The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-06-01
T E M P E R "A N CE.
v o f. v i .
"A Vision.

= H
fur and high among the mountains of
my own dear native State, occupying
q somewhat central position, whence
l could view, as it were. the entire
continent; at one and the same catch a
glimpse of the distant land beyond the
great Cult, in the sunny South, and the
green hills of the frozen North; and,
looking down from the lofty emincnce
which occupied, saw, issuing from
thousands of valleys and from every
gorge i'll the mountains, dark and dis
lnal columns Of smoke, whose awful
stencil filled my npstriIs, rs if pro-
cceding from the caverns of hell!
But i was not left long thus to
misjudge of the location of these ''iicry
furnaces" Association had made me
familiar with smell which forbade
my imputing to the internal regions
the manufacture of an article unknown
,here;-Mere IS 40 alcohol made IN
heU!-but on earth, which was created
for mans happiness and enjoymcut,
and which God pronounced, as he
viewed his vast creation, not only
tgeod," but "vcry good''-on earth on
ly is it made. Nor do evils and
damned spirits drink the maddcning
poison of the still; but man, made
after Gods own imagc--hc alone of
all Gods works converts it into Il
beverage, and by it sends his guilty
soul into hopeless ruin!
And, as gazed still farther, | be-
held in every city, town, and village;
at every crossroads and places Of pub
lie gatherings, temples and palaces: sa-
looms and novels, dedicated to the
worship Of the -god-whcre mur-
der and b. oils, bIasphemy and all man.
ner of denominations were cngcndered,
t@gg. SIS. and sustained, as the lcgit-
imnteSohsps 9gs of th3 sale Of this un-
natural beveragGs3
Looking towards the halls oflcgis3ja=
tion and the temples otjusticc, erected
by man for the suppression OF crime
and iniquity, | invoked their mighty
iitorposition, and imploringIy called
upon the rulers and lawmakers of
the land to rid the nation of this mighty
evil, that was degrading her sons, de-
grading her daughters, and converting
this fair heritage into one vast accl-
DANA Of human blood; when loud
sound, accompanied by a demoniac
laugh Of defiance from the Internal
crew beneath proclaimed: This is a
business duiit up by the iasci Leyisia-
tors destow upon as tie privilege!
Judges justify, andMe nation approves
onr patriotic ,oork! The iuw is our
denetactor!!!
Acknowledging the awful truth of
the horrible declaration, turned, with
q sick and heavy heart, from the
sccnce. The wall of disconsolate wild
owhood, and the cries OF suffering Or
phanage rose upon the air, and reach
cd my ears; when, lifting my burden
ed heart and eyes towards heaven,
saw, standing Oh lofty peak far, far
above me, Il tall, commanding figure,
gazing with anxious eye upon the
mighty panorama spread out before
him. His brow was wrinkled DER
with care, and his scant and hoary
locks were Se"Yith the n;ghtdcw of
long watchihgS Regarding him as
some: benevolent spirit, who was
mourning over the desolations of
eartiI;~ and shss8s2sssg that from his po-
sition it might Doo that he could give
promise OF IL better coming morrow,
took up the burden of Dulnah, when
he called out of SER to the Prophet
Isaiah, and cried aloud
"wATCHMAN! WHAT orTHE NIGHT,"
Is there any sign of hope for tile flu
ture? Does tho same dark, impenc-
trable gloom hang over the moral ho-
rizon, forbidding all confidence in a
prospect Of its entire removal, and of
the sure, permanent rising Of the life
giving sum Of Temperance, that shall
shed its glorious rays of light and
JOY, disseminating consolation and
happiness among the sorrow-stricken
sons Of men7 Say, faithful sentinel,
does no day-star peer above the no;
rizon, giving promise ola happy noon
time OF emancipation of our rum
cursed land from the tyranny of In
temperance?
And the Watchman said, or seemed
to say: The morning cometh Lo! II
light in the East arises, above the
snowclad hills Of Maine, with healing
in its beams. A shout of joyous wei
come greets its appearance, as its
piercing light penetratcs the dark bo-
som of the cloud above. Loud and
long is the voice Of triumph, echoing
AND re-echoing along the hills and
ralcs 1is that redeemed land; until the
sound is heard upon the mountain
tops, Of the Granite State" whence
comes responsive cry: sWe, too,
will be frec!" 49,
Connecticut catches the inspiring
song Of freedom; and, from all her
borders goes forth the determined
declaration of resistance to the tyrant.
The "Green Mountain Boys" of
Nnrr,nnt al Il