Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-11-17


capital and under the controlof the whole Uni
ted States. 1t is simply ridiculous and absurd
then, to say that Edgefcd shty controls herscl
in refusing license, She controls the Distric
or attempts 10 control it, and by so doing does
nothing to conciate the justly offended feelings
of the country which has twice marked thi:
corporation. to show the village bell cows, thai
the Court House belongs tothe District and moi
the District to it. EVENT. l500sof the 5000 men
who assemble here were to side with the village
in refusing license al his place, Mr.. CALHOUN
beloved concurrent majority would not then bt
obtained, and it would still lie demonstrations
in morals to refuse license. a just law governs
tho 'chole and not a part ofyhc people OF al
who assemble here, pcrhaps.oaly 500 may drink
liquor, but sound ethics would say, let them
drink it, and drink it independently Of the re.
manning $500 who have different tastes. Thi.
village could with as mucllspropriety tell the
country people that they should not buy dozen
cigars here, but must get boz, as to say to them
that they shall not have drap, but must get 4
bottle and carry it in their pockets.
Because expressed a suspicion, which is well
founded, that "most enthusiastic for total abstili-
ence are slaves to gambling, tobacco, tea, coffee
opium, &c." your correspondent thinks that
said suspicion "smacks littlesof the chagrinel
CENSOR" or in other words, he, intinates that
have suffered somewhat in interest or honor
which prompts me to write these articles. This
attack upon my motives excites a smile. can
assure 4" TEMPERANCE no LICENSE" that am not,
have never been, aud never expect 10 be inter
estcd either directly or indirectly, in any Grog
Shop here or elsewhere, and as to honor if |
have any ambition at all, il IS not content to
reign petty king, as Intcndant ior Magistrate of
Corporation, whose area IS enclosed within u
circle of one mile radius, fromEihc Court House
us centre. Ibeseech him to have more charity
! than again to suspect, that because he must al
ways be little in great things,sor great i'll little
things, that others have no higher and nobler
ambition than his own pr;ictical motto. -
That he has stung mol admit, bht the Injustice
not the truth of his suspiciod wounds. Ny
soul can travel beyond this Corporation if his
cannot, and have endeavoredfto discuss the
the worldwide principle inyolses in this license
question, not motives, or perf,nalities., But
this is enough of the etcraats Nc md myself,
for alluding 10 which, l hope yourreaders will
pardon nc.
Your correspondent next doubts the sincerity
with which l declared myself the unalterable
advocate of Temperance and sobricty." Iagain
protest that ! am not the champion of intempe-
rance or immortality, but am supporter of the
freedom and right 10 drink, because necessity
or something else forces man to do it, and all
efforts 10 prevent it are unavailabc-bccause
whether necessity or the decree eternal cfwhich
your correspondent speaks he the cause, we
have the stubborn and insurmountabIc fact,
that man will drink or brave death to do it. As
claim TO Lc man Of honor, abhor drunken
ness and if the monster vice could be killed at
one blow, would say God speed the arm that
could deal that blow. But this is all poetry, and
hence say let men drink in peace, as they will
do it in war-will do it tanyhow. Our race have
imbibcd wine since the days of Lot and Noah
and there must be some constitutional cause or
necessity for it.
remember once to have heard one Of The
ablcst divncs ia the United States, say that wine
was Il Mahommcdan invention of the sirLt cell
century to make war upon Christianity. have
also seen the same assertion in Temperance
Tracts, but how ridiculous and devoid of truth
is this untuundrd SANDER. NIahomct was in re-
Iity and in good faith the father and founder Of
Temperance Societies. lie was the first spirilu-
al or temporal ruler that cssayed 10 stop the use
of liquor, and the Koran bears internal, as well
as record evidence of his sincerity. Moreover
besides Sacred History, I can cite passages from
Pliny, Tacitus and Hcrodotus or Juvenal, Ovid
and Horace, t" show that men got beasly drunk
not only before the birth Of Nlahomct, but scv-
eral centuries before the birth of Christ. 1t
matters not whether distilled or tcrmenLcd liquor
was used, either will produce the same effect
the same intoxcation, cthargy and relaxation
The antiquity then, to say nothing of the unirer.
salty Of the use Of liquor, is one argument
which should make US pause before we prohibit
its use by law. Iown, that it is desirable to gel
rid of all drunkenness. But is equally dcsira.
JIc that no lies should be told, or ISLANDERS ut
tered, yet who would be deprived Of the freedom
Of speech because Of its abuses No libclS
should be printed, or studied falschoods publish
cd, yet who would be deprived of the freedom o
The Press because of its abuses! 1t is also de-
sirabe that there should be no sin, and tha
everybody should be in the Church, bnt who is
for using force, or interfering in any wise
with freedom Of Religious belief or morshipl W.
must legislate for human nature then as it is
with all of its faults and defects, and not as i
ought to be. Persuade and argue with mrn no
to use stimuli, but never attempt to drive them
lest we be driven ourselves. Promote temper
ancc by precept and example, but never by an
thoriy
sRould like TO write an article upon the adul
teraion and smuggling of stimuli generally, ano
ther upon Opium, a third upon gambling, a four
upon other stimuli, WHICH have omitted #
name, but which are in national use in Sout
America and elsewhere, fifth upon the licens
laws of South Carolina, q sixth upon the M