Pickens County ScArchives History .....Petition Of Females Against the Sale of Liquor 1871
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 August 11, 2009, 8:22 pm

PETITION OF THE FEMALES OF PICKENS COUNTY 
PACK 181 NO. 7 
CLERK OF COURTS OFFICE, PICKENS, S. C.

To the County Commissioners of Pickens County South Carolina.

   Your humble Petitioners a portion of die females of your County respectfully
represent that when we take a retrospective view of the eventful ten years that
have just passed, we are alarmd at the awful increase of crime in our midst, and
feel constrained to raise our humble voice in behalf of suffering humanity.
Scarcely a day passes but we hear of some horrid crime having been perpetrated
by some one while under the baleful influence of intoxicating drinks. The sad
tragedy that has recently occurred in our immediate vicinity should nerve every
one of our feebleses to sound the tension of alarm, that it may be heard
throughout hill and dale of our sunny clime.

   While we stood near the lifeless form of that youthful officer of the law on
last Sabbath listening to the heart rending shrieks of that motherless sister
and affectionate wife, and heard the loud lamentations of that bereaved father,
when we beheld the burning tears streaming down the manly cheek of so many whom
we never knew before to weep, our fortitude well nigh forsook us, but when that
prattling boy too young to realize his great loss, and to his widowed mother as
they passed from the grave, "Ma! are you not going with Pa?" what heart could
fail to have melted into tenderness, while thus reflecting on the scene before
us. Our minds could but carry us to that mountain grave yard where he who fell
simultaneously with our neighbor was lowered in the silent tomb surrounded by
the weeping widow, mother, sisters and brother, and a large concourse of
sympathizing friends.

   We need not tell you the cause of all this wo; but permit us to humbly
request you to refuse the granting of license to any one, to retail that "liquid
fire" which is so rapidly consuming the very vitals of our County, our State and
even our entire nation. Thousands of our Citizens annually sink to the drunkards
grave. It is not the SELFISH that so often and so readily fall victims to
intemperance, but remember, Oh? we pray you remember that many of our noblest,
our highly gifted young men sink prematurely to the drunkards tomb. We appeal to
you in this sad extremity in behalf of the lonely widow, the sorrowing parent,
and weeping orphan, and implore you as conservators of the peace, as lovers of
your race, and as immortal beings accountable to God for your actions, to arrest
to the utmost extent of your power this one fruitful source of crime by granting
no license to sell intoxicating drinks.

   Think us not unreasonable. We and our children are the principle sufferers.
Though manj' of us are blessed with sober husbands, fathers, sons and brotliers,
we can but deeply sympathize with those of our sex who see their dearest friends
on the road to destruction. We are not in sane on this subject, as Paul said,
"We are not mad but speak the words of truth and soberness." Shut down we pray
you, this one dire flood gate, and obstruct as far as practicable that stream of
woe now flowing through the length and breadth of our land hurling thousands of
our fellow beings into the grave of the drunkard. Suffering wives, mothers and
sisters will repay in tears of gratitude and prayers to God for his blessings on
you and your families, and Heavens Dome will echo with angels shouts of
rejoicing o'er the great good you shall have accomplished. For this as in duty
bound we will ever pray. March 1871.

Elizabeth Jones          Jessie L. Gilliam
Mary Dickson             Carrie C. Gillam
Ann Dickson              Delia Folger
Sarah Lesley             Mary Smith
Justina Lesley           Elizbaeth Hendricks
M. A. Mims               Martha A. Clayton
E. R. Mims               Laura M. O'Dell
H. Jones                 Martha O'Dell
Louisa Jones             Corrie Folger
Sarah Hughes             M. C. Briggs
Mary Hughes              E. Smith
Mary S. Gillam           M. P. Folger


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A GENEALOGICAL COLLECTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA WILLS AND RECORDS
VOL. I

Compiled By
MISS PAULINE YOUNG
South Carolina Genealogist
Box 129
Liberty, S. C.

Copyright 1955
By
PAULINE YOUNG
PRICE $ 10.00


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