Washington telegraph., 1856-03-26
NJ D IA ADT
AD ES s.

LADIES. GENTLEMEN, AND MEMBERS OF
TIE TEMPERANCE ORDER Il present my
Eeit before you this evening laboriDg under
10 small degree Of embarrassment, arising
frcm two Considerations first, that | am
unaccustOmed to appear before public as
semblles on such occasions. and secondly,
but mainly, from the fact. that the subject
OF consideration is old. stale. and hackney
ed-OOe which has aroused and called forth
the talents, not only of men of ordinary
abilities. but of the strongest and brightest
lntellects of the age. But because the
theme Is tisreadbare and worn-out, as some
express 1t. Is that any reason why it should
be passed by and neglected Because the
bible and Religion have grown grey and
venerable with the roll Of ages and centu-
Ties, Is that any argument that they should
be thrown aside and discarded before their
MISSION is accomplished ? Every bosom re-
spends No So with the Temperance Re-
formation; notwithstanding much has been
done, there yet remains much to be accom-
piI>hed and until the last drunkarG is re-
e'aIined-tle last wounded and broken heart
Is bound up and healed, and until the last
nuLi-plpe Is stopped from pouring forth its
bIIghtlng, hellish draughts, let it not be said
that the cause is old and worn out-that its
day OF glory is past. its work accomplished
and there remains nothing more to be
done.
As the subject is one of plainness. and
either directly or indirectly touches the vi
ial interests of all, both male and female, let
Us deal With it plainly and in all candor,
desiring to strike none save the guilty. and
feeling assured that no one will complain,
unless 1t can be said of him, ''thou art the
man Then, to proceed directly. to the
subject.
The first proposition which We lay down,
bread and sweeping in its scope as it may
appear TO some, is this: that it is not only
not right, but that it is wrong. positively and
~ 1910, TOR any man. woman or child, 20 get
drunk The ladies. as a matter of course,
Will excuse as) In days of yOre, when
ignorance aud superstition, like dark and
threatening pail. o'erhung our earth. it
might then have been thought right and
'0o-hke by few. and they may have been
s1cuSabie TO some extent in their belief, but
tince the blaze of Revelation and Science
las flashed upon the world and illumed it
"I'h food of light aud knowledge, con-
demnatiOn is passed and indelibly inscribed
upon drunkenness. and the .ong catalogue
OF evils that follow in its train. 1t is not
now too late. even in the middle of the 18th
century, for man to rise up and proclaim
ana contend with zeal worthy better cause,
that they are freemen. untrameled as tie
mountain zephyrs. and that they have a
I,ight. lnailenable, guaranteed them by God
himself. to do and act as they please. and
10 n, man dare ask what doest thou ?"-
were 1t possible. according to our organi-
tations and associations, for US to be perfect
neemen. licensed to do as We please, in ev-
cry particular. one bare, solitary point ex-
eepled. that one item prohibited, doubtless.
would be drunkenness That certainly is
one OF the last acts of which any man
SnOuid be guilty The Bible-the immuta-
Ole word of God-tAe light that has shown
upon the world. and shed halo of glory
ABOUT the children Of men-wherever it al
.uaes to the subject, has stamped it with
T. He dIsapprobation and displeasure of the
n"e e'nai and fekel is written against every
unfortunate subject thereof.