pollute the affections; harden the heart and corrupt the morals; as it deprives many of reason, and still more of its healthful and salutary exercise, and brings down multitudes annually to an untimely grave; as it tends to produce in the children of many who drink, a predisposition to intemperance, insanity and various bodily and mental diseases; to cause a diminution of strength, a feebleness of vision, a fickleness of purpose and a premature old age, and to produce to all future generations a general deterioration of physical and moral character; as it tends to promote vice and wickedness, to counteract the efficacy of the gospel, and of all means for the intellectal elevation, the moral purity, the social happiness, and the eternal good of mankind, and is, without any counteracting benefits, in all its influence and effects evil, only evil, and that continually; as its use is a manifest violation of the laws of health, of life and of God, and if continued, will perpetuate intemperance and its innumerable evils, to all future generations, and extend its destructive effects over multitudes, we fear, to eternity: therefore, Resolved, That for the benefit of the community, and especially the young, it be published and circulated as extensively as practicable, that, in the judgment of this body, after deliberate and careful attention to this subject, the use of ardent spirit, as a drink, is morally wrong, and ought to be universally abandoned; and that we unite with the thousands of physicians and the hundreds of thousands of philanthropic men, in this and other countries, in expressing the sentiment that the entire disuse of it as a drink, would tend powerfully to promote the health, the virtue and the happiness of the community. 7. As the traffic in ardent spirit, to be used as a drink, ministers to the use of it, and teaches the erroneous and destructive sentiment, that such use is right, and thus tends to produce and to perpetuate the above mentioned evils; as it also tends by increasing pauperism and crime, to augment the taxes of the people, as well as to diminish their health, corrupt their morals and shorten their lives, and is thus manifestly unjust as well as injurious towards the community, being contrary to all just views of liberty, as well as a violation of the fundamental maxim of common law, "so use your own as not to injure the public;" that for the benefit of a few, (spirit dealers), the many should be burdened, therefore, Resolved, That the traffic in ardent spirit as a drink, is, in our view, morally wrong, and ought to be universally abandoned. 8. As the traffic is now upheld by the sanction of legislation, and that legislation by teaching to community the error, that the use of ardent spirit as a drink, and the traffic in it as such, are right, tends to perpetuate the above mentioned evils, and to hinder the truth from producing the universal conviction that the drinking of ardent spirit and the traffic in it are morally wrong, therefore, Resolved, That it be respectfully suggested to all friends of humanity, whether the laws which authorise the traffic in distilled liquors as a drink, by licensing men to pursue it, are not morally wrong, and whether they ought not to be so modified, that the evil should be no longer licensed, or its continuance receive the sanction of legislative support. 9. As what is morally wrong is never politically right, or expedient, or useful, but is always on the whole, detrimental to the community, therefore it is respectfully suggested whether it ought ever to be licensed, and whether all legislation in regard to it, if legislation is required by the public good and the voice of the people, ought not to be, not on the ground of licensing the sin, but only in the wisest and best way, of defending the community from its evils. 10. As the practice of drinking spirit is perpetuated, not principally from regard to the gratification and to obtain the money of drunkards, but of moderate drinkers, and from their ranks alone the recruits are to be taken, for all the drunken armies that are to be raised, to all future generations, and as no other men can keep up a eustom which shall perpetuate intemperance and its abominations except themselves; therefore, Resolved, That in view of the innumerable evils which they may remove, and the infinite benefits which they may confer on the community, they hereby are respectfully, and kindly, and earnestly requested to permit the intemperance of our country to cease. 11. The morality or immorality of using ardent spirit as a drink, is, in our view, the grand point on which the defeat or triumph of the temperance cause depends. If it is thought to be morally right to drink ardent spirit, and to traffic in it, both will probably be continued, intemperate appetites will be formed, and drunkenness with its evils will be perpetuated; but if it is morally wrong, and the evidence of this truth is universally, kindly, and perseveringly exhibited in words and in deeds, by all the friends of truth; and attended as in that case we may expect it will be, by the influences of the spirit of truth, it will universally prevail; therefore, Resolved, That all persons who do not drink or furnish ardent spirit, and yet do not believe either to be immoral, be, and they hereby are requested to examine the subject in the light of all the facts which are developed, and of all the consequences of drinking ardent spirit, and see if they have not heretofore been mistaken; and