The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-02-06
Look at the B

Look at the ~
In the days of .hstr.codf 5oleon
on one occasion attended JCseBEfne to the
office of her banker. Napoleon remained
in the ante-room during the transaction of
the business, and overheard the remon-
STRANGE addressed by the banker to the
lady, "And so, Madame, you are going to
marry this young man, who has nothing
but his cloak and his sword. Believe me,
you will live to repent it.
Napoleou's knowledge of the circum.
stance was entirely unsupported till after
his coronation. On the same day after the
ceremony, he sent for the banker, who was
Immediately admitted to the presence of the
Emperor and Empress.
"Well, Aiguideau, said Napoleon, to the
surprise of his auditors, "what think you
now of the cloak and the swOrd?"
1t is not without an object that we bring
up this old story. 1t is for the purpose of
placing by the side of it parallel.
How many times, in past years, have the
friends of the Temperance cause been taunt-
ingly addressed with the questions, What
good are you doing? What do you expect
to do? You obtain recruits one day, and
lose them the next Your wealthy and
popular friends have found other means of
drawing attention on themselves. Your
ranks are continually broken up by defec
ton. Your societies rise, flourish, and de-
cline. Your men may come up to the
scratch for a charge or two, but they cannot
stand fire for any length of time-they wa
yer, break, and stink off
This was all true; and, notwithstanding,
all this time we were making a slow but
sure impression on the public mind. Man
kind, like dull toys at school, does not ad-
vance by sensible steps, in perfectly coln-
mitting one lesson after another, but by
continual reiteration.
What was the state of affairs thirty or
forty years ago at farthest? To begin at
the beginning. In the schools, teachers
were employed to teach the "young idea
how to shoot" who were occasionally seen
in such a situation as to make it doubtful
whether they could distinguish a book from
a bullet. In our colleges wine was in com
mon use on all special occasions. 1t was
placed before the students on Christmas
Thanksgiving, and every other festive occa
sion. In our Oldest university, fire com
pany, composed of students, after exercis
ing with their engine, in order to prevent
any i'll effects from the natural elements
INDUCED in libations of " blackstrap New
England rum and molasses), bucket o
which was provided. And all this wa
done with the knowledge and consent o
i, the Faculty, who had been through tn
= same mill " in their college days. From
the university such habits followed then
i into the world, to the courts of justice, t.
S the medical consultation, even to the pulpit
: as speedily to make the college catalogue
J. bill of mortality. In our navy and army
= grog and the cat were the stimulents to duty
In those days the social cup was aPropO
l. to every thing-the salutation Of the morn
N ing, the midday colloquy, and the adieu q
r evening The blear-eyed nurse applied
. her own mouth the bottle, by the stupifyin
+ effects of which she was enabled to still th
H. wailings of her nurseling. And the ply
to sician staggered to the table and helpe
ne himself with the same decanter from whiC
ty he administered to his dying patient. I'll
n. excited Judge stammered an -tnaintelligib
s charge, and the bewildered criminal WI
or reused from his stupor to hear the verdi
ar of an intoxicated jury.
el "Now, what has been done?" Look
es the results of the Temperance agitation,
Ill exhibited in the improved state of societ
ISL SpirituOus liquors have been bsnished fro
ms every reputable mansion, and in many par
Of the country from the hotels. In legisl
u tlon Maine is in advance, but many Stat
n are preparing to follow her Like Nap
ly leon, we call upon you to look at the effe
Ig. Of our etforts-an effect more glorious tht
ou the winning of hundred pitched battles.
ed than the acquisition of an empire of 10
IL eign territory.