and friends
enough to give the required bond leave the
law, believing it incompetent to arrest intempe-
rance.
The next question is, was the Washing.onian
movement able to stay the ravaees Of nlemper-
ance. Here the philan.hropist and Christian
best developments OF Christianity.
Without calling in the aid OF law, without Os-
tenatiou or show, without creed or ceremony,
but by the miidest application of love and kind
ness, many "a soul that had not seen a ray of rea-
son, or feat one genial hope for years, raised
by this generous agency from the thraldom Of
mural death to the life and dignity OF Christians.
~ ousands could be called who sit clothed in
their right minds, to speak the praises of Wash
and tens OF thousands Of women
and children, to whom this divine manifestation
has restored The love and affections of fathers
and husbands, penates to the domestic circle.
This movement, however, lacked one important
element of modern society, viz u:ion, oneness,
cooperation. 1T had no unity OF feeling and con-
cert of action. 1t lacked that distinctive charac-
teristc OF the present age, union OF labor, union
of skill, union of interest, union of feeling,
which has leyeled or perforated mountains and
traversed seas in the twinkling of an eye. 1t
lacked that cooperative force which can be con-
centrated and expended on any desired point
with overpowering energy. There were, indeed,
brilliant individual achievements, but it lacked
that combination of forces that could render it
permanent and irresistible. 1t could not levy
and collect pecuniary contributions, for it had
no taxing power. 1t could not express its CON-
hined sentiments, for it had no common seal or
directors. All was incohcrent and without pre-
cision. AS might be expected, there soon grew
up discordant and conflicting opinions in the as
ISOLATION, and the consequences were disastrous
because there was no central, governmental
power TO command or reconcile these opinions.
In answering the last of these questions,
shall speak, trust, in becoming, chris
tain and reverential spirit, at the same time
plainly, for the strongest opposition to your
association, Ladies, as to most modern re-
forms, has come from the Church and its
ministerial opponents. This is so. Now
the indispensable requisite of reforming
agent is an entire absence of selfishness.
This the Church has lacked as Church,
in an eminent degree. This is SO too. She
has always exhibited feverish and sensi-
tive jealousy of her dignity, power, judg-
ment and purity; and this is not more true
of her in her Catholic than Protestant form.
She claimed to be the legitimate offspring
of Heaven, tracing h v ancestral pedigree
down from its founder, through long line
of Apostles, Martyrs, Conventions, and
Councils Thus dignity is established
that can endure no competition for the favor
of God or the veneration of men. Her
power is as easily confirmed by her real or
pretended ability to grant absolution or eff
feet forgiveness of sins, either directly
through confession or indirectly, by the va
rious means of religious conversions. Now
it is essentially easy for an organization OF
such dignity and power with the chart of
eternal life, and with expounders set apart
and especially consecrated to the function
of Interpretation and teaching, | say it is
easy and natural too, for such an associa-
ton to claim, and honestly claim, an uner-
ring Judgment. Endowed with such attri-
butes, with many bright examples of Chris
tian perfection, endurance and fortitude,
with voluminous ecclesiastical history, "a
bounding with the enchanting mysticism of
anchoritic solitude, patience, and the sub
jugation of every earthly sense, it would be
wonderful indeed if such an organization
did not claim that final perfection and pu-
rity also. None must question any of them
upon the penalty of having after him bull
or pulpit defamation and church castiga.
ton. The history of the Church has also
been one of conquest exclusive, and jealous
of the subduing arms of any other power.
II IL as much So uov undar lis protestant