The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-10-07
ADDRESS

Address
OF RoBr. HEASEY, ST., delivered before n
Sons Of Liberty at their meeting at EgW
Mills, on Saturday, Sept. PAN, 1858.
Fellop-citizens:--It is with no ordinary de
gree of difidence appear before you in tn,
character of q speaker. am not ambition
OF being known as a public declaimer, ant
were it not that there are those here who are
not we'll acquainted with me should make
no apology, lest the partiality of your cal
should lead some to believe I profess to be
public speaker, or that ! am considered as
such feel in duty bound to say that if there
are any present who expect to be entertained
with fine flow of rhetoric ornamented with
beautifully rounded periods and embellshed
with defamation, let me say II there are any
such you are doomed to disappointment. The
plow, the hoe and the corn-feld are but an
indifferent school to qualify man to shine
forth as an accomplished public speaker Yet
there are times and circumstances take place
in the course of human events that are well
calculated to arouse the energies and to cause
men to lay aside all diffidence and unmanly
tears, and to enter the arena even at the risk
of encountering wild and ferocious animals.
And fear the time now is that requires every
lover of both civil and religious liberty that
liberty beGueathed to us by our revolutionary
fathers to unite to lay aside oil party prejudi-
ces and to say to those who are seeking to
trample on our reserved rights, we know and
will maintain them to say to those fanatical
Incorporate zealots who have banded them
selves together under the self-styled name of
Sons of Temperance who in midnight con-
clave concoct we know not what, it may be
treason, it may be robbery, it may be theft, it
may be murder, counterfeiting, arson, &c.
How do we know what the damning purpose
of stunning the light may be. But one thing
they br, ught forth to the light of day and are
striving as it were to move Heaven and earth
to accomplish. What more is yet behind is
still hidden in the womb of futurity. And
much depends on you, on the voters Of the
State of Ohio, what will be the character
and color of the next born. said they are
trying as it were to move Heaven and Earth
to make that by law crime, (viz: the manu-
facture and sale of wine0 which has never
been recognized as such since the foundation
of the world. To make that by law crime
which God himself never made crime ne-
ther Moses or the Prophets under the old
Jewish dispensation, neither Christ or his a.
postles under the Christian dispensation, no
nor did forbid they ever its use as a beverage.
| This appears to be the first born that has
come to light; what will be the next issue Of
midnight caucusing we have yet to learn
But the whole burthen of their song is its all
for the good of the dear people, all from pure
christian zeal for the welfare of community
To guard and protect their morals, to fect
and clothe them, to save their money, to re-
nit their taxes and to make them fit subjects
for the kingdom of Heaven. 1t is d;rec
censure of the Creator himself it is in effec
saying to him you did commit an egregou
bunder you did not do right, you permitte'
| your chosen people Israel to plant the grap'
! and to manufacture the wine "that soul-des
troying poison" and to Christ it is in effec
saying your atonement is of no use you per
mitted your followers to use temperately thi
, accursed stuff; you permitted your follower
TO temperately use the juice of the grape
But we are wiser than yoG and will remed
the evils of your folly. We will have lay
passed that none shall manufacture or sell n
beverage this soul-destroying poison unde
the penalty Of confiscation, fine and impris
onment. Now like to see men jealous i
: a good cause yet there is nothing in whic
men dc ceiye themselves more in than wha
the world call zeal there are so many passion
and so many mishaps hidden under it an
arising therefrom that believe it were bel
ter not to class it among the virtues, on
thing is certain where it is once laudable
is twenty times criminal.
We are told by the Jewish Rabbins tha
the first murder was the result Of religion
Jealous intolerance, and i! we had the histor
of it from the days of Cain to 1853, we woui
find it filled with slaughter and with BLOOD
shed, which should make wise men very care
full how they suffer themselves to be actuate
by it, when it relates to matters of opinlo
and speculation; and would here advis
every jealous man to examine his heart, an
g believe he would mostly find what he take
for zeal in morals and religion to be eithe
> interest, pride, or ill-nature. or perhaps con
bination Of all three. Just let a man difft
n with them in opinion, and it Immediately |
rouses their pride or ill-nature. Interest
,, then brought to bear, and these find vent
persecution--a call then is made on the law
u making, the sword, fines and the dungeo
mprison their bodies, ruin their families an
u fortunes, yea burn the body to save the sou
$ and ill done for the glory of God and the sa
9 vation of man. Iwould say to such zealot
your faith is vain and your religion is unpro
liable, and not worth thanking God for. III
. creator of the universe has appointed eve'
u thing to a certain use and purpose. 1t is
= in both religious and political economy: it
e like to chain--if you break one link you
!. throw the whole in disorder. And am we
u convinced that most of the sbsurdties al
difficulties society have to encounter are
general owing to the impertinent interle
C. enee Of those who have an eternal itching