Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-03-04
Wilton.
Temperance Matters- The GoM Psver, dc.
WILTON, Iowa. Feb. 18th, 1859.

WILTON, Iowa, Feb. 18th, 1859.
EDITOR JOURNAL As a voluntary con-
tributor to the public good have occasion.
ally taken 1T upon myself to give you few
Items concerning the doings and prospects
OF our usually pleasant locality, ard it
would be dereliction Of duty did | now
fail to note few of the leading incidents
which have not only caused considerable ag-
itatlon here, but throughout many commun.
tiles, among which you will not consider
your own in the least exempt.
You will, doubtless, recollect that not long
since the people here, being aggrieved at the
manner in which our social society, as well
as our very hearth-stones were being pros
tituted by the base influence Of unlicensed
whisky, resolved, in mass meeting assem-
bled, to enforce such measures as would not
only brand it as Infamous for any man to sell
his soul for price by "putting the bottle to
his neighbours lips" but also to teach them
that in pecuniary point of view their f.
nances would swell much faster by exercis
ing little discretion. An old saying some
where says, syou touch mans purse and
you touch his heart" and, it was thought if
the violators Of the law were vigorously
prosecuted and made to pay for their crimes,
the nuisance would soon be abated and the
people have rest Well, how finely we sue
ceeded you shall soon learn. We held sew
eral very large meetings, made splendid
speeches (for Buncomb), adopted some re-
markably fine resolutions and, as the rum
sellers predicted from the outset, all ended
in gas, much to the chagrin of all true
friends of humanity. Why the proceedings
so terminated, and why the liquor vendors
are allowed to 60 on unmolested in their ne
farious course, is not my present intention
to discuss; but that such is simply the fact
is all that need be stated to suggest abun-
dance of comment. My private opinion is
that committee added to committee will nev-
or amount to anything while the people who
possess influence and means adequate to &C
complish the desired result look unconcern.
eddy on and tacitly withhold all efforts to-
wards aiding and sustaining the friends who
have labored earnestly and strenuously to
bring about revival which would not only
rebound to our credit abroad, but leave such
bright results as would be felt in the m orals
of our community at home. II forgot to
make grateful mention of the fact that one
of our principal s'doggeries" has lately clos
ed-no thanks to the people, however, the
owner of the premises having magnanimo
ly turned them (the keepers) out on their
refusal to pay the rent as it became duel
The gold fever is abroad in his land. All
seem to be smitten, and all are dreaming of
the big nuggets and bright prospects which
loom up before their infatuated vision,
shadowing the wondrous realm where an
army of deluded fools are to dig for gold
and-graves for each other j.! But wish
them all luck, and may they return wit
their hopes more than doubly realized
subjoin the names of those who start from
this place Gideon Pierce, G. Macomber, E.
G. Briggs, J. E. Wilcher, S. Wildasen, An
dy Schrope, F. Bacon, and L. F. johnson.
They are going with oxen, and will take pro.
visions sufficient to last six months. Mr..
Pierce, the Captain and chief manager of
the company, will take observations by the
way, and report such matters as shall be
deemed of interest to your numerous read
ers, that they may know from reliable
source whether these huge stories of the
golden land SAVIOR more of speculation than
actual truth.
In religious point of view our town is in
statu quo-a few of the people having ceas-
ed attending to such matters, and gone, (by
way of amusement and the novelty of the
thing to quarreling amongst themselves.
Yours truly, NooAB.