The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-08-19
Betsy Ward and the Crusaders.

III your issue of July 29th, l no
tice an article from an unknown COR
respondent, bearing the above su-
prescription. which, by your per-
mission. proceed to notice through
the columns of your excellent paper,
very readable indeed provided too
many snake stories do not get into it.
OF the introduction / shall take no
notice-having no knowledge ofJohn
Mitchell; but if your correspondent
| is correct, he is so far removed from
Mrs. Ward, that her whisky will not
be likely to effect his interest, unless
she removes to Sweet Island, where
there is no snakes; and, of course,
no snake eggs.
The question is asked, who is Mrs.
Betsy Ward, and what law has she
violated? 1t is answered, she is the
wife of disabled husband, and the
mother of helpless family of chill
| dren. This is q natural consequence
which follows her calling, l have no
doubt, but her whisky traffic has dis
abled other husbands, and made 9TH
or families of children helpless.
Again, your correspondent says he
is informed, ''that a short twelve
months ago, during the time of the
pestilence at Greeneville, that Mrs.
Ward, like an immortal hero. stood
at her post, and like q guardian An
| eel, ministered to the afflicted, the
poor and the needy. Where then
were these blatant crusadersP Won
derful, indeed! / have read of An
gels descending from heaven on
missions of love and mercy, and of
Angels ascending from the bottom
less pit, to seek the destruction of
our race, but this is the first time in
my life that [ ever read or heard of
anything like ministering Angel
coming forth from Dram shop, to
brighten the world with its presence.
Surely, the Civil Rights Bill will
never pass
But allowing that Mrs. Ward did
| engage in deeds of kindness, why
call those christian ladies of Greene
vile, some of whom, doubtless, min
istered unto the afflicted when Mrs.
Ward was standing behind the bar,
enticing the young and thoughtless,
unsuspecting youth into the path
that leads to ruin, why. 1 say, call
them blatant crusaders? In the name
of our common humanity, / protest
against it. 1t is more than probable
that the hand of Betsy Ward had
placed to the lips of the husbands and
sons OF some Of those christian wives
and mothers, the flaming bowl that
pierced their bosoms with arrows
in sorrow; and because they seek to
arrest the tide of intemperance, that
has swallowed down so many mil
lions of our race, and threatens to
destroy the last vestige of human
happiness. Call them blatant cru
saders? No, sir ! rather call them
christian heroes, engaged in a noble
struggle!
But then it is asked, "what law
has Mrs. Betsy Ward violated. In
the eye of the law, she is guilty of
no otfense." In vain may the wife
or widow plead, the father threaten,
or the sister show her pale face and
imploIe. AS the proprietor of q
dram shop, does she not have rights !?
Are they not nominated i'll her bond !?
Does not the State have her in its
keeping? Has she not placed blood
rusted gold with her hand in the ex-
chequer? And, because of these,
she may mock at the pleaders, al
though, with almost broken hearts,
they plead in tears No matter what
families are desolated and made mis-
cradle no matter what wives are
treated with violence no matter
what children starve or mourn over
the ruin of q parent; no matter what
mother may agonize over the loss of
a son, or sister blush for the shame
of brother, the law has given her
the right to violate all these; she is
licensed and paid her tax, and none
dare to modest or make her afraid.
Yes, sir, the State, by the enact
ment of such laws, has upon her es-
cutcheon placed this foul blot, and
while the present law regarding the
sale of liquors remains upon her
statutes, she may cry out, damned
spot, in vain. And because the laws
of the land offer no remedy to heal
the wounded bosom, the christian
ladies of Greeneyille have stood in
front of the high court of the whisky
fiend, and, with prayers and tears,
plead with the proprletors to cease
from the destruction of human hap
piness. Because of this, call them
blatant crusaders? No, sir rather
call them christian heroes, engaged
in noble struggle. Who does not
look with delight and joy, at the An
gel-like form and graceful appear
ance of the pure, gentle, noble wo-
/ man!
Now who does not know that Mrs.
Ward, in taking her station at the
bar of the dram shop. where the IL
centieus, obscene and vulgar, con-
gregate to revel, and with oaths and
blasphemies, disgrace mans noble
and God.like nature. And because
those christian wives and mothers
have banded together, and, with
| prayers and tears, are trying TO save
her from the ruin and disgrace that
will surely follow after her, if she
continues in her calling. Call them
blatant crusaders? Shame, where
is thy blush?
Viewing at q single glance, the
mighty monster, intemperance, as it
raises its hideous form and gluts it
self with the blood of human souls,
with no legislative enactment to stay
its mad rage, we are glad that even
a small part of the wives and moth