The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-12-05
Colli,trp Alnl!scncnts .
Our Debating Society.

Once upon time, before people were quit
as wise and Knowing as they seem TO hav'
become in latter ycni's we had debaint
society. II met in the little brick meeting
house, not far from the village, and it was
quite refreshing to hear the astonishing orr
sinal flights Of eloquence in which sone o.
the members occasionally INDUCED. Wha
made these rural discussions of high themes
still more amusing, at times, was the very
liberal spirit in which they were conducted
After the question appointed for the evening
was once opened by the members proper, any
person among the andcn.c had also The priv.
ilcge of joining in. and speaking upon which.
ever side lie Thought proper This lberalty
on the part of the association was productive
of great deal OF variety, and afforded, not
unfrcquently, quite number of amusing in
cdcnts: and one OF these, in which long Bill
Walker figured, | am now about to relate
Bill wasa in'y-woodsnan long, lean,
sallow- looking individual with abundance of
assurance, but ignorant as a Boctiam lie
had also two inirmtios. He was hard
dlinker and hard of hearing. The first fail
ing make him good fellow as a stump poll
liclan in his own district; the second often
led 10 ludicrons mistakes, through which he
WAS regarded as Il humorist, and by which
his personal popularity was greatly inhan-
ctd.
Now it happened on one particular even.
ing, that Il question was chosen for discus.
sion. which of all questions in the world,
rough country people know the least about.
It was Ought the Drama to be cncoura-
gcd!" Young Robert Gibbs, the milcr's son,
had the honor Of proposing them for as h.
had once been member for a whole winter Of
a metropolitan debating association his Sug-
gcstions were always received by the little
society Of the meeting house with degree of
Difference that showed how highly they esti-
mated the privilege he enjoyed. Wei, the
debate was" Ought the Drama to be cncour-
aged!"
John Wilct, old Farmer Wict's nephew
of Apple Hill. opened the discussion lie
said, ''ho thought the Drama was a good
thing. lie heard it was Il very funny thing {:
aud funny things ought to be encouraged
they made a body laugh so. lie had never
Seen drama, but he'd like to ID it. Aunt
Nancy seen it once. and told him twas
beautiful sight, and beautiful sights ought to
be encouraged. People talk great deal
about the great Shakespeare: and lie had read
once in newspaper, how Mister Shakespeare
was The biggest DramamatI that ever lived,
"i'i liIdL lVtS VI luIIeiitlS ~ W !ODh AZ me
place he was buried, and think the W orll and
all Of him because he was Drama man.-
Thartore he held that the Drama ought to be
encouraged"
John Willet resumed his seat amid great
applause from his friends and Robert Gibbs
rosy Immediately in reply.
His first sentence was Triumphant ONE
He ran his fingers through his haxcn hair "a
~ ttnr ! Ia Al L. Iii
the supercilUusncSS Of conscious, superiority.
lie h0d seen Drama,' he said, land he
also know something Of its effects. As the
gentleman had very properly remarked it was
beautiful in was delightful. He confessed
it, No one loved it more than he. He was
intoxicated !; raptu,ousiy intoxicated by it
for days afterwards. 1t WAS tempting. 1t
was attractive; it made man feel as if he
was In another, and better world, as the
player said but it gave people disas,c for
ordinary enjoyment, and led them little by
little, to ruin and bcggarY. II was drlici-
Gus poison, and he entleated his hearers nev-
er to drink of it to shun it as they would
a copper head to think Of the wrctchcdncSs
that followed it. lie counselled them to be.
ware in time to touch not. taste not, h,nde
not the unclcan thing He spoke from the
high ground of experience, aud knew from
his own feelings, how difficult it was to
refrain entirely after having been once temp
ted. 1t chung to Inn still, as the chicken.
grapes cling tothc oak and he couldn't shake
II Oft. He wanted to be a dramalist himself
lie wanted to feel heroic. and rejoice. over
and over and over again, in the beautiful
creations of his own brain He dare say if
he tried he nigh be one: it seemed easy
enough; but he didn't like to try; he was
afraid oft. lie knew what it lead to and
he wished to live among the sober realities of
life, and not be made miserable when the ex-
hileraling effects Of the sweet drlusion passed
oil. lie didn't want to say any more Just
then, but if the gentleman who were to follow
HIM should advance any arguments i'll favor
of the Drama. he thought he could yet Salty
every unprecedented mind that it was an injur-
ions thing. and ought not to be encoura-
gcd.'
Young Robert Gibbs sat down, and amidst
the storm Of appreciation that marked the
conclusion Of his speech up rose long Bill
Walker.
Fellow citizens of the United States, of
Amclky, and Mr.. President" said he; II
ain a kinder stranger in these parts ben'
born and raised in the old Pincy-woods: but
I've heard things said tonight that opin-
ionate amt nuth,n' short of treason to this
great wonderful. and rar-away stretchin' land
of liberty. George the third had his Brutus
and Caesar his Cromwell; and Charles the
first may profit by heir example, as Patrick
Emory used to say. Now the young man
with yallcr hair gifts up here and tells you
that the Drammers hadn't ought to be ell
conragtd. tell that young man with :hc
yaller hair that they oughtcr. We amt no.
Thin else but free people, Mister PRESIDENT
we've licked the Biilishrrs and the MeXikns;
run 'cm both clean through tie threshin' ma
chine as n body mought say, and. therefore,
we've ycarncd right to do just as We please
The young man with the yaller lnr says
drains is first rate, delicious: and 50 | say
too. But he says they are ortul intoxicatin'
and don't say they amt: but that depends
purity much upon whether man head is
soft shell CT hard shell. Eta man can't cut
his cord Of wood day without the back-arhe /,
-thar's some I've herd tell on that could
cut thar two cord say cfa man can't cut
his cord day without the back-ache' he'd
bet er drap off at half a cord. We are all
dranmers whar come from; and We thrive
upon it. We couldn't hoe our row without
it. Its what our ioie.others fout for. They
didn't want the store tea IF the Biltishers,
they liked old Rye better"
"Mister President" exclaimed Gibbs
jumping up very much excitet.-Mr PIesi-
don't! | wish TO explain- it is mislak-'