Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-02-06
For tie PALLADIUM, 4.


Messrs. Editors.-I purpose making
few remarks on the subject of temper.
ance. through the medium Of your paper.
hoping they may attract the attention Of
an intelligent community. especially
those that have boys growing up-youna
men forming characters. and habits, for
life. Let Fathers and Mothers DO watch.
full Of their sons. for there is much intem.
perance and even rowdyism in our citv.
There are many snares set, to entice
young men into habits OF dissipation.
and the friends Of morality and sobrietv.
ought now, to exert all their influence to
put an end to these common, and grow.
ing vices. Numbers OF young men are
in the habit Of meeting at certain places.
not necessary to name at this time) To
drink egg-nogg. | would advise them I'd
consider that, these are the first steps 70
drunkenness, and to pause before con.
tracing such dangerous habits. None of
them wish to fill drunka ards graves! None
Of them wish to become drunkarts! No
one ever commenced drinking. thinking
that he was making a drunkard of him.
self! Yet how many fill drunkards graves.
How many become debased with crime,
from intemperance, brought on by mode
rate drinking. Young MAJ! let mo per.
suade you to abandon the intoxicating
cup. which affords you no real pleasure,
but destroys your health and all the finer
feelings Of your nature. and ends in ruin.
and death-then will you not pause and
refect-and abandon the bowl.
now have a few things to say to the
friends of temperance. for there is great
responsibility resting on them. Friends
Of temperance! we have been too long
sleeping. or have remained Indifferent to
the movements of the enemy; for while
we have lost ground, they have made adj
vances-faken some that once battled in
our ranks. prisoners, and caused widows
tears to flow, and the hearts OF mothers 10
bleed.
Then let us work; let us use all the in.
1uence we possess to suppress this mon
ster evil, which is stalking in our midst
Of law. But wha, can be done
to put an end to it? How can we break
up these accursed doggeries. that now
disgrace our town. They sell liquor
without doubt. regardless Of law; how
shall we reach them! This is the all i'm.
portant inquiry. Well. must say, As
friend Of temperance. that ! know Of no
better means than moral suasion. We
may not make temperance men Of the
but am persuaded that il al
the moral power in this Community was
brought to bear against intemperance
that il would soon disappear; for bv the
power Of moral suasioH everything that
we can boast Of has been accomplished;
every drunkard that has been taken from
the gutter. and reformed. and every heart
that has been made glad by temperaaee
means owes it to moral suss;on. By no
other means have we gained anything:
and yet, some speak in derision Of mor1
suasion. | hope the friends Of temper.
ance will bear this in mind. that there il
much yet 70 do in fhe great cause Of
temperance. and that we should not foe.
get that we are not . msjority.
am friend Of moral suasion! To
use the language Of ST. Paul, s1novine
The ferrors Of the law. We pess6adu usn."
and knowing the evils of inlesunesancs,
We persuade men to abandon ito dive
i up. We have accomplished much il
this way. but nothing By legal suasion.-
We have brought peace and joy to maAy
desolase familiesLhsd gladdened De
hearts Of many that had long been SD
and If we cease not our moral efforts.
we can gladden. many more. SO m010
it be. A FRIESD OF Moral SrASJo1.
Jan. 10Th, 1850.