The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-01-27
A Fearful Warning.

The recent statement which has been circa-
lated in the public prints duplicating member
of the legislature in an improper Use of truss
funds, and a County Judge in illegal methods
to secure a part Of them. constitute sad conf
mentary OIL the decentralization of the times
Cotempasaneous with this development, too, Is
another instance of official malfeasanee, by
which another county Judge is to be arranged
before the Legislature OIL Impeachment trial.
Had these lapses been committed by s'scala-
wags'' OF carpet baggers, - of course it would
have been famed all over the country through
every Conservative newspaper, as the natural
result of Radical politics, and the whole Re-
publican party denounced as a band OF thieves
and gamblers. But it is otherwise-they are
all Conservatives, and when added to the de.
| lnquencies and crimes of other State officials
of recent date, Only go to show that poor hu.
man nature is the same the world over whetl,-
err radicals or simon pure conservatives
BILE to be be temntes. and to ia |.
We cannot contemplate these painful occur
rences, without considering the prime cause,
and pressing home to the consciences of the peo-
pie, and especially the young, the lesson that
is taught.
| Intenperance is at the bottom OF the whole
OF these transs ressions. Some OF the gentle
men who have been guilty OF the grave mis-
conduct to which we allude, have had thrown
around them the restraints and attractions Of
cultivated and refined society, and been edu-
Gated to look upon crimes such as they have
committed with the utmost horror. To have
approached them in their sober senses, and
when their faculties were in healthy, normal
action, with proposition 20 deliberately be-
| tray the high trusts which had been colfided
to them, would have been repealed with the
scorn and Indignation it would have deserved.
Yielding, however, to the seductions OF the
tempter-first SLIPPING the wine, then advan
cling to the toddy, followed by the fearful pc
| tations that benumb the senses. and paralyze
moral sensihilty, all self-control was lost and
| from one step to another they plunged into
the deep degradation that now hedges around
them. But for whiskey drinking, we do not
believe either OF three of the pc rsons to whom
we refer, would eyer have h.d stain cast upon
his character. Gambling followed the whisky
as naturally as effect follows cause, and now
| friends and whole communities are made to
feel the terrible disgrace that has fallen upon
those WHO we re trusted and courted in the
best walks of life.
With these examples before us, and the
painful results OF dissipation staring us in the
face, as presented in the cases of young Fowle,
Mayo. and Coleman, how seriously should the
warning be considered by every young man in
the Commonwealth. No one knows what
fearful appetite even an occasional glass of liq-
uor will eventually develop. Those who take
it may feel secure for while, just doubtless as
these victims did, but the habit will grow by
indulgence. until, alas, in too many cases, it
leads to dissipation and crime, that mars and
blights and blickens life.