Litchfield Enquirer

Extract from an Address on Intemperance.
(CONCLUDED.)

And this leads me to the observation, that we ought neither to censure one another, nor to entertain too low an opinion of ourselves, on account of having in our constitution that, which exposes us to the evil under consideration. For it can hardly be doubted that a desire to appear friendly; or a disposition to contribute to the entertainment and cheerfulness of others—many things, indeed, in themselves by no means unamiable, have been the occasion (innocent, though not the less to be regretted) of intemperance and ruin, in thousands of instances. And hence the conclusion, that, though intemperance may be reckoned among the greatest evils that afflict our race, it is not to be regarded as the worst of crimes. Though the parent of a thousand vices, and the cause of numberless diseases—though the scourge of degraded humanity, the curse of our country, the body servant of death; still, there are sins not a few, which cry loudly for more explicit malediction. The intemperate man, therefore, is to be regarded and treated as the most unfortunate of human beings, and not as the most sinful; he is to be pitied, not despised; he is deserving of commiseration, but not contempt. He needs admonition and advice—he needs your prayers, your entreaties, the aid of your counsel, and your example, but not abuse. He is a lost, wandering, deluded and unhappy child of God—he is your brother. Then let us treat him as such.

Taking it for granted that the nature, extent and cause of intemperance are sufficiently well understood, I shall now proceed to speak of the remedy. And here, perhaps, there may be a variety of opinions among those who are alike interested in the great undertaking which, I trust, has been auspiciously commenced. I dare not promise myself the pleasure of finding my own sentiments at perfect agreement with those of persons more enlightened, and more experienced than myself. All, however, can agree in this—that something can and ought to be done to remove the great and crying evil among us. And it is possible that the views now to be submitted, for the consideration of the friends of temperance, may add to the deep interest already felt on this subject.

In the first place, then, we cannot reasonably suppose that any considerable benefit can ever result from the adoption of coercive measures for the suppression of intemperance. I go further—much positive injury may be done, and has been done, by the adoption of measures of the kind alluded to.

Uncharitable denunciations against the unfortunate victims of intemperance, such as applying hard names and epithets to individuals, admits of excuse on no other ground than the ignorance of those who employ them. It is to be lamented, that any should have been betrayed, by the warmth of their zeal in this good cause, into an error of this kind. Many, no doubt, who might have been reclaimed by persuasion, or judicious and friendly rebuke, have been hurried into the vortex of destruction, by unreasonable severity on the part of those who would be extremely sorry to occasion the injury of their fellow beings.

While upon this topic, it may not be amiss to notice that indiscriminate condemnation of the intemperate, which has taught them to consider themselves as irrevocably doomed to infamy and despair. They have been too often held up to view as objects of derision—as beings beyond the reach of mercy—as irreclaimable sinners. And it seems to have been imagined by not a few, that the only method of curing the great evil, is, to convince the intemperate that their case is a hopeless one: I have not so learned human nature. All efforts to compel people to aid in carrying into execution such plans as have been devised for effecting the desired improvement, are injudicious. Instances have been known in which worthy members of community have been classed with the enemies of this cause, because they did not feel disposed to put their names to a pledge of abstinence, or because they did not feel it to be their duty to become members of a Temperance Society. This kind of treatment, if persisted in, will greatly retard, instead of accelerating, the progress of the reformation.

There is, doubtless, such a thing as an intemperate opposition to intemperance. There may have been too much excitement—too much declamation, among the best friends and ablest advocates of Temperance measures. Not that we would say or do any thing to cool the ardor of those who are engaged in this good work. We would not destroy their zeal—we would only have it tempered with prudence. We would not deprive those who publicly advocate this cause of the implements of their warfare. They may cause the lightning of heaven to play around the devoted heads of the intemperate—they may avail themselves of the earthquake and the fire—but we would entreat them to raise no artificial storm. We would have them ever mindful of the fact, that kindness is the only consistent language of the intelligent reformer. and persuasion the means of accomplishing the purposes of benevolence. We would have every philanthropist look coolly upon the monster to be destroyed—contemplate its hideousness with philosophical composure, and bring into the field against it that moral power which cannot be resisted.