Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-03-17
NAVILLUS
For tho American.
rhen,ns y. Marshall and Intcm-
pernnce.


FRANKLIN COUNTY. March IS, 80.
FRIEND GooDwIN:--In travelling in
Kentucky n few days ago. at Lexington
! met Thomas +. Marshall, one of
Kentucky's most gifted sons. but OIL
how fallen and degraded / scarcely
need explain to any Of your readers
who he is, for he is too we'll known to
need introduction. He is specimen
Of a man, possessed Of the highest
order of talent, and enjoying in his
youth every advantage which wealth
and influential friends could give him,
brought in middle life to the lowest
depths Of degradation, by intemperance.
He set out with fairer prospects Of sue
cess than almost any young man pos
sesses; he has plunged himself into n
gulf of infamy and shame almost too
deep for resurrection. He is still ad
mired as a speaker, either at the bar
or on the stump, when he is sober or
nearly so, but no confidence is placed
in him. He has been so vacillating,
that he has lost all political influence,
and so Incorporate, that he has lost
nearly all his law business, once so ex-
tensive.
He resides in Woodford County and
was at Lexington to defend a man
charged with the murder of his wife.
The trial was in progress. did not
see him whilst it was progressing, but
Immediately after the adjournment of
Court for the day he was so drunk that
he seemed almost crazy, and thus he
continued all the evening, and thus he
was next morning. For three hours
he talked without intermission, all the
time surrounded by crowd of listeners
who were alternately convulsed with
laughter at his witticisms and strange
eccentricities, and filed with pity at
witnessing the evidences of his folly
and gross wickedness. In his CONVEX
sation, or discourse flor he had the talk
pretty much to himself, J he gave utter
ance, sometimes to sentiments the most
beautiful and refined, expressed in Ian
guage the most chaste and elegant,
again to sentiments the most odious
and revolving, expressed in language
the most profane and disgusting that
ever heard from human lips.
Such was the conduct of one who
had held prominent positions both in
peace and war, having been an officer
in the Mexican war, and having served
both in the State Legislature and in
Congress. He said that he knew that
he was degraded, that he was drunk
ard, and he gave what he said was the
cause Of his being brought to it. He
said that his desire for popularity had
brought him to it; that it was popular
to drink with friends; that, when man
was a candidate, he must treat hi
political friends, and drink with them
that he had done this, until his love fol
liquor had become so great, that hi
appetite overcamc his prudence, judg
mcnt, and every good emotion of hi'
heart.
Alas how truely does this reprcsen
/ what we witness every year, and how
many promising young men in GU
own state have been ruined in the same
manner by the same insidious destroyer
, cannot the voters of Indiana in som,
other manner Judge as well of the
merits Of the respective candidates wh'
solicit their patronage? Shall W.
follow on in the path that has made
drunkards Of many who might have
been stars in the intellectual world, o.
shall we consider soberness one of tn,
moral virtues, and require our public
men to give an exhibition of it in thci
official as well as private life? 1t i
for our voters to say. Let them speal
out, and speak boldly and decisively
n Then shall we know what they favor
y j. d.