The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1851-11-08
An Exciting Case,

| give the following facts as related
to me by credible witness. A great
"experience meeting" was TO be held
one evening IN - church, where the
| speakers were. as usual. to be reformeu
! drunkards. An estimable woman. who
will call Alice, was induced to attend
When the meeting was somewhat adj
vanced, late member of Congress
arose with apparent sadness and hesita-
ton
"Thoogh had consented, at your
urgent solicitation. to address this meet
ing TO night" he said, "yet have felt
SO great reluctance to doing so, that
it has been with The utmost difficulty |
could drag myself forward. As to re-
lating my experience, that | do not
think | can venture upon. The past
dare not recall. ! could wish that the
memory of ten years of my life were
blotted out' He paused a moment
much affected, and then added in a
firmer voice: Something must be said
of my own case, or | shall fail to make
the impression on your minds that |
wish to produce.
Your speaker once stood among
the respected members of the bar
Nay, more than that. he occupied seat
in Congress for two congressional terms.
and more than that" he continued, his
voice sinking into a tone expressive
of deep emotion, he once had ten
derly loved wife and two sweet chill
drea. But all these honors. all these
blessings. have departed from him. He
was unworthy to retain them; his con-
stituents threw him off because he had
debased himself and disgraced them.
Aud more than all, she who had loved
him devotedly, the mother of his two
babes. was forced to abandon him, and
seek an asylum in her fathers house.
And whya Could | become so changed
in few short years? What power
was there so to debase me that nv fel-
low beings spurned. and even the wife
Of my bosom turned away, heart-striken
from me? Alas! my friends, it was
mad indulgence in Intoxicating drinks
But for this, were an honorable and
useful representative in the halls of
Legislation, and blessed with a home
and with wife and children.
" But | have not told you all After
my wife separated from me, | sank
rapidly. A state Of sobriety brought
too many terrible thoughts: | drank
more deeply, and was rarely, if ever,
free from the bewildering effects of
partial iutoxication. At last became
so abandoned that my wife. urged by
her friends no doubt, filed an applica-
tion for a divorce, and as cause could
be readily shown why it should be
granted, a separation was legally de-
clared: and 10 complete my disgrace,
at the congressional canvass | was left
off the ticket, as unfit to represent the
district
" When | heard of this new move
ment-the temperance cause-at first
| sneered, then wondered, listened at
last, and finally threw myself upon the
great wave that was rolling onward, in
hope of being carried by it far ont of |
the reach of danger. | did not hope
with vain hope. 1t did for me all |
and more than could have desired.-I
Il set me once more upon my feet, and |
once more made man Of me. A year
Of sobriety, earnest devotion to my pro-
fesslon, and fervent prayer to Him who
alone gives strength in every good res
olntion, has restored 10 me much thatI |
have lost; but not alI-not the richest
treasure that have proven myself un-
worthy TO retain-not nv wife and !