The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1852-04-03
THE LAST CALL.

the proposed plan 10 iiu "Aihi'eSo'a VI INC
curse of drunkenness. One of the most
alarming incidents going to show that So
ciety here is, or at least was three or four
months ago. retrograding, with railroad
speed, from that state of pure sentiment
and proper regard Of propriety requisite in
all places to ensure a vigorous moral
health and virtuous action, may be pointed
out in the fact that drinking to excess is.
or was not in the early part of last win
ter, considered at all disreputable. Some
of our first men, we may say, had so far
forgotten the example due from them to
those occupying more humble sphere,
that they have been known TO congregate
in crowds at the drinking saloons of even
ings, or even on the Sabbath day, and pass
hours in treating" and being treated,
one by another. The stranger, the young
man from abroad, who had been reared in
the ways of virtue and morality, came
among lis and shuddered at beholding this
state of things. He had rot been taught
that drinking glass of wine with a
friend, or even taking something strong
er" occasionally, was crime; and he
very correctly admitted that the best men
in the country could do that without sacri-
ficing any correct principle of action, or
violating any provision of the code of
morality. But here he found men to
whom he had been presented as the lead
ing citizens Of the place, who, if they
actually did not get drunk, were not
ashamed of the fact being known public
ly, that they were, the previous night,
one of three who had destroyed quart
of fourth proof Otard between tea and
bedtime. This was matter Of continu-
Gus, every day occurrence, and not the
result only of public festive OCCASIONS
He at first was shocked at all this, so Diff
ferent from what he had been used to
seeing at his old home. But he was told
that every body drank here; it was the
custom of the place, and men could not
make friends, and get along in business
unless they joined in. By and by he
found himself, before he knew it, "one
Of them,'' with his sense of propriety no
more disturbed at taking part in these
orgies, than he had witnessed on the part
of the older residents at the time he came
among lis.
Now, these are facts in the social histo-
ny of our community, which we refer 10
with no pleasure, except to bear witness
tina: change for the better is rapidly going
on. Many, very many, who were pursu-
ing this course, have seen the wrong they
were doing TO themselves, TO their fami-
lies and to society, and have abandoned it
voluntarily. They are men Of honor, Of
sound sense, and integrity of character
and it needed no warning voice of the ul-
ira temperance man to call them to sense
of their duty as good citizens. But the
pernicious example they have set to 9TH
ers, the temptations which they have
placed before the less virtuous and weak
err brethren of their race, who are now
perhaps so far gone as to be forever lost
unless liquor is banished from their sight
and the ban of public opinion placed upon
the traffic therein, how can the men we
have referred to atone for this blow which
they have inflicted upon the temporal and
eternal welfare of hundreds of their fell
lows? Only, we contend, by voting for
the law now to be passed upon, and see
ing it enforced after it is adopted.
The reflection is awful TO citizen of
correct feeling and principle, that he lives
in community where it is no disgrace TO
drink in public fifteen or twenty times a
day. 1t is terrible to think that his social
intercourse with his friends and neigh
oors requires HIM 10 do it, or else, in a
great measure, to lose caste with Them
And how much more horrible is the re-
Election that he has to raise a family of
children in place where they are hourly
surrounded by the pe>tilential breath of
public sentiment such as this. These
things we had reflected upon months be-
fore this temperance movement was be-
gun, which has brought forth such prom
ising fruits, and at a time when we stood
almost alone among our associates, in our
determination to discountenance all habits
Of drinking, moderate or immoderate. Sc
it cannot be said that we have trimmed to
catch the popular breeze of public opin-
ion. We rejoice now that so many have
awakened to this same sense of DUTY and