Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-10-02
WHOLE NO 1898

drunk, but whether he takes enough
10 make himself drunk, and "noforiOusfy
addicted 10 ntOricdfiOn."
Doubtless, upon strict temperance
principles, the smallest quantity is more
than is Pood for any man, in health ; Tor
we know, by the experience ofmankind,
that il is win very many, as II was win
DR.. Johnson. When requested, by Han
nah More, to take lille wine-he re-
plied. that he could not take u iftie, and
that abstinence was easier than temper
ance. for him. Ii is not possible, Tor
any temperance prophet, TO predict, who
will be drunkards and who will escape,
until the perilous experiment be made.
Total abstinence therefore, upon our
theory. is the only safe course, OF gen.
eraI application. The example also OF
such n man. as Mr.. Webster, as | have
said already, would be prc-eminenily
useful to our cause and, once more,
let me express my sincere regret, That
he is not a total abstinence man.
Like John Quincy Adams, and some
other great men, who have taken no
more than they believed to be good Tor
them, Mr.. Webster has endorsed the
Temperance reform, with the most ample
testimony OF his entire respect Wny
then does he not adopt its principles, IN
his own life AMI practice Why do
some persons prefer the old winding
roads. before iurnpikes, and the old
fashioned four wheeled coaches, before
railroad cars7 five admit, that Mr..
Webster is ssno,oTiorsiy addicted TO 'n-
toricat;on," then we may as well throw
up the argument, and confess the tuslli-
ty Of these illustrations. But we admit
no such thing, in the opprobious sense,
in which the allegation is made, by his
irritated and virulent pursuer.
That any quantity OF alcohol, rece.v-
ed into the stomach, will produce an M
fuence upon the brain and nerves, 10
quite likely 10 be true. We may suo.
tllize and refine our philosophy, and
call this condifio ,srsn,, intoxication. In
the ordinary understanding oi intelligent
men. il is no such thing--charly II 10
not being drunk" The quantity OF
achohol, necessary 10 produce intoxica-
ton, in the popular sense O that word,
is infinitely various, depending upon
constitutional diaihesis, as well as npon
the condition OF the stomach, and o. oth-
er organs, at the particular time. n
puff OF wind, which would scarcely DC
felt, on board first rate, might throw
an inferior craft, upon her beam ends.
So far from~lr,cnding the use OF al
cohol, by Mr.. Webster, we exceedingly
regret, that he uses il at all and should
rejoice, with exceeding great JOY, could
we appeal TO his high example, in be-
half Of the temper ance reform. But we
belong not to that high school, where
the disciples are taught to call every
man, however worthy he may be-. who
holds a slave. mdnstedler and pirate;
nor TO that school OF temperance, whose
members proclaim every man to he
duikdrd, who drinks wine or brandy.
For in the speeches and writings Of Mr..
Webster. we discover, in every word,
the most ample evidence oil ''temper-
ance" And can there be found strong
or marks OF ''intemperaDce" than char
ac erize the ralkngs and the writings
of his assailant Yet the latter, "a cold
water man." accuses the former oil be-
ing "noioFiously addicted 10 mtoxica-
tion"-risum teneotis, Hmici z"
Let us 90 a little farther into the phil
osophy fthis matter. OLD TINES.
Christian Observer.