A WORD FOR THE LADIES.

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Republic, in conjunction wlth others across the Atlantic, beats high to-day for volunteer reformers, to fill up the ranks of the fallen and waste places with new recruits, till a phalanx shall be formed in every city, town, and village in our land, which shall be able, successfully, to break through the enemy's ranks, and push the victory till not a drunkard can be found on the earth.

Come forward, then, ye friends to mankind, and enlist in the cause of temperance. If you are temperate, and have never been otherwise, joining us will be productive of general good, and can do you no harm. And if any are on the verge of the habit of intemperance, renouncing the gratification of your appetite, and joining with us, may be the best and the only effectual means of preserving your health, your character, your property, and happiness from ruin, and your souls from eternal misery.

The concluding paragraph is most respectfully addressed to the ladies.

It is but justice to acknowledge that the female sex possess ability of exerting a powerful and extensive influence over society. Instances of female influence, which have been successful in averting predominant evils; in ameliorating the state of community; in forming correct morals, and in promoting true religion in the world, have been numerous in every age, and have been so recorded in the book of divine inspiration, and in the history of the generations of mankind. And (without giving offense to any virtuous female) it must also be confessed, that their sex is liable to fall into the vortex of vice, as well as the other. Lamentable instances of this description have dis

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TEMPERANCE SOLDIERS, HOW ENLISTED.

figured the pages of history in every age of the world. And, though a female drunkard is of all objects on earth one of the most detestable, yet the awful spectacle has in some instances been seen, when women have surmounted a sense of shame, and disgrace, and every other obstruction to the gratification of their appetite for strong drink, till they have not only become female drunkards, but, under the influence of their besotted habit, have poisoned or otherwise put their husbands to death, killed their children, spread wretchedness all around them, murdered their own souls, and left the world in despair.*

From considerations so deplorable, many female friends of virtue and the cause of temperance, have banded themselves together, in exertions to exterminate from society the evils of intemperance. Hence it frequently comes to pass, that when old men, and men of middle age, and their sons, come forward and enlist as volunteers in the cause of temperance, it is found that female influence has been the moving cause. The advice of a dear mother; the persuasions of a beloved wife; entreaties of an affectionate sister or female friend, have influenced thousands of valiant soldiers to enlist during the war under the banner of temperance. Go, ladies, and do likewise.

* It was but eleven days before the delivery of this lecture in East Line Schoolhouse, 1833, that the funeral of a female drunkard, burned to death, was attended in the same place.

CHAPTER IX.

[ADDRESS delivered before the Temperance Society of the town of Malta. Saratoga County, New York, at their Annual Meeting, March 8, 1834.]

ANECDOTE OF A DRUNKARD'S BOY FROM HIS WORDS, "I

As the motto of my present address, I will relate an anecdote which may be relied on by the public as authentic.

A clergyman residing in one of the counties of the State of New York was in his barn not many months ago, in company with a son of his, a young man of about seventeen years of age, who was at work husking corn. Presently came into the barn also a neighboring lad of about ten or twelve years of age. His parents ranked among the poorest class of people in the country. They resided in a small log cabin by the side of a market road, with a considerable number of almost half naked children, and doubtless at many times felt the pressure of adversity sorely upon them. Neither the man, nor his wife, nor a child in the cottage, could read in any book of any language, and all of them appeared perfectly contented to remain in ignorance of all the privileges, advantages, and happiness to be derived from books, and learning, and the knowledge of the world.

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THE DELIGHTFUL THING.

All that the parents appeared to aspire after, was food and other indispensables of life for themselves and their children, and occasionally, or as often as their means would permit, to procure something which was deemed necessary to revive and cheer up their spirits, and render the whole household, from oldest to youngest, happy in the enjoyment of the fireside.

This something, which was deemed essential to promote the happiness of that family, was not, occasionally, a better fire than usual, nor a roast turkey, nor any change of diet which would be calculated to afford a season of feasting and family repast. But the thing which was often tried, and found, without mistake, to render a poor, ignorant family at once, in feeling, as rich, and comfortable, and happy as any of their neighbors, was a jug of whisky. Whisky was the delightful thing. Its enchanting power proved abundantly sufficient at times to counterbalance all the real and imaginary evils of life, and to soothe and lull the senses into a state of quiet repose and insensibility of fear and danger.

A few shillings laid out for whisky, and drank freely both by parents and children, would operate on the whole family circle to a degree most animating. In that cottage, while its inmates were under the influence of whisky, a passing traveler might have his ears saluted sometimes with outrageous oaths, quarrels, brawls, and fightings; and sometimes with the sweet melody of singing and dancing, originating from a circle of children in tatters, and sometimes almost half starved.

When the jug was emptied of its animating beverage, a

THE WHISKY FAMILY.

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season of moroseness generally followed, interspersed with lucid intervals of idleness, and as much drudgery of some kind or another, as absolute necessity forced upon them to answer the imperious mandates of nature, and keep them from starving, until means should be found practicable and adequate to replenish the jug of whisky, and prepare for another vacation from the hated toils of life.

Frequently, however, it was the case that the male members of the family found an opportunity of gratifying the pleasures of appetite at some public place of resort, where the much-loved whisky is freely given as a reward for some menial service. Such opportunities were frequently sought by the father and the sons of his household, who were ever ready to perform almost any kind of drudgery for persons who would pay for such services in whisky.

This wretched family lived within a short distance of a very noted and extensive tavern establishment, which was always kept well replenished with all kinds of liquor for the accommodation of travelers, and a plenty, also, to pay for any services that might be needed from loafers who esteemed it a privilege to receive pay for their labor in whisky. Year after year it was not an uncommon thing to see the father of the family above described, and several of his boys, loitering round that tavern from morning till late in the night, to see and hear all that could be seen and heard, to perform some little office for travelers, who would reward them with whisky; and also to wait on the landlord sufficient to pay him for an occasional luncheon, and as much whisky as would be sufficient to keep them in a happy mood. And when all the services of the day were thus