The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1851-03-29
Fer The Ceci! Wig.
E. AGAINST HUMBUCGERY.

ware Oh what Sonny haste urge against my last ar
tlcle en- humbuggery; so, in lieu Ct a RELY to
him | will write commentary on Article ID.
| 'ARTICLE mo brother shall make buy
sell. or use, as a beverage, any spirtuous or
malt liquors, Wine, or Cider
| This pledge is explained by the following res
olution.
/ "Resohel, That the Natter al Division here
! By declare that the true intent and meaning Of
the pledge is to prohibit the manufacture, pur-
chase, sale and use Of all alcoholic or intoXica-
! ting liquors as beverage, whether enumerated
/ by name in the pledge or not"
) Now, how are we TO understand this plain
j language which explains the pledge by suLslitu-
ting for the therein named liquors, .'alcoholic'
or Intoxicating drinks!
| The only natural and honest conclusion is,
that all liquors containing a'cohol are to be alb
stained from by 4 member Of the Order, and
nothing more. And the reason for this is obyi-
Gus; because alcoholic liquors, asa beverage.
/ when indulged IN TO any extent, acquire an in :
nucnce over the physical and moral powers Of
nan Of the most debasing and drmorulizing
character.
And to counteract this influence gave rise TO
temperance societies. The object OF these So
cicties being to act upon the moral power of
man by continually agilating the subject Of in
temperance, and inducing him TO reflect upon its
| Nlue SpIcu aldTulli3 cEllS. DUt l1NOr
which contains no alcohol. cannot intoXicate,
cannot acquire that stimulating and dangerous
asccndency over the nerves. cannot degrade and
brutaliZe man by enslaving his appetite. Con-
Seluently, none other tran al ohoiic luors can
fall within the range of a temperance society.
| And does the order make this the limit Gifts i'll
risdiction? No; it does not. For an appeal IN
the case Of unfermented c Ter, (Which of course
contains not one drop of a!coliol,) was decided
by the National Division in the following man
| ner:--''Owlng TO the impossbility TO determine
the exact time when fermentation takes place. il
is deemed eXpedient to prohibit the use of cider
either in its termentcd or nnfermcntcd state
Here the law at once shows its impotency, con-
Tossing its inability to determine point which
an infant of three years old can do; for where is
the child who cannot tell when cider begins TO
sour Z its thirst for sway and dominion. docs
not stop with its knowledge, however, but imi-
tatlng the source whence it sprung,-those be
d'Zzened robbers who sit on thrones and BIAS
picme the Most High by assun ing Il e title of
Lord and knight scouts the idea that man has
a conscience; or any disposition, whatever, to
do right. No matter how innocent a member
may be of committing any moral offence, or OF
violating principle Of temperance; if he break
the letter ofthat law, he must suffer, for it is
not within the power Of a subordina Division 10
Section I OF ARTICLE y. SuyS:-'.lf tWO-thrtls
of those voting are in favor ofreinstating mem
Der who has been found guilty ofviolating Arti-
Gle .. he shall be restored to membership by
re-Si2ning the Constitution, and paying for the
first offence one dollar, an for the second offence
two dollars.'' The Division, however, cannot
exempt member from this fine on discovering
that he has erred unwittngy or is gultlrss Of
having violated the temperance pledge, in spir-
il.
But to show the Inconsistency of this law let
us look at II ON the other hand. How often do
we see temperance men, and members of the
Order, too,-perhaps with their foppish regalia
hanging about their necks, standing before the
rum-sellel's bar, facing the red brandy bottles
popping corks, and drinking off liquors, which
are termed ''tempernnce drinl,s." Yet, these
alderS and abcttorS Of the rum-seller are CON
sidered shining lights in the paths oftcmper-
ancc. Thus we see the law of this rcdoubted
OrIer iavorlng and encouraging the rum-scllcr
in one instance, while it pounccs upon, and pun
ishes an innocent mon in the other.
The order is claimed by lis friends to be rurc-
~ Republican, but here is further proof to the
contrary. ARTICLE NJ. Of its Constitution, SAYS:
''No alteration or addition shall be made to
this Constitution, unless by a two-third vote Of
the National Division" Now, where is the
the U. 81 Does Congress form the Constitu-
tions for the several States, and molesly declare
that no "alterotion or aldition' shall be made
TO them "unlcss by two-thrd vote" of that
body
Does Congress enact laws for the punishment
OF domestic crimes in the States Has not each
State separate and distinct sovereignty over its
internal affairs? The National Division might
with the same propricty require a three fourth,
orr nineteenth vote; or, in fact, make unani-
nous vote necessary to alter any part of those
Constitutions, that it declares require two
third vote. The Congress ofthe United States
has delegated to itselfpower TO modify, by u two
thirds, vote, the Constitution Of the U. s., but
here It's authority stops; it does not arrogate TO
itself the privilege of making constitutions for
the Individual States.
And yet we are told that the Institution is
american in feature. Why, it is Journalism in
the fullest sense ofthe word. The National Di-
vision holds in its own hand the scc power of
the institution, admitting no one as Il represent
alive but a Past Grand Worthy Patriarch. Con-
gress, might, with the same pIopriety, declare
that none should be admitted 10 seat in the
nalonal legislature except cx-governors of the
several States.
So unhesitatingly, and without fear of sue
cessful contradiction, pronounce the Order, anti
republican, antiChrisian-lor nowhere can its
votaries find single passage in the scriptures.
iavoring such pomp. vanity, and empty show, us
are praciced and made a fundamental principle
Of the Order but on the contrary, from Gene
sis 10 Revelations, ii is condemned. And anti
temperance, because its power of moral suasion
the only engine that will promote temperance
is i mere cypher. E.
A CALIFORNIAN AT WEST Po1NT.-
BY the last mail, Mr.. Gilbert forwarded
TO Adronic Velleio, son of M. G.. Vallejo,