Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-05-23
A LETTER FROM ASHLAND CITY.

last, spirit of improvement seems to
have taken hold of our people in more
respects than ore. Recently we have
had two new business houses opened
in our town, Mr.. Wilson Maxey in the
dry goods trade. and our present popu-
lar and efficient Revenue Collector,
Sandy Work, having opened family
grocery. Both gentlemen have start
ed out with fair share of patronage
and we hope they will both continue
to receive that share of support that
their probity and fair dealing merit.
While we chronicle with somewhat of
pride the opening of these two houses,
as evidence of the material prosperity
of our town, with equally as much
pride we announce the closing of
another-however paradoxical it may
seem. We refer to the closing of the
CITY Exchange" and the return of
the proprietor to the cultivation of the
soil. So you can inform Franklin"
that he will Eot make the sa me mistake
when he again visits our town. While
penning these lines the saw and ham,
mer of the mechanic can be heard in
the erection of two buildings in sight
of the court house. First mine host
of the City Hotel is having built liv-
cry stable, so as to enable him to ac-
commodate beast as well as man. Sec
ond, W. w. Sanders 4 Co. are having
erected large and commodious ware
house in close proximity to their pres
ent business house, which has become
indispensable to them in order to carry
on their largely increased business.
A few years since they built large
store house, which they doubtless
thought would supply their demands
for all time, but to their agreeable dis
appointment it is now too small, and
hence the erection of the new one.
One other item, which we consider
a hopeful sign for the future, is the
recent organization of a Council of the
United Friends of Temperance. II
was organized the 9TH of April last
with ten charter members, and now
numbers over fifty. They were out in
| force last night on the occasion of 8
temperance meeting at the Methods,
Church in this place. Speeches were
made by Rev. Alex. Stallcup, of Edge.
field, and Rev. W. d. Cherry, preacher
in charge on this circuit At the con-
clusion of the speaking several parties
gave in their names as applicants fol-
membership. One thing that makes
us more hopeful of the success of the
movement is that it is confined princi.
/ pally to young men and youths just en-.
/ tering on mans estate, ere habits Of
ebriety are formed, with just enough Of
older heads to give it solidity. together
with the warm support and counter.
ance of the ladies, who, be it said to
their credit, are most generally found
in the front rank of every good work
AS far as our observation extends
mot being a member) there is not a
single moss covered, red nosed topper
belonging to the society, which we re.
gard as favorable omen, for our ex.
4 perience and observation, after more
than twenty years connection with the
/ Temperance movement. teach us that
after man has formed habits of drunk
enness there is but little hope of that
mans reformation. We grant that oc.
casionally there can one be found with
sufficient moral courage to break of
from habit and associations and asser,
and maintain his freedom. But alas
how few and how far between such in.
stances. And when found they only
serve as buOys on the turbulent water:
of drunkenness to show the poor, tenn
pest-tossed mariner upon the sea Of
eternity that all is not yet lost, and that
by bare possibility he may yet escape
! the breakers that lie ont before him
but the warning thus given is too often
unheeded, and the poor unfortunate
never realizes his situation until his
little boat founders and all goes down
! in the blackness of darkness forever
According to our experience such men
ninety-nine times in a hundred, when
| brought into temperance lodge, clog
its wheels and bring reproach upon
! the Order by their early return to theil
old habits, as the dog to his vomit OF
the sow that was washed to the mire
again, and give the world an oppor-
tunity to point to their relapse as an
argument against the cause of temper
ance. Entertaining the idea that We
DO, produced by a number of years Of
experience with, and close observation
OF, the temperance movement, We
would say make the main fight with
the boys and youths; convince them
that there is danger ahead. Let par.
ents talk to their sons, not as superior
and inferior, not in that mandatory
manner that begets fear and trembling
but face TO face upon the same common
platform as friend talks to friend, fol
/ the nouce laying aside all idea of supe.
riority and convince their reason that
d unkenness is wrong per Sc Not re-
strain them because of their physical
fear of their father nor yet on ac.
count of their moral fear of often, iine
one for whom they entertain the high.
est sentiments of esteem. But teach
them to avoid dram drinking on ac
count of its intrinsic wrong as the
precursor of drunkenness. Bring them
to see and realize the fact that intern
perance is in direct antagonism to all
of mans interest that is worthy of q
thought. Let these be the motives
that influence the boys and there is nc
danger that they will grow up drunk
ards. But on the other land say tc
them you shall or you shall not, y
without convincing their judgment OF
! giving a reason. and as soon rs naren-