Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1852-01-24

The Court Of death.

C"Oef" "~ty foHRG UIth horTt6Le fancy
10ork Of human bones Fever, Pestilence,
Consumption, Famine, Intemperance, dc,
standing rouRdM throne
Death. Mine ancient and faithful servants,
l have summoned you to council that we may
consult concerning the state of my kingdom,
and the means of promoting its interests. 1t
is needful that should choose Prime Min
lister. Each Of you can present his ownclaimf,
or those of another. Speak on.
Fever. [Rises slowly. with trembling limbs.
hollow cheek, and wandering eye.1 Ny Lordi
None of your servants can presume to offer
such claims as myself to this high Office. In
all my various forms am deadly. can by
turns attack every organ; brain, throat, lungs
and bowels. Other diseases may be confined
to some single part but can course through
every vein and artery. and carry FIRE and pain
to every bone, muscle, nerve, and fibre. When
other diseases have failed, I often step in and
finish the work claim to be Prime Minister.
Pestitnnee (starting up fercely, gigantic
form, with an eye q ashing baleful fires, and a
breath reeking with corruption.) Your Ma
jesty shall this poor trembling wretch, scarce
able to keep his legs, compete with me !?
Docs he, after weeks of toll. exhaust the life of
mortal here and there? ], with q single
blast of my nostrils, sweep thousands to the
gravel Ny touch is death. My breath is
destruction. scorn such weak and peur;ie
lasors as his. Before me whole continents
tremble, and as pass by, countries are half
depopulated. alone am worthy to be Prime
Minister to the King of torrors.
Consumption. (Slowly rises. with wan and
haggard face. hollow cough. and CLASSY sye.)
Dread King; l am no orator,-my words
must be few.-T do not perform my work like
Fever with fire and Ike Pesiilence
do frighten the nations,-but, with fair pro-
misses, and delusiye hopes, I do my work 81
lently, but surely. Let the graveyard say
whether am not worthy TO be Prime Minis
ter to your Majesty.
Famine (After several vain attempts to
rise, he stands at last, thin, shriyelled, ghast
ly form, leaning upon an oaken sticky Mon
arch, before whom earthly monarchs tremble,
if he who slays vastnumbers should be Prime
Minister, then this Office is mine. When /
appear, whole nations tFemble. Make me
Prime Minister, and thy kingdom shall pros
per.
IHtemperdnce. with bloated visage, blood
shot eye and frey nose, be rises. and looks
round on the assembly with grin Of inefable
scorn.) Kingof the dark regions Of the dead,
1 crave your ear; and you, ye feeble pfeten-
ders TO the first place in the kingdom, listen to
my words. What are Fever. Pestilence. Con
sumption, Famine, and all other enemies of
human life compared with me? Dothey kill
their thousands: l slay my tens of thousands! |!
Without me Fever would stsrve, and even
Pestilence would cease TO be a terror. Every
other disease derives half its power to destroy
from me. kill not only through the body,
but the mind. blast earthly hopes; destroy
all human affections; and make the grave a
refuge for misery.
Death. If thou canst make good thy claims,
thou shall be Prime Minister. But by what
means dost thou accomplish SO vast work
IatemperGnee. May it please your majesty.
! Ihave taughs men how to turn the means Of
life into weapons Of death. Instructed by me,
they distil from the food given to strengthen
life, liquor which carries disease and death to
every organ of the human frame. They call
it ALCOHOL.
Death. But how wilt thou persuade men 10
drink this elixir of death And when they
see its deadly effects will they mol be warned
: TO forsake it?
Intemper0nce. Itneeds no argument to per
suade them. They think that alcohol warns
them when cold, and cools them when hot;
f they think it strengthens them in health, and
{ cnres them when sick; they believe it sooths
their grief and hightens their joy. And when
once they begin to drink. it is the nature Of
| what they drink to create raging appetite
, which will take no warning, though the grave
10 seen at the bottom Of the cup.
Death. But who will offer this drink TO men
) Are there any base enough to sell poverty
: nfamy and death to their neighbors?
Intemperance l have, may it please your
Majesty. in every city. town. and neighbor'
!, hood. agents. who for the mennest pittance will
sell not only their neighhor's bodies TO the
: grave. but their own souls to that gulf which
isdeeper than the grave.
|. Death. Enough; IntemperAnce shall be
. Prime Minister. Let Fever, Pestilence. and
: the whole train of diseases, be his servants.
] With Alcohol, and with the help of the agents
who sell it, he will make my kingdom to
prosper.
The following letter written by the Rev, E
e L. Magoon to Mrs. Forrest, was produced al
7 the trial between this lady and her former
husband, which is now going off in New YorI