Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-02-12

ancc Of the raising without What was
considered the indispensable aid, refresh
mont and comfort flowing frequently and
copiously from the whisky keg. The
most abstemious were exlIilarated. and
the rest were excited and noisy. The
logs were raised up with greater celebrity
than care; and limbs, and heads, and
lives were in Jeopardy, and sometimes
sacrificed. Some went home staggering,
while some were too drunk TO reach
home until the next day and almost all
went home noisy, but perhaps not many
ashamed, because the laws of custom
were not violated The most lamentable
part was the initiation of the young men
and boys into the mysteries OF Bacchus,
by which the incipicnt steps were taken
which led to ruinOus devotion to intem-
perance Persons desiring civil or mill
tary Offices, could dispose SO many of
their neighbors with liberal treats to
vote for them, as often, by this means,
to secure for themselves the offices
desired. Sometimes courts were opened
and conducted too much under the infu-
ence Of the contents of the magistrates
decanter and bar to be consistent with
due regard to the solemnitics of oaths on
the part of witnesses, and to the awards
OF strict justice on the part of the inagis.
tratc. AT these courts money was spent
which was much needed at home for the
comfort of the mems families, the men
purchasing Intoxicating drams with most
of their change. Besides these evils,
every such court became prolific of more,
through the riots and assaults and bat
teries which Immediately followed and
were prosecuted. 1t shonld, however,
be understood that we had respectable
magistrates who would tolerate and
countenance no such abuses, and many
respectable citizens who avoided litiga-
ton, and only drank with moderation.
At all public gatherings at the domcs-
tic hemth, where friends greeted each
other, neighbors associated, and the rites
of hospitality were extended TO passing
friends and the way-faring stran-
ger, the law of custom imperiously
demanded of principal officers and enter.
tainers the liberal extension of the bottle
and the social glass on pain of reprehen.
sion for niggardliness. The same law
bound men TO treat each other when
they met at taverns. The merchant
must treat every customer who made
ever so small bill with him, although
the merchants profits might fall short of
the price of his customers drink of
whisky. Every one who employed COM
mon laborers by the mouth or by the
day, must supply them drink enough to
injure their health in many instances,
and ia many cases to incapatitate them
for skIlliu performance of the work as
signed them, and due care and preser-
vation of utensils and property placed
under their charge. In various ways,
besides the cost of purchase, this bever-
age occasioned, directly or indirectly,
more expense than all the necessary sup.
ports of life. 1t was most destructive to
saneness of mind, and worldly wealth
and prosperity. Yet there could be no
reformation while the most sober and
respectable OF our citizens, and of their
ueighbors IN all the surrounding country,
could look upon the moderate but daily
use OF this beverage, in times of health,
with indifference, or with appreciation
and concurrent example. Until such
persons should open their eyes to the
evils before them, and refrain from all
but medicinal uses of alcohol, their in-
temperate neighbCrs could not be re-
claimed. While sober and respectable
persons continued to drink moderately,
constantly and unnecessarily, iutemper-
ate persuns would justify themselves by
two out of three parts of their example
iii drinking constantly and unnecessarily,
but, instead of moderately, immoderately
aud to ruinous excess. .....
The Rev. Mr.. Badger was the first
early and open advocate of temperance,
or rather of abstinence from any use of
ardent spirits as beverage. He allow
ed it to be useful as Il medicine. With a
few others, he opposed the common use
of alcoholic drinks with considerable
success, as they gave force to their ad-
monitioEs by their own correspondent
examples. Mr.. Badger was the first to
substitute the wholesome refreshment OF
smallsbeet and cake in place of whisky
at the raising of his house-still called
the "Badger house" After he lett Ash
tabula, intemperaDce for seven years
gained ground again, until 1928, when
happily, the evil received an offectual
shock from the discountenance of the
most influential citizens, and the refusal
of merchants and inn-keepers to give or
sell spirituous liquors by the dram, or by
the small mt asure, to any of their GUS
toners or towns people. The reforma'
tion was silent, practical, efeclual. For
years thers was but one distillery IN OPP
Grafton, where there had been from five
to seven. Riots, brawls and disorder
ceased. The daily litigation and prose
cutions, in reference to which a gentle
man from Morgan ironically asked,
slave you another lawsuit in Ashtabula
to-day 7" and was answered by our Con
stable, "We know nothing in Ashtabula
but what we tell under OATH" have long
since passed away, and Ashtabula Oh
tanned the we'll merited reputation of a
quiet and very moral village, subse-
quently TO this genuine reformation'
With pleasure we now come to speak
of the virtues and social qualities of our
early settlers in this wilderness. They
were exceedingly friendly, hospitable and
kind to each other, and 20 the wayfaring
stranger. With pleasure and prompt
tude they would impart their homely