, 1863-09-12
4. GREAT PCRLfcwr,

The growth OF inte1nperance in or,
communities can but be viewed With ron.
ccrn ny all who watch the sirns Of the
times and give their full place to the ;nfln.
cnces for good or evil that pertain to soci-
city. Any reference to the passion for
hflnS' on platform, in pulpit or press, is
prone 10, calls into consideration. with
varying sentiments of sympathy or other
wise, the various machinery in time n,et
or al present in operation to check or cura
1hls evil Old partizanEhips, antaeonisms
and nvalncs, IN ancient party lines start m
Spectlally before the timid mind. But !.
Is possible to speak Of the dangers Of ship
"fcck without attempting to further thr
interest OF this or that maker of 1fe1,oat.
1t is very easy to decry and find fault
win Chicago water without making such
reference subseryient to the interests Of
1his or that manufacturer Of filters, The
s'ooAc can be warned Of great and crow
1ns evil, and each man convinced can tate
acme to himsclfthe consideration of rem. |
edits
The evil Drunkenness is becominy
more and mo.s' openly q feature of our |
soela4 lie. The snares it is setting for the
young men OF the nation, the victims it is
Anolng among those to whom the present
generation is shortly to commit its imnort.
AM trusts, are all forcing themselves pow.
n1fully and painfully upon the observation
81 Inc Fcry many who have the welfare of
necoontry ut heart, and see in this curse
weakening and waste Of its best forces Of
national 1ifc Scarcely q reader Of tbr
:41anrHE can look through the list vr Lis
own near arqua1ntances and relatives
Without reading in painful living pictures
The truth Of this statement,
1t is an easy and common method tn
dispose OF this subject, to say that this il
a ti1ae Of war: It is impossible not to see
2hnt the enhancing of this danger Of soci-
CITY las been tenfold since the catherine Of
our great armies. The boon counanion.
ahips Of military life, the ennui Of the re-
eruitipg staten and the camp, the removal
o1 the ordinary restraints Of the domestic ,
circle, have al had their effect in 1oosiuc !
1hc bonds that have safely held the citizen !
10 sobricty and temperance. Tie eyl in !
our armies is happily less among the SOL .
nlers, to large degree saved by the strict .
.*ules OF the service. It has wrought its :
fuller effects among officers, the liberal ! I
patrons Of the army merchant whose .
tempting spirit cases go to all parts Of the i
Zines. Could the catalogue be made out !
of the shames and crimes, the sacrifices Of
brave men, the self-immo1ation Of noble !
souls thus squandercd, the people would
stand appalled,. Yet men do talk of them. |
Common conversation singles out this and |
That commander and once promising Off
Ger, as the victim Of this yicc, perhaps dis
missed in disgrace, or gone home to die,
not because Of Southern climate, but be-
cause Of habit whose deadly blight no
1masm can equal. II
From the army the evil teaches back
npon the people. There is more license.
less restraint. The effect who cannot see.
The result who does not dread. The time I
twill come when this evil must receive the {
attention Of all who aim to be conseryators
Of the interests Of society. There never :
1yas a time in the history Of this or any !
pthc- uation when the rewards Of sobriety
rycrc mere tempting than now. There Z
never vas call for higher manhood,
nob1er premium offered to prominence in T
I'll the traits that cnnoble humanity than
noG, when our nation is in the furnace, to (
bc cast anew. 1t had not been given to
those Of more peaceful preceding genera
lions to labor at the work Of nation- build
ing. nthe period has its trials, 1t is stud '
ded thick with hiumphs. We are laying | !
anew the national wall and the names Of :
To1lhy workers will be bui1ded into its :
face, momento for all coming time. II
Let few plain words enforce the lesson t!
of the hour. Our triumphs in this battle :,
age are not alone on the corpse -strewn .
5icld The grandest victories yetwon since G
1hls war broke out have shed ink, not \
blood, in triumph Of principle. Presi- =!
dcnt and people have moved long arrows ,, y
flights forward in march grandcr D
and more terrible to opponents than the y
carth-slaking tread Of armies. The evil Il
1cfeHcd to must not be allowed to g1ow Q
while the care Of the people is diverted to =
Other duties. That cannot be 1;pht evil ii
which robs society Of her young men. its =
strcng men. To every one to whom this T. T.
conviction is brought, belongs an allotted =
F.larc Of duty. Granted the existence Of :
The curse and blight, whoever By personal p
influence, and example, and labor, lessons 2
Its power, and sets one single stake in the d
bounds to its spread, las in 80 much bene- =
fitted the age and the country. Il
t