Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-05-19

z
formed in almost every town, village ami
neighborhood in our country. Here tn
Sons Of Temperance; there the Recbabites
and in another place the Washipgtpnians
and in another place still the perpetual alb
stinence societies hold their meetings. Lee
turers are everywhere employed to enforct
the obligations of temperance upon the
minds of the people, who perform their duty
! with zeal and ability. But alas, after al
these efforts, our success has been only par
tial. Long before this time we ought tc
have enjoyed complete and definite tri.
umph. Intemperance ought long ago to
have been completely banished from on,
country: All this we had a perfect righ,
to expect. But our just expectations have
not been realized. From time to time, the
battle has to be renewed as if no conquests
had been gained, and no victories won.
Why is all this? The world repeats the
question, why have you not long since OBJ
tanned your object? We answer, one reason
in our opinion is found in the want of a suit
able cooperation on the part Of the differ.
ent societies. We take it for granted, that
all the different societies are engaged in the
same common enterprize. Hence there is
not, and there cannot be any antagopism in
their respective interests. When the great
object shall at length be gained, no matter
by which ultimately accomplished, all will
share and enjoy its advantage. Reason, re-
ligioH, benevolence and every other motive
which fmpells the good man to action, urge
all the different temperance societies to CO.
operate with each other in their efforts to do
good. But alas, this unity of feeling and
effort, which to us appears necessary to final
success, is wanting. Phe Washingtonians
are jealous of the Sons, the Sons Of the Rech-
abites, and the Rechabites of all the others.
Thus they are estranged from each other,
and each regards the other as standing in the
way Of its uwnfprospesisy: The evils result
ing from this state of.thingsa are manifold, all
of which we cannot now name. One evil,
however, is in the influence which this want of
union produces upon the minds Of those who
have never connected themselves with either
of these societies. 1t produces the impress
sion that temperance, so far from being the
sole and exclusive object of these societies,
it is not even their primary object. The
harm that such suspicion does, is almost
incalcuiable. How can we expect honest
and thinking men to unite with any of these
Societies so long as they entertain suspicion
that these societies have an object which re.
mains c6hcealed. because unayowed, and
which consequently they must feel a doubt
whether they can approve No man of good
sense, who feels himself bound on all occa-
siohs to act in manner strictly conscien.
tious, will rush suddenly into any combina-
tion. An such men must be made to un-
derstand fullyethesobjects and expectations
-of those combinations. whiel they are invi.
ted to join, together with the nature Of the
the part they are expected to act, or they
will forever stand aloof That there is sus-
picion of sinister motives and designs, both
in reference to- the'Sous and in reference to
the other societies, We need not stop to
prove, since the charge has been made time
and again, by every respectable and in
fuential man. Ali the causes which have
given rise to this suspicion, we cannot now
trace. But one cause we verywell know
has arisen from the jealousy and want of CO.
operation on the part of the different secie=
ties. Since this is the case, and since we
cannot expect finally to gain our ultimate
object so long as this state Of things exist,
should we not Immediately endeavor to re-
move the the evil and strive to draw the
bands of union more closely around US p
Another reason still is found in the fact
that these societies have sometimes been
used, indirectly, as meanscof gratifying
private animosity. Let it be understood, that
this has actually been the case, and that il
may be done again, and. you may bid fare
we'll to all the influence which the temper.
ance societies could otherwise exert upon the
thinking portion of the community.
| AS an illustration:-let US suppose o
case. Here is a man Of temperate habits
whose name has been proposed as a member
among the Sons, but unfortunately, he has
had private difficulty with one of the mem
bers of the Division. At the time of election
it is founG that instead of an unanimous vote,
he is black-balled to sufficient extent to
defeat his election. It soon becomes known
that this man was proposed and not elected
Every one very naturally enquiries, why was
he rejected? 1t is known that he has been
a consistent temperance man all the days oi
his life, why has he been rejected, while
many others of very different character
men who have been known frequently to be
intoxicated men too, who have viola.
ted temperance pledge time and again,
have been joyfully received I? Why, when
the truth comes out, it is found that an
influential member entertains prejudice
against him on account of private Difficult.
ty, which be has had with the man rejected,
and consequently be has used his infu-
ence to defeat his election. This case
which we have here supposed, is by NO
means fiction. Such cases have actually
happened in more than one division of South
Carolina. And what have been the conse.
quences? The consequence has been, that
the Divisions have become objects of suspi'