if they should be convinced that the practice is immoral, that they be requested to use all suitable means to spread universally the evidence of this truth throughout our land. 12. As it is a maxim of common law as well as of common sense and of the Bible, that the accessory and the principal in crime are both guilty, and as the men who furnish grain and other materials for the distillation of ardent spirit to be used as a drink, and the men who rent tenements for grog-shops to be occupied in the sale of it, are manifestly accessory to the perpetuating of the drinking of it and its evils; therefore, Resolved, That they be, and hereby are respectfully requested to consider whether their practice in the above mentioned particulars is not inconsistent with moral duty, and injurious in its consequences to mankind; and whether an enlightened regard to the public good, as well as to the great principles of morality and the Christian religion, do not require that those practices should be universally abandoned. 13. As the expression of the views of enlightened, judicious and philanthropic men, especially of those who, from their profession and employment, have peculiar opportunities to form a correct judgment on the subject, has deservedly great weight with the community, and as more than 3,000 physicians have given it as their settled conviction, that ardent spirit as a drink is not needful or useful; that, on the other hand it is exceedingly hurtful, being a frequent cause of disease and death, and often rendering diseases that arise from other causes more difficult of cure and more fatal in their termination, and that the entire disuse of it would greatly promote the health, the virtue and comfort of the community; therefore, Resolved, That all physicians in the United States, be, and they hereby are respectfully requested to examine this subject, and give the result of their inquiries with regard to the nature of ardent spirit, in its effects on the human system to the public; and to state explicitly, whether in their view the entire disuse of it as a beverage, would not promote the welfare of mankind. 14. As knowledge and virtue are essential to the welfare of mankind, and the dissemination of truth is one of the principal means of doing good, and espe cially in this cause, whose grand instrumentality is the universal diffusion of information, and the exertion of kind moral influence; therefore, Resolved, That we view with great pleasure, the rapid increase of temperance publications, and would earnestly recommend it to the friends of temperance in each state, to take effectual measures to put a copy of some such publication statedly, into every family that will receive it throughout the country. 15. As the living voice is one of the principal means of operating on the public mind, and many persons can be influenced only by this means, and as great good has already been accomplished by means of living agents, visiting all parts of a county, or a state; therefore, Resolved, That it be, and hereby is respectfully and earnestly recommended to the friends of temperance to employ one or more such agents permanently in each state. 16. As young men are the hope of our country, and as the course which they may take with regard to temperance, will have a momentous bearing not only on their own character and happiness, but on their influence upon the world and as the cause of temperance has already been essentially promoted by this interesting and efficient class of our citizens; and should all young men give to this cause their united and persevering support, it would soon be universally triumphant; therefore, Resolved, That every young man in the United States, in view of the benefits which his example and influence may confer, be requested to give to this cause his prompt, energetic and unremitted support. 17. As the elevation and worth of woman, and the extent and power of her influence, are sure indications of the state of society; and as according to this standard our countrymen are under special obligations to the Author of all good, and are bound to be peculiarly grateful for the bright manifestations of his favor; and as the cause of temperance in common will all other good causes, has greatly multiplied and extended it blessings, through the instrumentality of woman's example and efforts; and should that example and effort be general, united and persevering in the promotion of this cause, so intimately connected with her own comfort and prospects, and that of those whom she most tenderly loves, and for whom she most cheerfully sacrifices and labors, it would surely prevail, become universal, and its blessings be extended to all future time; therefore, Resolved, That the females of the United States, in view of the powerful and salutary influence which they may exert over all classes in the community, and especially over the young; and the immeasurable blessings which they may be instrumental in conferring upon all future generations and for both worlds, be, and they hereby are, most respectfully and earnestly requested, universally in all suitable ways to give to this cause their united and persevering efforts. After the organization of the Union, the foregoing resolutions were adopted with great unanimity, as expressing the deliberate and solemn convictions of its members. We subjoin the following remarks as explanatory of the temperance organization in America. This organization consists of the American Temperance