The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1856-08-08

garments III flHc and his clothes in the
blood Of grapes !"-Gen. Xix. ..
This great abundance of wine in .Eudal
Is here very beautifully pictured and re-
corcsI: nd its importance among the Is
racliteSsand how they delighted in the pro-
fuse use of it, is here also significantly cx-
pressed; and owing to the great prom;-
nencc tho rtne occupied rs an object of cul-
turc, we find that rich poctical images are
drawn from the vine as the means of illus
trating and adorning their IDEAS. Thus
we read OF Judah and Isracd dwelling safe
Iy, "cvery man under his vine and under his
iIg tree" Israel WIS a"vnc brought out Of
Egypt" and ''it was planted noble vine"
These few quotations show the important
relations the vine bore to the people of Is
racI =; and we may reasonably infer, that
there was no other plant that wis in higher
estimation among the chosen people of Cod
1T Is my ardent lcSirc to undcceivc some
OF my rralcrs who may entertain crrone-
o"s ideas with respect to my true creed
with reference to the Temperance ca,,sr.
wish now to define my position ST. that
there shall bc no longer any nisunJcrstand-
ing so far us am concerned.
J. acknowledge and dcplorc the evils
OF lntcinpcrance of ercyy kind, us much so
;,s any man that has at heart the welfare
Of the American people. never had any
other opinion OH this subject.
>. see the imperative necessity and the vas,
Importance of Il moral reform in tle habits
Of great many Of the American people.
liee l. recommonl, as the true method, in
order to produce it, moral s,asion. No CO.
sasi&at ,ucans Of rrohib:tory laws will ever
succeed.
3. am morally and historically con
vinccd Of the need Of al cilicacious, perma-
ncnt and lasting remedy which will pro-
d"cc complete social cure. The only
remedy that is based Oh rational founda-
ton, is the general culture Of the grape and
the making OF cheap wines for the million.
Homemade pure wines tie production OF
every poor mar.
4. In order to make this moral reform Il
lasting one, it must be based on the real
physical wants Of man, and not on an aL-
surd and negative hypothesis, "total uJsti-
nc"cc," Which will never b. accomplished
because man las never hal, nor will have
such complete mastery over his natural
cravings AMI appctitcs SO us to forcgo the graf
l!cation Of sometimes indulsing in stimula-
ting beverages.
.. 1t is my moral conviction that it is
lndlspcnsably necessary to supply man with
beverages as well as stimulating
food but that when taken habituallv, will
produce no evil consequences to the ind-
vldual to society. One Of these harm.
less drinks is pure wine, made of the sim
pie Juice of the ripe grape ; and after be-
ing termented into a healthy and nutritious
liquid, drank mixed with water, Just as we
take tea or coffee ut our meals.
6. Hence the great utility of the careful
cultivation Of vineyards in all the districts
which will admit Of the culture of this
ueasen-sent plant, the vine, in order that
we may make for ourselves pure and cenu-
inc wines, which arc the hcaltl,iest bcvcr
ages that man can d,iuk.
7. advocate the temperance Of vine
yards, because the experience of ages has
demonstrated that the only temperate ma
tlons are Mesrtne yrowing, the acine making,
md the erine drinking nations; all others
arc more or less intemperate, owing to their
drinking habitually, intoxicating liquids, and
generally to EXCESS.
| am willing to stand or fall on these
seven propositions, which constitute nv
rational temperance platform, on which |
intend to live and die. The generation
that is to como ought not to suffer for our
follics and petty passions Of the present,
and if we cannot get the present intem-
perate in this habit Of drinking aOine aM
'0ater, the future generations will surely do
so, and will be temperate.
In conclusion, ! cannot help rejecting
that the only difference which exists among
men is that which springs from their mind,
heart aud character and that the ,princi-
pal cause which most unites, or divides
them, is produced by their fattered or Of.
Tended vanity all is vanity feel on