Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-10-02

quantity of alcohol he had taken into
his stomach, 20 long as he conducted
his own affairs and those, entrusted TO
his charge, with sound Judgement and
discretion. In other words, il was not
accounted disreputabIe, in those days,
for man to indulge in exceedingly lib
eral potaiions. so long as the liquor
stole not away his brains, and left him
the most ample mastery Of his reasoning
powers. So far from this, il was, in
those earlier days, accounted feather
in any mans cap, TO take OFT large guam
titles Of liquor with impunity. Even in
the days Of Alexander, rewards were
bestowed upon him. who could drink the
greatest number Of congii Of wine. with
out being drunk.
A clergyman who was prompt ut ev-
cry call, who preached excellent ser
mons. was watchiul over his flock, and
regular in the performance OF his paro-
chial duties, was not called a-drunkard,
because he drank alcohol enough to in
toxicute a dozen Of his parishioners, or
clerical brethren, with weaker heads,
while it produced no similar effect upon
him.
On the other hand one, the functions
OF whose brain and nerves were easily
disturbed, by small potations, was bound
by every consideration Of propriety and
duty, 10 abstain for nothing could be
more absurd, than for him TO appeal,
for justification, to the example Of his
stronger headed brother.
II there is any propriety, IN calling
Temperance, the John Baptist Of reli-
gion, and think there is, Tor il pre-
pares the way, by converting drunkards
to sobriety, without which, religion can
make no progress in their souls, then is
it meet and right, to call upon all who
profess respect Tor religion, and espe-
cially upon such as preach The Gospel
to cooperate in this good work, by their
example, as well as by their precept.-
II matters not, IN this connection, how
much alcohol they can drink, without
being drunk. We ask all good men, to
give us the weight of their example.
II, however, they will not, preierring
to adhere to their old habits, on the
score OF their health, "as they under
stand the matter" or for any other rea.
son ; then it is competent for us, TO
argue the question, with all our might,
and to scoln them j little, perhaps--but
not to call them "drunkards," and aver,
that they are "notoriously addicted to
into ntcxication"-unless we have good. and
sufficient evidence OF the fact.
II these allega ions were true, in re-
gard to Mr.. Webster, he must be
more extraordinary man, than ! have
ever supposed hnto be. For 'drunk-
ard, "notrriousIy addicted to intoxica-
tion," TO have kept the secret so careful
ly, that it is nowhere apparent, in any
one of his eloquent speeches, orations,
or letters, which are numerous, almost
beyond parallel and TO have 6 ven
no symptoms Of a reeling brain, during
his whole argumentative career, in the
forum, the House Of Representatives, or
the Senate ofthe United States-al this
10 wonderful indeed. Such drunkenness
rs this must surely be that "crimen hon
es,um." Of which Seneca speaks, in the
fifteenth chapter Of his treatise, "De
TranquiIitate Animi," wherein he re-
iers to the charge OF drunkenness, which
had been made against Cato-"Catoni
ebrietas objecta est: facilus clficict
quisquis objecerit, hoe crimen honest
um, guam turpem Catonem. "-Ebrie'y
has been objected agalns, Cato: the ac-
cuser will more easily discover, that
there is honesty in the offence, than that
Cato is unworthy.
Christian Obserrer. OLD TINES.