he community and in our national concerns. We
have set before you the evils resulting from intemperance, and from
private and political slander.

We will now, in the _second_ place, take into consideration the
_negative and affirmative_ consequence resulting from them on the
morals of the community so far as the causes leading to _intemperance
and crime_ are concerned.

Many discourses have been delivered, during the three past years, on
intemperance pointing out its ruinous effects on the morals of
society, while but few discourses have been put into the hands of the
public pointing out the causes leading to this destructful vice, and
those few have not in my humble opinion traced it to its _true
source_. Much has also been said about intemperance leading to crime,
which in many respects is true. But all this is not coming to the
fountainhead from whence these turbid streams flow. We will take the
liberty to differ on this subject with all that has as yet fallen upon
our ear, and independently give our opinion, as to what we conceive to
be the original cause from whence these baneful effects spring. We
will endeavor to show that _the poorer class of society are driven to
intemperance and crime by the conduct of the rich (those whom the
fashion of the world calls respectable and great) yes, by the conduct
of too many, who are even attempting to reform them_.

First, then we would remark; that man is a creature of want, which is
the first cause of all action. Had he no wants, he would never seek to
supply them, either by _honorable or dishonorable_ means. To this
self-evident proposition, all will without hesitation assent. We will
now attend to our general character as a nation, for it will be
admitted, on all hands, that actions speak louder than words. As a
nation, we enjoy much liberty; but public opinion, either of a
political or religious character, may become so popular as to erect
itself into an engine of oppression, and so formidable, that many an
honest man dare not dissent, nor independently raise his voice in
defence of what he believes to be truth, but will tamely submit
himself a slave to the opinions and doctrines of others. This is
probably the case with the greater proportion of the American people.

Again, though we profess to value every man by his integrity or moral
worth, yet it is a fact, that in conduct we make a man's reputation
depend principally on his purse. I yield the point without contro