The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-11-13

The following remarks IRON one Of the
| Ahless Generals and bravess men IN the
army. were recently delivered in . public
meeting At Philadelphia:
The subject of temperanes has always
| commended itself to NV haaxt.. Khou took
| command of the Third N6inA Ra0iment.
the hrst words I saidso shv& vNpe these:
There are two things that I nan. The
one Is drunkenness. and the oshes is profan-
lty. Sc, my face against them. and shall
DO NJ ! leathe these two thinss. Thew
are the woFs; things We have to. encounter.
for profanity sets Z. rebels sssiess God.
and dsusksnssss makes rs rebels 1t homo.
have not had to complain in the army
Immediately under me of drunkenness on
the par, of the soldiers. Very few indeed
of them are drunken. Very few indeed
drink strong drink, aud am glad to say it.
Very seldom have | seen q soldier under
the influence of liquor. and l am glad to
testify TO it. But in go far rs have seen
it. have seen that to that degree the man
becomes brute, unfit for duty, not to be
trusted.
A grea, many friends, those with whom l
have been immediately connected from my
boy yhood. have gone already to drunkar6's
grsve. Some with whom l was associated
at West Point. cadets, have already disap-
peared under delirium, OF from other terrible
effects of strong drink. Some Of the older
men IN the army. that is in the seguhr ser.
vice. will look at the lists and point to this
man and that. their early friends asd COM
psnions in arms, against whose name the
record stands. HE died from drink" He
died through drunkenness.
In camp lie. when We are waiting and
waiting for movements. when the mud and
winters cold make it impossible to accom-
plish much but TO go through with the or
dinary routine of camp life, tho soldiers
get tired and want something TO do. They
become often impatient. They seem hungry.
They hardly know how to occupy their
time. They get tired of telling stories to
esch other. aud they resort to cards and to
drinking often. This idleness in camp and
garrison is the occasion of much drinking.
especially among the officers. Drinking is
productive of ill effects whereve1 You end
it, There is no man. however loses himself
under the influence of liquor. hold there
fore, TO restraining the officers from drink.
ing. IS much. and even more than the mon.
l may say. in my own case. that from early
instructions at my mothers side. have
thought it proper to abstain from liquor
came into the United States service / found
that it was a social hacit in the army.
found that if you went into an officers
quarters the first thing was 10 offer you
something to drick. IL was thought you
were no. treated with proper respect and
hospita Atty unless you did SO. This is still
the custom whenever the officer goes.
A nd | myself fell into the habit. l drank
aud offered it TO others. While
stationed in Florida, l offered whiskey to an
officer and he declined. l urged him to
drink. He drauk. A short timo after
attended him when his brain was reeling
with delirium, and l made mp my mind
that it was wrong; that never would do it
again. aud have not. do not keep it in
my quarters. 10 my tent. do not offer il to
any officer, TO any nan, and will not.
know this is a very hard position TO put
man in and especially any young army
officer; but can say from my own expert.
ence it will pay him TO do il. To maintain
his reputation for generosity, hospitality,
and gentlemany bearing. he must take
some other method OF showing these traits.
He must do this, otherwise he cannot have
his own hands clean aud he will be ableto
restrain or to punish others when they,
have under the influence of drink, broken
the law Of the army.