Morning Star

The cause of Temperance in New Market—

Moral Suasion backed up by the Law.

For the Morning Star.

Mr. Editor: A few weeks since, Temperance in this town, was low indeed. The Rockingham County Washingtonian Total Abstinence Society held their Annual meeting, in Lamprey River village, about 6 weeks since. At that time there was hardly interest enough among the inhabitants to warm the house, and ring the bell. The friends of Temperance seemed to be disheartened, had laid down their weapons, and gone to sleep, save a few who never slumbered, while the fell destroyer was stalking forth, in all his enormity unmolested. But they were sleeping, only to awake to renewed and more vigorous action.

The meeting had a good influence. The slumbering spirits began to open their eyes and "shake off dull sloth." They soon became interested for the poor, degraded drunkard and his suffering connections; and set themselves at work to remedy the evil. They had frequent meetings. They put the whole battery of "moral suasion" in array against the enemy. They added drunkard after drunkard to their pledge, till the rum-seller, altho' altogether in favor of moral suasion, began to think that he might be "left alone in his glory." The Washingtonians and Martha Washingtonians sent committee after committee, day after day, till most of them yielded to their importunities. But there were a few exceptions;—some of them had hearts of more than steel, and faces of more than brass; they could not be touched by the suasion of the Washingtonians, neither by the smiles, tears nor entreaties of the Martha Washingtonians.

As an auxiliary to their efforts, they engaged Father Hayes, a reformed inebriate, from Bath, Me., an able and efficient lecturer, about ten days. His lectures were plain, simple matter of fact, founded on his own sufferings and his own experience, clothed in his own language, and delivered in his own native eloquence. He contrasted the rum-seller's situation with that of his patron; compared their dwellings and fare; and showed them while they were basking in the sunshine of luxury and getting rich, their patrons were wandering about in the midnight of misery, and getting drunk. He made some touching appeals to the rum-dealer and not without effect.

Not one month since there were in this town, seven taverns and six other places where were kept and sold rum and "other evil spirits." But they are now closed against the monster, and closed forever: unless at one or two of these haunts a little may be smuggled out on Sundays when Christians should be at church praying; or under the cover of night when honest people should be in bed sleeping.

Some of the most discerning of the rum-sellers, who could look an inch into futurity, were willing to give up the traffic, provided they could dispose of the stock on hand. The Washingtonians, although not rum-dealers, save from expediency, took the "creature" off their hands, and made the same offer to all other traders in town, most of whom accepted it. The next important move was to put their hands into their pockets, take out some of the "needful and fork up,"—which was done in a trice. It is hoped that it will be remembered that covetousness is no relation to Washingtonianism.

The hydra monster, having "seven heads and ten horns," was then collected together into one grand depot, to be disposed of as the victors might think best or the advancement and progress of the war.

After grave deliberation, the creature was disposed of, as follows:—a part to the Manufacturing Company, for mechanical purposes; some was reserved for medicine; while the remainder was sentenced "to be burned at the stake, for his manifold transgressions and outrages on the rights of society."

Agreeably to sentence, after giving suitable notice, the creature was publicly executed on "Young's Hill," amidst the huzzahs, shouts, and loud peals of victory from almost an innumerable company of "small and larger boys," to the great discomfiture and annoyance of the rum mourners.

The question may be asked, how was all this so soon accomplished? The answer is, by "zeal according to knowledge;" by liberality; by union of effort; by moral suasion, backed by the law, as preached by Father Hayes and the Apostle Hawkins.

The Washingtonians had used moral suasion year after year; they had gone to sleep over it; they awoke and used it again, till all the rum-sellers were complete moral suasionists; and it seemed to have lost its charm, here, to reform. The Washingtonians, finding the place ripe for it, threw aside the "quaker," formed themselves into an "Union Society," and pledged themselves, by a written compact, "sink or swim, live or die," we will put down the traffic.

At the last setting of the Court in this county, the "Unionists" got their carriage and witnesses ready to go to Portsmouth, to get bills of indictment against the law violator. This was the moral suasion that done the most towards convincing some of our rum dealers of the immorality of the traffic.

The motto of our Washingtonians is, "come with us, and we will do thee good." They believe in equal privileges; look not on the past, but welcome all to their ranks, whether rum-seller or drinker.

We (permit me to use the first person) are now a sober community and can give praise and thanksgiving to our God, for having delivered us from a plague not less to be dreaded than the seven plagues of Egypt. Washingtonians, let your benevolence embrace the whole County; yea, the whole State! So mote it be.

One of Many Washingtonians.

New Market, Feb. 24, 1843.