Temperance vs. Total Abstinence. 



275 



poisonous liquors that destroy' both 

 soul and bod3^ 



When such is the case, I believe in- 

 temperance will be principally driven 

 fi'om the land. I am lor temperance, 

 and I hope that none of our brother- 

 hood will ever show such an animus 

 against temperance men. I want none 

 of it in mine. I can not stand up in the 

 light of the present civilization, and 

 throw dirt at temperance reformers. 

 Let us have an expression as to your- 

 self. Yours, respectfully. 



A. B. Roberts. 



[We think friend Roberts mistakes 

 the views of Dr. Ampelos, and think 

 the present number will show him that 

 the doctor is also a temperance man in 

 the true sense of the word. 



As to our own views we trust they 

 need no lengthy dissertation, or expli- 

 cation. We have advocated grape 

 growing and the moderate use of wine 

 for fifteen years, chiefly because we 

 thought it the best agent of true tem- 

 perance, and thought it would in time 

 banish drunkenness from the land, a 

 vice which we abhor and detest as 

 much as an}- man living. But while 

 we are for true temperance, in the 

 proper sense of the word, we confess 

 that we have no sj^mpathy with those 

 fanatical and bigoted advocates of total 

 abstinence, who, because some men 

 make beasts of themselves, and in- 

 dulge in intoxicating liquors to excess, 

 would fetter and enslave every one to 

 abstain from their use altogether, and 

 even go so far as to proscribe wine, the 

 most innocent and exhilarating of 

 them all. If they would confine their 

 labors to the conversion of actual 

 drunkards, if they preached temperance, 

 instead of total abstinence, we would 



also say, God speed them ! But instead 

 of this, we have but too often seen, 

 that these apostles of temperance, as 

 they called themselves, would drink the 

 strongest liquors in secret, and would 

 themselves daily violate the pledge 

 they exhorted others to take. We 

 will in charity suppose that there are 

 a few, nay even many of them^ who 

 are mistaken but sincere believers in 

 their doctrines ; we will also grant, 

 there are others who because their 

 beastly appetite is stronger than their 

 better conviction, would do well to 

 take the pledge of total abstinence, 

 provided they would keep it. But if 

 the moral obligations of society — if 

 his family ties, which should be holy to 

 every man worthy of the name — will 

 not keep the drunkard from debasing 

 himself, will the pledge doit? Or will 

 he not, after a few days or hours of 

 abstinence, yield to the tempter again, 

 and perjure himself also? And must 

 others, who use wine and other liquors 

 in moderation, as they should be used, 

 be compelled also to abstain from 

 them because a few will abuse them? 

 Such a doctrine is not only ridi- 

 culous and absurd in the extreme, 

 but contrary to every republican prin- 

 ciple, unworthy to be entertained in a 

 country which calls itself the freest 

 upon earth, and the refuge of all the 

 oppressed and persecuted. We think 

 it worthy of the best attention of our 

 legislators, not to pass prohibitive laws 

 against the use of intoxicating liquors 

 — for this would be against the letter 

 and spirit of our institutions — but to 

 make drunkenness a crime, punishable 

 like every other vice, by the severest 

 penalties. For is not he who steals 

 the sustenance and peace of his family 



