The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1852-03-20
For the Minncsotian.

Pioneer.
For the M!nnesotian.
MEssRs. EDITons In your last pa
per you seem TO express some doubts Of
the efficiency Of the people 10 enforce
the law, which is 10 be voted for on the
first Monday in April.
How can you think resistance possible?
Arm an officer with the seal Of authority,
tell him to do his duty, let him have JUS
tice on his side, and public opinion in
his favor, as he will in this case, and you
will not find man with nerve enough TO
resist the operation Of the laws Let US
call upon you, let us call upon all in high
places, and lou places, to act with pru-
dence as well as zeal in this matter. You
may think we are too sanguinc of success;
but you need not think so. Look, il you
please, at the various Temperance organi-
zations-the ninety Watchmen, who
are ever at their posts to guard the COM
munity from danger sixty or seven
ty Sons Of Temperance, who look well TO
the interest Of their parcnts-the other
Temperance societies, who have all put
their hands TO the plow and their should
ers to the wheel, with no thought of ever
looking back.
You may ask, why are we so confident
Of success? Why, sir, we will appeal
to the good sense of the people. We
will appeal to you, fathers =! Have you a
son? tell him to come with you to the
polls and deposit your vote in favor Of q
law which will free your country from
ono of the greatest evils that ever cursed
a nation. Are you son? go to thy
father and say to him, that he must ASSIST
you in hberating our beloved country
from the b!ighting influence Of the serpent
Of serpents, whose sting is as poisonous
and destructive TO life and health as the
sting Of those which stung the Isrealites,
if not SO speedy. Are you mother
take thy son by the hand and point him to
the ballot box, tell him that is the only guar
an.y Of freemen, and that his first vote
must be recorded in favor of the only
measure which will secure his mother
from being the companion of dunkard
for life, and his sister from becoming the
wife Of an inebriate, who is destitute Of
all honor, all care for family, all gov
eminent, all conjugal affection, and all
those kind feelings of sympathy which
render home heaven on eartF. Arc you
a sister? Go to thy father and brothers,
and with the sweet kiss of affection, i'm
plore them to save thee from life, which
is worse than death, that of being a
drunkard's wife, a drunkard's slave, and
the mother of drunkards children.
Are you a wife? Go to thy husband,
throw thy arms about him, entwne thy
loving tcndriis of confidence and affection
around the Utmost rcccsscs of his nature,
and with the same lovely smile that won
his manly heart, urge him TO maintain
that high position and standing which Sc
cured your confidence and affection and
never to betray that confidence, never to
sink TO the level Of that man, who, for
the sake of a few dimes, will deal in the
most deadly poisons, which destroy both
soul and Io1y.
Young ladies, we implorc you to set
your face against this mighty, this grow
ing evil, as you will be the principal suf-
lcrers, provided this law should be de-
ieated. Then set your face against every
young man, who even INDUCES in modera-
tion; for every poor bloated sot was once
moderate drinker. The morals of the
young men in our Territory, depend upon
your action; as you say, will they act.
IL you discountenancc drunkenness, by
rejecting their addresses and company even
in your social circles, you will most eff
fectually cure any young man who only
takes it occasionally; for no one can
withstand public opinion, especially when
the ladies constitute the public.
Your influence is felt where you are
never seen it is not confined to your
own homes. Those sweet smiles of ap-
probation, or the frowns of contempt, 90
with the youth to the drinking saloons, as
we'll as the fashionable parties; the one
to encourage him to reform, and the other
10 deter him, with the penalty of your
displeasurc. Drunkenness. dissipation.
all notions Of false pride, all false honor,
all the lower grades of vice and sensu-
atty, would be rebuked by your frown.
and driven by your contempt into the
darkest shades Of oblivion while purity
of thought, lofty intellectual improve
ment would spring and flourish under
yolr patronage, as the flowers of spring
in the mild sunshine of summer"
Respectfully,
CHS.