The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-07-26
svvr FRANCIS, Proprietor.

strument of death to his own throat.
But God, in his great mercy spared
the bloody, drunken wretch! He
gave him yet little longer to live, a
little longer to pray. He reserved
him for o season that he might die
as an example; and that as he stood
on the fearful of the gallows, he
might warn others, and say to them,
in his rude poetry, "Rcfcrm +"
Tho husband, father and murder
cr, as far as earth is concerned, ex-
plated his horrible crime. lie died
on tie gallows! Wife, children,
husband and father, all sleep in
graves opened for them by the poi
soned bowl.
Over their graves we'll may We
write the words OF the drunken hus.
band, father, and nurdc. or:
u is the following up of the intoxicating bowl
That destroys the purse and damns the soul. :"
This is single example, in the
fearful annals of crime, of the effects
Of intoxication. 1t might be multi.
piled to almost any extent. For the
records Of crime, Of the prison house,
Of the judgment-hall, and of the place
of execution, are full of drunkenness.
Ninc-tenths Of all the crimes in
South Carolina are to be ascribcd to
this fearful vice
Yet there is no united attempt on
the art of the people to uproot the
cause, and thus destroy the tree of
crime
Would that such man as Neal
Dow, Of Maine, could arise among us
at the. South !! Would that some
self: sacrificing spirit such as his
could stand in our State house, and
pointing to the bloody records of
crime, to our taverns, grog-shops,
restaurants, groceries, holes in the
walls, aud distillerics, would say to
our Legislators, in the language Of
truth Suppress these rest houses,
nrnl;ht the sala ss.s;;rsas:sls ssSsisS
drinks, make every dpop liable y 70
S ;izure, and then South Carolina vii.
b. redeemed, and take her place by
the side Of Maine! :
What glorious. picture does
Maine now present Not a drop 0!
intoxicating drink Wit hin her borders;
all her people sobeH her farms re.
sounding with the songs of industry
aud peace; her forest falling before
the axe Of stout aFd healthy laborors;
her streams covered with the RATS of
her enterprising people, who seek
wealth as the means of happiness,
and not to produce druukness. mise.
ry, and crime; htr towns and cities
rejoicing in sober intelligence, com.
mcrce, and happiness. Crime has
comparatively ceased within her bor-
dcrs.
Where, oh, Where is the Palmetto
State Mother Of my life and al.
fcctions, where art thou ? Hast thou
forgotten the high destiny which
ought to be thine Are the live.
oaks, the pines, the palmcttoes, and
the laurels, so high in every breeze
as they bend in mourn;u. sadness
over the homes Of the drunkard p
Are their roots always to be nurturcd
by blood :?
God forbid Up, up my couq,
trymen, to the rescue Nov as tie
dW-now IS the hom.! We seek
political freedom, we love it as a
priceless treasure. Is it to be
found in the sparkling Madeira, the
toamlng Champagne, or the Gcrv
whiskey ? 1t is stranger to these
friends Of darkness. Their compan-
ion is the fettcred slave. We love
reason it is net to be found in the
midnight revcl ? No, oh no i, There
ls to be seen the blcod.shot eve of
madness We love lcarniny-it is
to be found with those who tarry
long with the wine cup 2 Ignorant
stupidity is there seen plying drink
upon drink We love wcalth-is it
to be found in the Intoxicating bowl?
Rage and poverty are there ! We
love happincss-is it to be cnioycd
in the whirl Of drinking pleasures /?
Misery totters forward and exclaims,
1 an hcre!' We hope to live forever
in everlasting happincss-can this
DC so it drink, intoxicating drink, be
followed ? The Scriptures answer,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
d'unharas, nor rcvilers, nor cxtor.
toners, y shall inherit the kingdom of
God =
CURIOUS FACLs FOR MODERATE
DnlNKERs.- Some object that they
drink but q small portion of alco.
hol and therefore cannot be in.
Jurod by it. This remark arises from
ignorance. One drop of alcohol
would you'd fila tube whose length and