Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-10-02
WHAT Is 1T TO BE DRUNK 1

,kebstcr, we lower no pretension, we
1acrifice no principle Of that glorious re-
form, which has found firm and spa
cious iooihold, upon the land and the
s,.,, and under whose blessed uhuence,
Widows, without number, have rcguined
their husbands and orphans have found
their fathers. To the best oi our huns ;
BILE ability, that reformation has had,
for many years, the tribute Of our time
and til, and money, and brains, and
shall have them again and again, nc
cording TO its need, and our power to
bestow and il will ever BE- delightful TO
say OF IL like the dying patriot Of his
countrywide perpeina
But as the sery humblcst of those
millions Of temperance men, whom Mr..
Horace Mann has loudly summoned 10
ensure The defeat Of Mr.. Webster, | will
not keep my seat, nor hold my peace,
believing as do that the charges of
habifudl intoricdtion n-dru,ikenness-
hiccupping the praises Of God, in his
speeches are untrue, and urged by this
unruly accuser, under the goadings Ofa
bitter and indicative spirit.
Contending, that total abstinence is
the only perfectly safe and sound doc
trine, as a rule Of general application, l
also contend, that nothing can be more
injurious to the temperance cause, nor
more unphilosophical and absurd, than
these allegations OF drnnkenness and hd-
bitnal inioricdtiOr, against men, who
use alcohol, as beverage, inierring a
certain effect, from a possible, or even
prObabte cause,
This may be proceeding "Martin
Luther fashion," in the view Of Mr..
Mann. We think far otherwise. Pro-
crustes dwell. in Attica Of old: he was
resolved to bring oil, within his power,
to the stature Of that perfect outward
man, which, doubtless, he supposed
himself to be and, accordingly, he cut
of the legs Of the taller, pro tanto, and
and stretched out the limbs OF the short
er. He, undoubtedly, thought himself
a great reformer and il Martin Luther
had preceded, instead Of following him,
as he did, by some seventeen centuries,
Procrustes might very possibly, have
fancied, that he was proceeding " Mar
tin Luther fashion"
There ever have been certain indi-
viduals, who possessed IA remarkable
power Of using alcohol, in considerable
quantities, as a beverage, with appaf-
ent impunity. There is 10 disposition
to deny, that Mr.. Webster adopted the
general practice Of the very best men,
IN the community, more than half a cen-
tury ago, Of using alcohol, ne a bever-
age and that he has adhered TO that
practice, to the present time. The SIM
pie question is, iohdt has been the effect
ofthis practice upon the body and mind
0C his great man
rHlfit could be demonstrated, that ne 10
none the worse Tor alcohol, not the shad.
ow Of an argument would then arise, in
favor OF it's use, unless for those, who
are similarly constituted, to resist its in
nuence-which, Us | have said before,
can not be known, till the perilous ex-
pertinent be made.
Mr.. Webster, as the phrase runs,
takes more, than is agreeable TO the ~ IN
pathies Of Mr.. Mann. and whcrewith
that gentleman would be made, most
probably, speedily and ingloriru'ly
drunk. He certainly takes more than
is agreeable to the temperance society.
Now all thi. may be very true indeed,
and yet the accusations Of Mr.. Mann,
tha, Mr.. Webster 10 notorious'y dldie.
ted to Ointoricuiion-that he hiccups the
pTdiHs OF God in his speeches-may be
utterly unjust, and absolutely ialse.
Drunkenness is commonly known, hy
its fruits. Where are they Was there
ever a drunkarl. with such marvellous
method, in his madness, before Many
months ago. we were told by the Free
Soil and Abolition presses, that MIR.
Webster was utterly "b, oxen do,Sn"
that he was "a mere 1orsck"-he was
spoken Of, as "the remains of Mr.. Web.
ster.' How very drunk politicians may
become, without any alcohol.
Will any one ask" can these dry
bones Hue Z" What have these IRE
mains" this "mere preck," achieved
since then, with the weight Of the MA.
tons cares, upon i.s timbers 7 Read
the speeches, delivered by Mr.. Webster,
during the period OF few months past.
in the States Of New York, Virginia,
ami else cwhere-read his numerous let
ters and despa,ches-rcad his more de-
lberate and finished GRAFTON, al the lay
ing of the corner stone Of the Capitol
produce the evidences Of intoxication--
indicate. if you can, "A passage, u word,
or syllable, that has the brand ofalcohoI
upon it Show us, when or where this
great man has neglected his high public
duties, as'the pr,me minister Of these
United States ! ask, less in the spirit
OF enquiry, than Of admiration, where is
that realm, beneath the Gun, in which
there has ever breathed a statesman,
who during long and laborious life,
has done more OF better, for his whoie
country
Here then are the ",emains,' Of Mr..
Webster! This is the 'preck =" But
nowhere can we discover the evidences
Of wrcck-the nudum remigio latus 10
nowhere to be seen.
During his late visit TO this city, we
called, and pnid the tribute OF our cor
dial respect to this grea. man. We
found him, Of course, at the morning
hour, in tho midst Of calls and cares,
with his private secretary beside him.
He was occupied with the reception Of
letters and company, and had an am
pie opportunity for close inspection Of
the "remd ns,"-the ''rreckyp A mort
valuable "vreck," thought and for
tunate people are they, upon whose
shores il may fall. Mr.. Webster ap-
peared quite we'll and his "ren,oins, )"
hear, have since gone, some nine miles,
to the summit ofMount Washington. on
horseback,
Mr.. Webster cannot be very far from
that milestone, In tho pilgrimage ofman,
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