Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-11-15
For The Renister.


In my ranbles through your county,
and more especially about your town, and
seeing the quantity of ardent spirits drank
in the county, caused me 10 pause, wonder,
and reflect. The involuntary question
will force itself upon the mind of the OBJ
server, "why is it SO 2" Man, the emo
blcst work Of God made in the image of
the Great Deity. yet the greatest beast on
the face of the earth.
You see man full of years, bright with
intellect, perfect in statue, attracting, all
fascinating in Manners perfect man.
He Is dccoyed into drinking saloon,
pressed, persuaded, and at last yields to
the pronper. He drinks, drinks, until
drunk, deluged in the whirlpool of woe,
fallen, degraded. Behold the change i
Instead Of the bright intellect, the fasci-
mating manners, &C., you see the brute,
yea worse, the demon filled with venom;
scoursed by the blast of the bottomless
pit, he becomes a terror TO all. The fond
and devoted wife is bound to fy to stran-
gers for refuge. His children, who were
| his deli Iht, now hide and cringe at his
appearance. The drunken maniac raves,
fonms and storms, until he is housed in
the fUlun's cell to await the return of rea
sOn-ot the man again. | ask why is il
SO? Is it because the religious class oil
The community do not with one accord
IlscounlrnanCc the sale aud use Of ardent
spirits in all its forms Is it because the
respectable, the orderly portion of the
community tacitIy acquiesce in the traffic
| and use of this man and soul DESTROYER ?
Why is it 50? Is it because the ladies
in the social circle and at the innocen
anauaeDaentS, indulge HHls inzthe use OIL
this peace destroyer? Ii they don't in.
tdulge in its use, do they frown at, and
diScountenance its use
Why isit permitted ? Is it because the
guardians OF the people. the executors o,
the laws, are men acquiesciIG in this un,
holy traffic. in this wholesale destroyer
Is it because they. are free participants oil
its use and traffic? If the peace, the
rights, interest and welfare Of our citizens
are respected by the magistracy of coun-
ty. and the laws vigorously executed, the
traffic of ardent spirits and its delelerious
use will be very soon done away, and re
generation take place. Instead Of the dog,
yeries in the county and village, there will
be mechanical industrial pursuits grow up;
your streets and other places will not be
stenched With the pestiferous smell of the
low, degraded novels of infamy and dis,
grace--your Jail will not be illed with fell
Ons-yOur pGarhouses will be depopula,
ted-and instead Of the general gloom
That surrounds The novels OF the drunk
ards home, bright eyes, and rosy cheeks,
and cheerfuInesS, with genial prosperity,
will be visible TO all
1t will not be so if the guardians of the
people will do their duty-have their face
steeled againstthe traffic and the lawless
aggressions practised by the vendors of
liquors, and aim at high standard of
morality and character as a magistracy of
the county. Our county will soon bios
som as the rose. If not, ruin is written in
large letters around the borders of our
county. Would that could advise all
men and women to look well to this sub
ject, that the evil might be stopped
- -- ANXIOUS.