Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-02-04

To make the above general remarks more sFe-
cuy applicable, let us inquire why every person
within the precincts of Yorkville is morally under
: obligations to support "dry ticket" Will you
hea" and weigh the reasons, or have you hopeless
ly pre-judsed the case: We will suppose you
are open to conviction as every sincere and honest
man should be. Let us then begin by remarking
that We speak Of measures not men; of princi.
Piles not individusls-in what we shall say. We
may take this much for granted, temperance is
right-the principles Of sobriety are enforced by
divine command-every one is morally obligated
to be temperate, and as consequence Of this OBJ
legation, to use his influence to make his neighbor
So All this is not denied. "But" asks one,
"what good is effected by a dry Town Council !
Is there any diminution in drunkenness ?" SC.
1t will be seen that we give the negative the ad-
vantage of interrogating or putting the questions
to us. We reply, that in the first instance good is
effected in this way. 1t removes temptation. 1t
is written as one of the Vaccinations of Satan,
that from ian exceeding high mountain" be ex-
hibited "all the kingdoms of the world, and the
glory of them" as temptation to the Savior Of
man. And if there be one trait which may truly
be called Satanic or fendish is that which leads
one man to spread snare for his brother man.
At least one half of the drunkenness in this world
may be attributed as much to the tempting induce
ments, as to the natural proclivty to drink. And
who will say that it does not remove temptation!
Only FIVE minutes ago, friend who for the last
twelve months has strictly kept the temperance
pledge, told me that in recent trip he was
strongly tempted by the bar.room facilities which
met him at every hotel. 1t does remove tempta-
tiun which is gaining much for the cause of tenn
perance. We admit that those who are hopeless
ly cnslaved by the habit riH procure and drink
even to the bitter dregs-the toIicating draught.
But On the rising generaton-on those whose habits
are just forming, on those who are nobly striving
to master tyranical propensity; it avals much
that the tempting bowl is removed from the sight,
that the beaded wine is not in its auring and
sparkling beauty, but only 10 the hideous and un.
natural hue which it leaves upon the bloated
cheeks of its wretched victim.
Besides this it does do good in another respect
perhaps the most important. The fact that q
town is so strongly imbued with the principles of
temperance that it will only support "dry
ticket" must and will have a moral influence
upon the mind of the community, similar to that
which one individual exerts over another. 1t is
the public recognition Of q moral principle and an
open condemnation Of a degrading evil. Aud
who will say that the rising generation will not be
benefited thereby? We would like to know the
mans name who has the hardihood to make the
assertion.
As to the question of fact in regard to the in
crease or diminution Of drinking under q" wet"
or "dry" Council, oil that we have to say is, that
if what we have affirmed in relation to the re-
moval of temptations is convincing, then it must
be admitted to diminish the sum total of drunk
enness. But thisis not q matter Of argument but
question of fact. We will leave every man who
has observed for himself to give evidence in the
case 1t is our sincere belief that not one drunk
mau, for every three formerly seen, can be met in
our streets. But all concerned have had an op-
portunity of examining for themselves, and We
leave it to their judgements and conscences to de-
ci!e the matter.
The writer comes, then, to the conclusion
whether or not he has convinced his readers, that
even the partial restriction Of "dry" Council
dminishes the aggregate of drunkenness-thatth the
moral influence exerted by the knowledge that q
majority of those around US discountenauce and
dsapprore of inebriety, is immense that the
removal of temptation does very much to reform
and elevate those who drink, and that with these
facts before us, we cannot, unless we do it wiful-
ly, ignore the obligations resting upon US to sup
port and encourage at the balotbox, as elsewhere,
temperance, sobriety and morality.
SAN JACINTO.