Society, twenty-three State Temperance Societies, and more than seven thousand associations in counties and smaller districts of country. The American Temperance Society, is composed of a number of known and influential friends of temperance in various parts of the United States. Its object is, by the diffusion of information, and the exertion of kind moral influence, to extend the principles and blessings of temperance throughout the world. In the prosecution of this object, it does not intend to unite all friends of temperance in the United States in that society, but to procure the formation of a state society in each state, a county society in each county, and local associations in cities, towns, villages and districts in all parts of the country. Each of the state societies takes the general supervision of temperance operations throughout the state. The county societies, as far as they please, are auxiliary to these, and superintend operations in the county. Local associations in cities, towns, &c., when they choose to be, render themselves auxiliary to the county societies, but regulate their own movements and efforts according to their own views of necessity and expediency, and with direct reference to their own wants and ability. Each society is independent of all others, except so far as each may choose for mutual benefit, and for the public good to become united; no one society having power to dictate to another, or to control its operations. Each seeks the same object, but no one is obliged to pursue any but its own course to attain that object. The United States' Temperance Union consists of the officers of the American Temperance Society, and of each of the State Temperance Societies, or of a delegation equal to their number, appointed by them. Enough has been done to show that the principles adopted are correct, and the means used efficacious. Let them be universally and perseveringly applied, and with the divine blessing, the object will be accomplished. Abstinence from the use of that which intoxicates, while it will tend to promote the bodily and spiritual, the temporal and eternal good of mankind, will also cause drunkenness to cease from the earth. Sobriety, with its attendant blessings, will become universal, and the time be hastened, when the will of God shall be done on earth as it is done in heaven. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE NEW YORK STATE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY, AT THEIR SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING, JULY 9, 1835. 1. Resolved, That the following preamble and resolution adopted by the American Tem perance Society meet our cordial approbation: viz. "As it has been proved by the experience of thousands in the United States, of all classes of persons, and in all kinds of lawful business, that abstinence from the use of all kinds of intoxicating liquor as a drink, is not only safe but salutary, and as this is the only course in which it can be rationally expected that intemperate persons will ever be permanently reformed, and as the example and kind moral influence of the temperate is the grand means of leading the intemperate to adopt and pursue a course so essential to their present and future good; therefore, Resolved, That the more extensively this course is adopted by all classes in the community, and especially by all members of temperance societies, the more rapid will be the progress of the temperance reformation, and the more certain the prospect that drunkenness and its evils will cease." 2. That wherever temperance societies have been formed, on the principle of abstinence from the use of ardent spirit, and yet drunkenness is continued from the use of other intoxicating drinks, it is, in our view, proper and expedient that there should be a pledge, signed by such as are disposed, that shall include abstinence from the use, as a beverage, of all intoxicating liquor; and the more generally this course is adopted the more complete will be the triumphs of the temperance cause. 3. That the rapid increase of temperance societies on the plan of abstinence from the use, as a beverage, of all intoxicating liquor, manifests the deep hold which the cause has taken upon the hearts of philanthropists, and affords increasing evidence that it will not be relinquished till, through the divine blessing, its triumphs shall be complete and universal. 4. That the promptness and unanimity with which increasing numbers of young men are adopting the plan of abstinence from all intoxicating liquor, is an exhibition which ought greatly to cheer the hearts of their fathers: and is an example which, if universally followed by the youth of the United States, would not only save multitudes from drunkenness and ruin, but would tend to make that interesting class of our citizens, beyond any generation that has gone before them, the benefactors of our country and of the world. 5. That the formation of such societies among children and youth, whose parents and guardians are willing to have them unite in these societies, would, in our view, tend not only to promote their own highest benefit, but to render them more eminently useful to mankind. 