The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-05-16
10, ns Cs,es 4 Essisrs Jcurnsl
Intemperance.


Have YOU visited the comfortless home Of
the incorporate? Perhaps he is the only
son of a widowed mother; the staff on which
she hoped to lean in her declining years.
One dependence after another has been
wrested from her by the grasp of death, till
this alone, her youngest, her darling boy,
remains of numerous family. With a
mothers fondness, she anxiously watches
his opening intellect, and increasing stature.
The we'll cherished lineaments Of her long
lost and dearly beloved husband are en-
stamped upon his youthful brow. Antici-
pations of a bright future are lighted up in
her disconsolate bosom. The clouds Of adj
yersity, which have so long brooded over
the pathway of her life, are dissipated.-
Hope again, with vivifying powers, lights
up the vista of her evening years. But
alas to her how visionary and unreal is all
earthly good. Now contentment, quiet and
plenty abound. A few short years are
passed, and mark the change. This son has
become tippler-a drunkard. His pa
ternal inheritance is squandered; his re-
spectability is lost. IIaggard, bloated and
diseased in every organ and every fibre, he
is stretched upon his humble couch at home.
Missy and woe have taken the place Of COM
fort and happiness, and nothing now awaits
him but an early, dishonorable grave
Look ut the man Of towering intellect. Can
you limit the operations Of his mind? He
can convert to his benefit, or use for his
pleasure all the sensible objects with which
he finds himself surrounded. Nature her
self must be his handmade, and minister to
his wants, and crafty even his most fastid-
ious desires. Her laws must bend to the
touch of his magic wand. The ethereal fire
of Heaven must submit to his control, and
do the work of his bidding. Space, air,
ocean set no limits to the operations OF his
powers. With the CELEBRITY of the wind he
overcomes space, and flies through the air,
or dives in the ocean, as though they were
his native elements. The respondent lu-
minaries of the Heavens, as they wheel
around in their respective orbits, unfold to
him the times, and seasons and powers by
which their motions are controlled. lie
penetrates into the recesses Of natures Ia
boratory, and reveals the laws by which our
material creation is governed. Such is man
in his native dignity; but let intemperance
set his mark upon him, and this wonderful,
this god.lke being sinks into the brute
He walows in the dust. Rivers OF tears
have flowed at the bidding of intcmperance |;
and the abused and heart-broken wife, and
the suffering and detected child have well
coined with joy the approach of that death
which would deliver them from q state OF
existence so intolerable. The midnight as
sassin, and the death dealing pirate must
worship in his temple, and pour out their
oblations at his shrine, to nerve them for
their deeds of blood. Without his all per-
vading, life destroying influence they are
men; with it they are devils.
Ifsuch are the Legitimate fruits of intern
perancc' arc we not called upon by every
consideration which can address itself to the
mind of man, to assert, at once, and forev'
er, our separation to wage war; per-
petual and exterminating war. While a
vestige of intempennce shall remain in our
land, let us contend for dominion as extern
sye as the earth. We need not fear for the
result; truth and reason must prevail.
BONNEY.