The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1851-03-11
For the RepubEIcdn.
CorrAeE GROVE, March 8.

CorrAeE Grove, March 8.
+ friend Ledthermaa
A long time has elapsed since | apprised you
of the growth, prosperity and doings OF your
approximate towns, Jackson and Bayou Sara
places important in themselves, but perfect
antipoles in most things. Our river towns are
not subject to the same changes SO common tc
inland, although the population to a certain ex-
tent is transient. We find the former preserv
ing their old land-marks-the regular, steady
" go-ahead " principle, with all the facilities
accidental circumstances may offer. The lat
ter, free in a measure. from the continual in
gress and egress Of a host of floating specula-
tors, has no ballance-wheel to regulate motion.
andjts character is establishedby the conflict
ing elements that 60 to make up its popula.
ton.
Perhaps no TOW in the State has changed
within the last ten years, more than Jackson.
Although she yet has her popular college, and
her two female high schools, besides one high
school for boys,-her dighified Mayor and 20
lite AldeTmen-her quantum OF dry good and
provision stores, to supply the wants ofthe body,
and her churches, to administer to the spiritu-
al cravings of her citizens-slill there is a par
tial stagnation of all that primitive good feeling
which once characterized the people o Jack-
son. Why is all this? The college cannot
be at fault, neither any literary school in the
place. The present faculty appear t.. be men
of talent and hberality the teachers in the diff
ferent Seminaries are at the head of their pro.
fession in every respect. 1t may be uncharit-
able to venture on a solution of the cause, al
though, to a cool and deliberate Speculation, ii
is very obvious. Many years ago, Jackson was
considered an immoral place, from the circum.
stance that many groceries existed, and ardent
spirits were sold by the glass, for the benefit
Of retailers, and the exhiliarating effect on the
purchasers unioa Of circumstance s~atisfac-
tory to both. As an dttdche to these establish
ments, must necessarily come in a billiard
table, a private room for poker" etc.
This state of things remained until the good
fortune of some, and the disappointment of 9TH
ers, created a "union party" whose determin-
ed object was to renovate jackson. They sue.
ceeded by legal enactments to suppress all
drinking establishments with their fixtures,
and forced inebriates to receive their rotations
in large doses, much to the annoyance of the
housewives, who were constantly stumbling
over demijohns, At this stage of reform, there
seemed to be a dullness in interchange o ffeel-
ing-a sickness and stupor, that would remind
one ola Yankee clock, family ticking-botk
hands streatched out in apparent desperation.
for II and 4 O'Clock, the relief of which, was
to be found in private potations behind the
door-sweetened with the denuncia,ions Of
Madam, with broom-stick in hand. But as link.
ed sweetness after effervescence, deposits nu-
trail blandness, both become quiet until fermen.
tatlon again rises. But this state of 0r-h,
this physioo-chemical attraction, could not an
swer the wants of the reformers. There wasa
lion in the way" as some of the old prophets
say, and that hon was (not like the Tiger in
Woodville,) a jug behind the door. Moral col
laps and reaction succeeded each other for a
time; curtain lectures and maiden deuuncia-
tons were rife, and the whole department of
moral reform ransacked for a remedy for pri-
vate evils and domestic distress. The great
principle Of Christianity, as a unit was thought
to be sufficient, but in its application, the plu.
rality Of dissenters and agitators. with their me-
cuiiar opinions conscienciously entertained
from personal interest. of course-but for
the general welfare, retarded the good Intend.
though zealously applied. Human nature
decidedit an absurdi.y, for any communi-
~ to hold the same faith in church matters
agree is servile-,o disagree is independ-
ence and intelligence.
Starting out with the cardinal principle
> Love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart