The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-06-03
Temperance.
LETTER NuMRER oNE-

You will doubtless remember that sew
eral weeks since, and soon after the APP
pearance in your columns of an article
when excited many adverse criticisms on
account of its structures on some of the
means used in the advocacy of the aims Of
some temperance organizations, as well as
on the organizations themselves, [ propo-
sed to you the publication of series of
letters discussing the question of intenpe-
rance, its cause, and the remedy Cir
cumstances not necessary to be named
compelled me for time to forego my
intention Nor Woold it probably have
been revived at all did not the discussion
eau sed by the original article still coAtin-
ue, accompanied ty bitter, unmeasurcd,
and indecent denunciatiOns Of those who
are led to doubt the efficacy Of sumptuary
laws and small moral societies full of fines
and confines. But while this incorporate
defence aud maintenance of temperance
has urged me to the renewal Of my origi.
nal purpose, it shall not cause me to for
get that wise and philosophical injunction
to ''be temperate in all things" [ shall
willingly leave all rude and scurrilous
language to those whose cause needs its
support. [ always fear to use it, especial
ly in advocating virtue, lest simple people
conclude my acquaintance with that quail
ity to have been of so short duration that
/ had not yes learned to use courteous and
decent words.
AS to any suggestion, or suspicion, that
the series of letters Of which this is the
first viii be penned through any other de-
sire than to advance the BEST interests of
our race, it might as we'll be repeIled here
as elsewhere. All civil government, the
existence Of society, depends on the
integrity and morality Of the people. 1t
| is even at this day mentioned with pride
chat during the first two hundred and
/ thirty years OF the existence Of Rome, no
husband was known to repudiate his wife,
nor wife her husband To secure mo-
rality among people is to strengthen the
foundations of society aud good govern
ment. To oyerturn morality IS 20 dig
away the very cornerstone OF civilization.
! Hence, the evil cf intemperance deserves
| the same serious consideration that any
/ other question Of morals should receive
/ Bitt ii should never. be forgotten that the
integrity and morality Of the people come
first, and comprise the rock on which so
ciety and civil government rest. 1t is
! possible that an enemy should overturn
the government and destroy society, yet
! the integrity and morality Of the people
remain uncontaminated. On the other
hand, II is not more possible that govern
ment and society should continue to stand
in the absence of the two virtues named.
than the oak remain erect separated from
/ its roots. Hence, the agencies to be
chiefly employed for the promotion of
morals are not to be sought after in the
laws Of the statute books. If people
cannot be maintained in their. integrity
| through the force Of early training, the
| influence Of religion, and their love of
virtue, no statute that the Legislature nay
cnact can keep thona virt,or,s-- IIe- sspie-
vously errs, therefore, who, finding some
evil in society, rushes at once to the en-
actment Of law to prevent it. The law
t! itself is in every instance in a free country
saved from being a dead letter by the
power of public opinion, and sometimes
not even that is allie to keep it alive.
The inquiry, then, arises as to the most
efficient means for the preservation of
morals. Now, the evils that chiefly af-
fict all civilized societies may be set down
as intemperance; luxury in its manifold
forms, with consequent effeminacy; and
avarice. All these could properly be In
! cluded under the head Of intemperance.
but for convenience sake I conform to the
times and apply that word solely 70 the
excessive drink king OF alcoholic spirits. OF
| these three evils, it is puzzle to tell which
! is the worst. / imagine that any one who
might be called on to enumerate the cY1
effects of each, and designate which he
esteemed the most baleful III its cense-
| quences, and his reasons for his judgment,
would find himself involved in difficult
! task. The bad results Of one may be
more obvious than the like results OF the
other, but he VIII be more daring than
wise who maintains that pernicious results
plainly to be seen indicate more danger
Gus evil than results equally pernicious but
more hidden and subtle.
If associations in which persons bind
themselves to do or not to do some partic-
ular act, under penalty Of a fac, or sus-
pension or expulsion from membership,
are a wise, legitimate, and efficient means
Of securing morality, then why not make
such associations general in their chsaac-
! ter, so as to enumerate and prohibit all
! offences against dccency, honesty, and mo-
rality? If that were done, | apprehend
that no man whose mind has anything of
a logical turn would deny that it implied
/ the falsity and inehiciency of all religion.
for if religion has any purpose ut all, It IS
! certainly the restoration of man to prime
val purity and innocence. lit be argued
that such associations are designed only TO
! counteract and prevent some particular
! evil, then why not have special society
for every special evil? Ii | abstain from
tasting any strong drink, including wine