The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-01-06
A Fathers Advice 20 his Boys.

Ten years ago, citizen OF Perrysburg, the
father of several boys visited the Wabash Val
ley in Indiana At Lafayette, he witnessed the
ruin which ever follows in the train of unbridled
intemperance, and he took up his pen aud ad
dressed most earnest letter to his boys Ono OF
those TO whom the letter was addressed has per
mitted us to make the following extract from it,
and we hope the advice which it contains may
be treasured up by all young men who read the
Journal:
" Another thing which | could not help obser-
wing siace | entered the Wabash Valley, is the
large amount of ardent spirits drank. l think
have seen more evidences of drunkenness since
left horne, than had seen before in years Ii has
not only been unpleasant to me but several times
really disgusting. The effects OF drunkenness are
invariably bad and we have recently had here
striking illustration of this fact Three evenings
since, a small row was kicked up between a drunk
en- Oafer and negro. Evening before last the
loaIers formed themselves into mob and tore
down two or three negro habitatons; last eve.
mug they collected together again to pursue their
! depredutions, but this time the Sheriff was on
hand with his posse and some forty Of the rioters
| found themselves in jail this morning. | saw one
Of them this morning, alter being liberated, with
soed clothes, tangled hair, blood shot ewes,
boated face, trembling in every limb his mind u
confused and jumbled up OF halt formed ideas,
sud presenting, on the whole, us miserable and
| loathsome specimen OF humanity, as the most
depra,ed could wish to behold. | could not help
plying the poor wretch, although his ruin Was
the result OF his own folly aud wickedness. With
the scenes Of last evening and this morning so
strongly impressed on my mind as they now are,
| cannot avoid entreating you, my dear boys new
er to taste OF intoxicating drinks, Entire safety
in this respect is contained only in entire absti-
nence. lwill no, preach you a sermon at this
time on intemperance, as it is enough Tor you 10
know, and which you will soon learn by observa-
tion to be amentable fact that it brutalizcs the
whole man, mentally, morally, a. physically and
sooner or later casts him out upon the world n
poor, low, miserable and degraded vayabond, to
be despsed while he lives and finally sink to u
premature and dshonorable grave Think OF
these things think carefully and think deeply
life with all It's hopes and joys, pains and sorrows
lies full before you, and whether you will be good
aud wise, an honor to your country and beneac.
tors to your fellow beings or poor, miserable and
wretched creaturcsdepends much upon yourselves
may, depends much upon yourselves now Hab-
its of thought, feeling aud actiop indulgcd in
now will influence your whole future lives, and
you should be careful, therefore, to have all
| these right now. The best corrections | know
are reading aud study, aud hope and trust you
are doing all in this respect which you know so
ardentIy desire. wish you to write me about
your attendance ut school and your studies.
hope you all attend promptly, that is, that you
are there every day, and at proper hours.'