The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-08-03
NEAR CowAyrowy. ,ulv o.. 1867

NEAR CoWANTOWN, July -, 1867.
DEAR WING When an announcement
similar to the above appears, in staring cap.
itals, the excitement created is usually in
proportion to the loss sustained, whether OF
life or property, or both: and sometimes
the sympathy is so profound as to produce
the most magnificent charities, such as the
recent fires in Portland and Richmond pro-
duced !; but the fire which am going to de.
scribe, creates no sensation, excites no sym.
pathy, though it is more destructive of prop.
erty and life, than any which has occurred
since the great fire in London, in the year
1866.
The fire lfoke out in this place many years
ago, and has continued to burn, with but
short intervals, to this time, and awful be.
You'd conception have been its ravages.-
Though more destructive than ordinary fires
of the material wealth Of its victims, yet its
most startling characteristic is the appalling
loss of life. Its choice fuel is the bodies
and souls Of men, and in the words of the
Milford Bard,
IAN sink before it, hope and truth
And comfort, JOY and wealth."
In short, it is the fire of hell, kindled in the
hearts and brains of men, and is the prelude
or introduction to the fire that is not
qnenched, and the smoke of which '!as
cendeth mp forever" Notice that man as
he reels and totters from that den. Mark
his flushed and bloated face, his wild and
slaring eyes, hear his boisterous, roaring
laugh which betrays his vacant mind his
maniac roaring or his idiotic mumbling: but
stop your ears against his hard oaths and
awful imprecations. What can all the man :?
He is on fire it burns in his heart and con.
surnes his best affections; it burns in his
brain, flushing frightfully from his boodshot
eyes, aud destroys his reason, and transforms
him into deamon. God help that gentle
companion Of brute and devil comes stag.
gering in among them. Is there no help for
him None. Burned children dread the
fire; but bearded children when once the
fire of hell is kindled within, delight in its
delicious heat, and feed and fan the flame
that consumes them. First, they feed it with
their money aud their time, which is money:
then with their health; then with their in.
nocent peace Of mind, which worlds cannot
bay; next they devote every high and noble
and holy aspiration next the fear of God
and the respect of mankind !; and finally,
when all that is worth living for is gone, he
Yields his wretched life, and his deahless
spirit like the worm that never dies, goes to
feed the flames that are not quenched.
This faint picture, to which the reader
nation can conceive of hideous, gorgeous
and chimcraa dire, is but the history of scores
whom have known, and who ought now to
he useful members of society. Is there no
remely? | own with sorrow that see none
=,a long as whisky can be bought; men will
be foolish enough to buy it, and as long as
1t can be sold, there will be men base and
depraved enough to sell it. Moral means
have been used with some success; prohib.
jtJ,y laws have EN- tried and abandoned.
What now is to be done? Must these wolves
be suffered TO eat mp the lambs? | will
paiai out Il remedy. ! have not much hope
from legislation for the keepers of these
internal dens control legislation through the
party now in the ascepdaDry in Maryland.
From moral suasion little mare can be
hoped. Talk OF moral suasion in reference
30 Il man like him who sells whisky here, in
defiance Of public opinion, who stands be-
hind his cursed and cursing bar, while his
lnan Friday, with that monstrous hat, sits at
1he door, acting the part OF decoy duck, but
who would, if properly seen, be n beacon TO
1 i shten men away; and takes the hard
en- ned and much needed ten cents from his
neghbors and their boys! 1t is ridiculous.
Moral means and motives may influence
men of moral sense, but are lost on him
~ rose only sense is cents. From all this
conclude that the only rcmcdy is noninter.
course let him be shunnad and scorncd
and Kissed wherever he shows his face; let
him feel that he is under the ban of the
community. and il he is not utterly depravcd
he will abandon the business.
There was Il suspension o. ihie traffic here,
brought about by the quiet but potent inilu.
whose name never hear, and whose face
.,n,n, eno without fnnliuUs nj vnnprut ion