The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1856-07-11
roR THE INDEPENDENT PRESS, 7

W. PIoAAthS SoiIeSpOuu-
ent, -. Togno," is barking up the wrong,
tree. His tezt suits him forsonco. "IIe
thinketh he knoweth something, but he
knoweth nothing as lie ought to know."-
The respected preacher against whom his
suspicious are leveled is innocent, two arc
at liberty to say) Of that terrible onslauqAt
on the "BoRE," which has so reused up
his "direful ,oraM." There, is no doubt,
however, that Rev. gentleman endorsed las
ALL sound temperance men did) the very
wholesome castigation inflicted upon your
correspondent. To J. Togno belongs the
rare honor of being the only man in South
Carolina who is willing to stake the title
reputation he has upon defence of alco-
hoilc drinks; and we rejoice to know q
Dr. Iogno's every article informs us) that
nc IS not an american. Sir, we protest a.
gainst any importation of morals from Eu-
rope, especially the continent. We are a.
traid we may get as bad an article as that
bath a0'ne, or the ,uhisky--brandy which
Otarl & Co. send over tosus. We have
had enough of J. Togno's lucubrations on
this topic-yes, sad nauseum" 1t would
be blessing if some one would prescribe
for his inveteratc malady, cure this itcA for
scr'dbIing, and relieve asvictimizcd com.
munity. Buff he aoiU write-if he mast
scratch, we feel assured the clergymen
of the village would feel obliged to
him to pass them kindly by, and "honor
them '0ith the denignity Of lis neglect"
His praise is as little meedeca, as his ccnsure
IS feared. And the pure cause of Tenn
perance surely needs no compliments from
such a dubious friend as DR.. Togno. 1t
has defenders enough, both in and out Of
the pulpit, who are ready and able to de-
fend it, without such foreign help. Many
individuals" ("nameless" perhaps, because
they have not egotism enough to afIix their
names to every newspaper squib) are ready
to enter the lists, when necessity arises.
Messrs. Editors, we are perpetually refer
rcd to the wine drinking nations of Europe
for examples of sobriety. What farce !
France sober This is news indeed. The
only sobrety it has ever known it owes to
the stern, despotic rule of thepresent En-
peror. 1t has been Intoxicated for the last
five hundred years---if not with wine, will,
human blood. Was it sober in the 7Revolu-
ton? Sober when it abolished the Sabbath
and declared itself atheist? Has it ever
been sober It Mas VoLrA1RE himself
who said, "lhc French. soerc q cross be-
t'ccen a monkey and tiger'-eithcr at
the Jrisky stage of intoxication or the sav-
age. History verifes his assertion. Why,
1t has been perpetual haJf:drunk with
all these continental nations for centuries" ;"
and it requires standing armies of millions
OF men to keep them in order. Now, sir
to have such morafexamples held up to tho
enlightened and virtuous and religious
American people, and to be told that we
must fall back from our high moral. aemi-
nenceHas people into this miserable conti-
mental civilization .sWhy, Mr. Editor, We
could invoke no greater curse on our State
and our Union, than that it may become as
sober as France. Let us hear no more then
of this nonsense ! Tho advocate of such
a measure is a fit subject for satire and
ridtcule only. "Quem Deus vult perdere
7'rius dementat" We have only to say
to Or. Toguo, that if his wine proves as
harmless as his literary diversions against
total abstinence, we promise to initiate him
right away into the Sons of Temperance.
The Fourth at Abbeyille.
The sWeater part of our citizens soupht