Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-04-20

not of slaves to man, but to intemperance,
In comparison to whose bondage the yoke
of the tyrant Is freedom. The number is
over 100000. But this is not all. The
mere cost of this article, though enormous.
hardly makes an item in the aggregate of
the pernicious consequences resultant from
the use of ardent spirits. The use of ar
dent spirits Is an annual tax of many mill
lions upon our people. At least three
fourtbs ofall the crimes in the land proceed
from the maddening power of ardent spir-
its TO and examine the records of our
courts, examine infinitely in the circum-
stances connected with the commission of
crimes for which men are held TO answer
at the bar of public justice, and you cannot
but echo the universal verdict of candor
and experience. Place u man under the
influence of this demon, and he is bad
enough for anything. He can plunge the
dagger to the heart of his nearest friend.
1t was in drunken revel that Alexander
slew his best friend Clytus, and il was
when beastly drunk that he proclaimed
himself a god and died.
The records of our courts tell us of acts
committed while under its influence that
would make the brigands of Italy shudder
and the strongest nerve shake. Husbands
murder their wives, children butcher their
parents. By far the greater part of the
atrocities of our land proceed from its
maddening power. Then think of genius
wrecked-men of the highest order of tall
ents swept into the frightful vortex.
Whisky sends some of the brightest
intellects of our country to the mad house,
raving maniacs or permits them to wan
der about our streets, miserable wrecks,
hooted at by boys for their silly speeches.
Some of the brightest intellects this coun-
try ever produced have sunk, to risc no
more, under its blighting influence, while
the mediocre, who thought too much of
himself to throw himself away, has built
n name, won reputation, or amassed a
fortune, which hundreds of unsuccessful
men might have done had they but cared
for the powers given them. Think, for
| instance, of Joshua r. Giddings, man of
the highest order of talent, who died the
death of the refined drunkard-died as
genius misused generally dies, as the pa
pers told us of ''apoplexy,p but really of
whisky
More could be said-more has been said
| by gentlemen who have preceded me,
much more than am capable of saying
to show up the appalling effects of the use
of ardent spirits. But the facts are before
the people The citizens of this town cam
not but know its terrible evils when mo-
mentarily surrounded by the blighting
| effects of six grOg shops, but we must
| action, until they shall rise en- 0aasse and
espouse the cause for which we are organ
| ized
| Having briefly enumerated the evils of
intemperance, the question arises, "What's
the remedy?" / would reply, Entire alb
stinence." The principle which underlies
this and all other temperance organiza-
| tions-" total abstinence n-is the only
hope of the drunkard. With il he is safe,
| without it in peril What discovery is
this principle of "entire abstinence Let
the name of its author be embalmed with
those of Luther, Howard, Raikes, and Will
berforce. But outsiders say, "What drink
none at all? Certainly its moderate use
will harm no one.n My reply would be,
Yes, drink none ut all" Our reply is,
"Men with prospects as fair as yours have
found themselves, ere they were aware, in
the coil of the serpent whose touch il
poison and whose sting is death.'" One
gallon of ardent spirits for the use of the
citizens of Clinton is just four quarts too
much. But we may expect opposition.
Every great principle has its opponents.
Luther had opposition, but he cried "for-
| ward" went ahead, and effected a reforma-
ton, in connection with the history OF
which his name will be handed down to
"the last syllable of recorded time.n
Howard was sneered at, but he plunged
into the dungeons and prison pens and re-
lieved suffering humanity, and he is now
pointed to as the greatest philanthropist
| tbc WOiiQ ilfS CNSl <hno
dead, he still lives, and his memory is green
in the hearts of all good men. But what
matters it that the bar-room bully, the
guardian of the grog shop, the man who
will for paltry pecuniary consideration
deal out to his fellow-man the liquid poi
son which contains the elements of ruin
and degration, points to US with curling
lip and says "that we entered this organi
zation because we could not pay our whis-
XIV bills?r We may of course expect
their opposition. The principles of this
organization are directly opposed to theii
interests, and we may expect their opposi
ton. But one source of opposition /, al
least, did not expect the opposition of q
few (thank God not many,) professors o.
religion-men clothed in white, who sci
themselves up to us " reformed drunkards'
as men OF piety. What burlesque OF
christianity. But let even their opposition
burst upon us in all its fury. We will
probably outride the storm but If we do
sink, we will go down with flying col
ors.n 1t may do them good to know thai
they have planted themselves in direct
antagonism to the teachings of that boob
whose mandates they profess to follow
1t may be a source of comfort TO them t.
know that by their opposition to the God
!. given principle of temperance, they hav'
planted themselves in direct antagonisn
To the teachings of him who unmistakably
says, Wine is a mocker,n and that the,
have arrayed themselves against ever,
, principle of that christianity of which