6. That the union with such societies by the older and more influential classes in the community would be an example which would have a most salutary influence on the young, and would tend strongly to induce them to set out in life in the way they should go, and when they should become old not to depart from it. 7. That the importing and exporting, the manufacturing and vending, or in any way furnishing intoxicating liquor to be used as a common drink, are in our view injurious to the community, tend powerfully to hinder the progress of the temperance reformation, and the efficacy of all means for the intellectual elevation, the moral purity, the social happiness and the eternal good of men, and ought therefore to be universally abandoned. 8. That the furnishing of materials for the making of intoxicating liquor, and the renting of buildings to be occupied for the sale of it, to be used as an ordinary beverage, are in our view inconsistent with the good of society and ought for ever to cease. 9. That the practice of Insurance Companies, in insuring temperance vessels at a less premium than others, tends greatly not only to promote the cause of temperance, but to increase the safety of property, and to promote the health, virtue and happiness of seamen, and the preservation of human life. 10. That the licensing of the sale of intoxicating liquor, to be used as a common drink, and thus throwing over this immorality the shield of legislative sanction and support, and teaching to the community the erroneous and destructive doctrine, that its continuance is required by the public good, when the facts show that the public good utterly forbids it, is in our view inconsistent with the good of society, and ought not to be continued. 11. That should the sale of intoxicating liquor, to be used as a drink, and its manifold evils to society be continued, and should the public good and the voice of the people require the continuance of legislation with regard to it; the object of such legislation ought to be, instead of licensing the sin, to defend the community from its evils. 12. That the universal diffusion of information, with regard to the nature and effects of intoxicating liquor, and with regard to the benefits of abstaining from the use of it, and an exhibition of those benefits by the united, consistent and persevering example and kind moral influence of patriots, philanthropists and Christians, may in our view be expected, under the continued smiles of a benignant and gracious Providence, to increase and extend the temperance reformation, till its triumphs shall be complete, and its blessings become permanent and universal. 13. That the plan of the American Temperance Society, for embodying the facts on this momentous subject in a permanent volume, and furnishing a copy of it for each professional man, legislator, secretary of a temperance society, school teacher, and youth in all public seminaries of the United States, &c., also for sending copies of it to each missionary of all denominations who have gone, or may go to the heathen, and also to distinguished and philanthropic men in all parts of the world, with a letter briefly stating what has been done in this and other countries, the benefits which have already resulted from the temperance reformation, and the blessings which, should it become universal, would result to the world, and inviting a prompt and universal co-operation, meets with our cordial approbation; and that we will assist in carrying a plan so fraught with blessings to mankind, into execution EIGHTH REPORT OF THE AMERICAN TEMPERANCE SOCIETY. EVER since man turned away from God, as the source of enjoyment, and from his service as the means of obtaining it, he has been prone to seek it in some improper bodily or mental gratification. And no kind has perhaps been more deadly in its influence upon him, especially as a rational, accountable, and immortal being, than that which results from the drinking of intoxicating liquor. That intoxicating principle, which has, in this country, been the chief cause of drunkenness, is not the product of creation; nor is it the result of any living process in nature. The animal kingdom, in all its vast variety of existence, and modes of operation, saith, "It is not in me;" and the vegetable kingdom responds, "It is not in me." It cannot be found, and it does not exist, among all the living works of God. Those substances, however, which contain, or which will produce sugar, after they are dead, and have become subject to those laws which, then, operate on inanimate matter, in the incipient stages of decomposition, undergo a process, which chemists call, vinous fermentation. By this process a new substance is formed, called Alcohol. This is the means of intoxication. It is composed of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen in the proportion of 13,04; 52,17; and 34,79 parts to a hundred; and is in its nature, as manifested by its effects, an exceedingly subtle and diffusive poison. The elements, by the combination of which this is formed, existed before; but the substance, which this combination forms, did not before exist. It is an entirely new substance, and is altogether different in its nature and effects, from what existed before. It was formed, not by the process which operates in the formation of living matter, but by that which operates on a certain kind of matter, only after it is dead. And the substance which is thus formed is as really different, in its nature and effects, from every thing which existed before, as the poisonous miasma is different from the fruits, or the vegetables, from the decomposition and decay of which it springs. It is as really different, as sickness is different from health; or drunkenness is different from sobriety. Hence it no more fol |