New-York tribune., 1867-08-05
TEN CENT CLUBS.

or various beverages upon oun""J i1"'
veloped in this city a degree OF nventlon anu
enterprise which might have proved gre"'
relief to Dives, if that celebrated but unlortu-
nate character had only possessed them' na-
man beings if they were only more luxe
camels, might take in fluid stock on SATURDAY
evening, which would last them until Mondays
sunrise; but this, with our present physio-
logical arrangements, being impossible, ana
journeys to New-Jersey being costly and IN
convenient, that benevolent fraternity known
as "The Young Mems Liquor Dealers Asso-
"ciation,r has hit upon the expedlent Oh
"Sunday Clubs.r The object of these societies
is. as we are informed by advertisement, to
"meet on Sundays at their usual places OF
"resort to avail themselves of the privilege Oh
"enjoying the beverages which they have pre-
"yiousy paid for during the week" in TINS
way they reduce or elevate drinking to kind
of religion, even as the disciples OF Odin
looked forward to heaven OF perpetuai
carousing. These young roysterers swiS upon
principle, and tipple as an act OF 1aitn.
IL is not the liquor which they care
for; it is "the great question of civil and re-
"Hgious liberty" which they believe to be IN
yolyed We do not know but these young
martyrs, burning holes in their own stomachs
for the sake of freedom, and swallowing much
camphene. sorely against their own will, that
they may thus testify against the Excise
"usurpation.n Sunday of course, is just the
day for 80 noble deed. 1t is reasonable to
suppose that these Clubs are conducted with
due solemnity. The young men probably I'M
bibe with gravity beyond their years With
every glass they hail Liberty as pure and
lofty goddess whose health Is to be drunk With
all possible respect and reverence. Every
thump of tOddy-stick is defiance OF fanati-
csm, and the whole cheerful scene Is COM
pound of innocent amusement and philosophical
exercitatiOn-the lofty orgies OF the old Bac-
chanalan frenzy revived to grace and celebrate
the Christian Sabbath Considering the sub
Unity of the performances, the initiation fee,
which is fixed at ten cents, strikes
one as ludicrously small AS every
worthy brother is, in addition, to pay In
advance for his own tpDle, we are curious to
know what is to be done with the dimes.
Perhaps they will go to reward the self-deny-
ing exertions of "H. Arcularius, Secretary"
who has issued the Proclamation from which
we derive these facts; perhaps they Will be
expended in relieving the numerous widows
and orphans of members who die in the good
cause; perhaps each Club will keep physician
to look after the lives of the connection; per-
haps it will be necessary to hire number OF
lawyers and judges, not only to give good ad-
vice and make agreeable decisions but to de-
fend learnedly or to deal tenderly with any OF
the brothers who may be indicted for indul-
gence in murder or other expensive recreation.
For we notice that the meetings of the Clubs
arc to be held not only on Sundays, but every
night from 10 o'clock till morning To be an
active member, therefore, will require an un-
commonly tough constitution, and even then
considerable time will be taken up in attending
the funerals of those who succumb to the
severity of the sOciety's discipline. On the
whole, we cannot see how any OF Mr. Arcu-
larius's members are to find time for anything
except drinking and dying, and whether their
lives are merry or not, they are pretty sure to
be short So much the more necessity for their
promptly enjoying their beverages" and for
going into regular session Immediately at IL
o'clock at night" and for getting into high
state of generous madness as soon as pos
sible, every man consuming not only what ne
has previously paid for but as much of what
his neighbor has previously paid for as he can
contrive to beg or borrow.
The essential feature of these Clubs, it will
be seen, is a noble persistence. The main idea
is never leaving off. The succession of modest
quenchers is to be perpetual-to go on by day
and by night, on six secular days, and with
renewed spirit upon the seventh. The main
business of life will be to attend to the bever-
ages. Not the smallest provision is made for
even, by any possibility, eating anything-life
is to be one continual suck, and soak, and
drench and drain, the bowls always f1owing,
the spoons ever in lively motion, and the clay
continually moistened. If Mr.. H. Arcularius
and his friends and boon companions think that
they can keep up this pace long time, they
have a generous confidence in themselves which
we are afraid is misplaced. Tough old veterans
might stand it, but these are young men
whose chance of growing much older will
be considerably diminished by their
merry membership. The Evening Club,
Sunday Club will be too much for even
frame of iron and o stomach OF sole-leather.
Liberty is unquestionably fine thing; but
liberty to poison ones self, to drink drugs, and
to brave paralysis, and apoplexy, and gin-liver,
and Brights disease and elephantiass is not
exactly the liberty which sensible man would
wish for. Membership of q Sunday Club may
be rather costly, even with the entrance fee
fixed at 10 cents. There are laws which no
Club can dodge, and these Mr.. H. Arcularius
does not seem sufficiently to have considered.
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If the Richmond Convention disclosed ele-