Smyrna times., 1855-07-11
Original Artltlts,
Written for the Smyrna Times.
The Reign of Intemperance.

d
racter and administration of the greatest tyrant
that has ever cursed the human race. BY the
ancients he was regarded as a god and was
called Bacchus, but he is now better known
under the appellation of King Alcohol. In
giving very unfavorable account of his &C.
tions we fear not that we will libel him; for,
considering the cruelty which has uniformly
characterized him in his dealings with men,we
consider that impossible.
The enjoyment of happiness being the grand
object which we have in view in all our actions,
1t has always been agreed that anything de-
structve of happiness should be extermInated.
Now, we contend that intemperance has caused
more calamities, distress, poverty and tears
than all the wars which have devastated the
earth; for though war may make great inroads
upon the resources of country for the time
being. its effects are comparatively transient
and local, while lntemperance, by extending
itself into every hamlet throughout the length
and breadth of the land, and continually gnaw-
ing at the happiness of nearly every fresde,
more than compensates for its want Of power
to produce sudden and violent effects. Yet,
such effects it has sometimes produced. What
caused the downfall of BabyOn-that mighti-
est of cities-the mistress of the world !
While an enemy was at her gates, her king
gave drunken feast to a thousand of his lords,
and the sentinels following the example of their
masters, relaxed their vigilance. Taking ad-
/ nft cir rod
the city and slew the monarch and his mobiles
while they were yet under the influence of the
poisonous draught, and thus those who, few
hours before, had been engaged in drunken
rcvelry now lay weltering in their blood. Nor
was IIelshazaar, the only king who owed his
ruin to the intox icating cup. Alexander the
Great boasted that he had conquered the world,
and sighed more worlds to conquer; yet, he
could not battle with this most malignant ad-
versary of man. Alcohol rode over the con-
querer and laid him in premature grave
! And how shall We portray tithe Of the misery
! he has caused in the world from the days Of
Alexander till now Could we see the thou
sands of statesmen, warriors and poets whom
he has sent to a drunkard's hell, lift up their
eyes in black despair-coud the wailing of the
millions Of widows, whom he has made such,
burst upon our ears-could we in conception
feel the pangs which he has sent to the hearts
of multiplied millions Of orphans we would
excla lm from the bottoms of our hearts, down
with this monster; let our globe never again be
polluted by his presence; let the sun never
again shine on him, lest he should once more
obtain the rule over man and lay desolate the
fertile gardens Of the earth!''
And has our favored land been free from the
curse! Has the demon not made unroads upon
the happiness Of the land of the brave and the
y. tree that | could receive an answer from
the thousands whom 1t has laid beneath the
, cold cod of the valley, and from the myrlads
who have seen those nearest and dearest &c
l them torn from their embrace forever 1t will
require a never-endlug eternity to bring tC
light the mischief produced by one of tht
thousands OF groggerIes which infest the land
Sons OF Arnerca--cItlzens Of the boasted lant
u of freedom How long will you submit to thu
sway of the destroyer How long will yOl
} suffer him to enter your homes and to rob YOU
fresdes of peace and happiness! Boast not o
= being free until you have purged your countr.
of the unclean thing. But brighter day /
s beginning to dawn ON our land. The mornin!
star of temperance has risen, and as we behol
e it walking in brightness we know that it beto
kens the approach of the orb of day, who's
st light will enable man to perceive the extent Q
one of the greatest evils which afict him.
II Already has the mysterious handwriting mad
its appearance on the wall of many palace {
:, drunkenness The foundations of the immens
tower are crunlbling to dust, and the same i'll
n mutable laws of nature, which have cause
them to begin, will cause them to continue
- stumble. until the whole structure shall fall
one undistnguished heap of ruin.
rr Maine, immortal Maine. has taken the lea
in this noble work, and most of the other State
have followed, or are preparing to follow, h'
* example. wo Id fain include Maryland in Il
,r- former class, but alas the foes of reform ha'
he as vet held the sway in our State. But v
:" hope that she viii fall into the ranks durir
the coming winter, and show America and sho
ot the world that she will not linger during Il
IS. onward march Of Improvement. In the coun
Of Queen Anne's we intend to give pull
strong pull, and a pull altogether, to get men
the right stripe inta the Legislature. But '
II shall not do it without opposition. We ha
'e0 enemies--men whose occupation it is to dc
out that fire which bsrns the soul as well as I
n. body--men who SO coyet the bloodstained !
ward of death that taey wish to be the insti
meuts to plunge their neighbors down I
depths Of the bottomhss abyss. But while tn
~ are weakening we are strengthening, so ii
,w. we must eventually le able TO overcome the
=, Our own village 50 strict temperance pla'
'a