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TO THE EDITOR OF THE LAUNCESTON
EXAMINER.
MR. EDITOR,-The teetotallers have been
using every artifice, and putting all those little
manoeuvres with which they are so familiar in
practice, to induce you again to take the field,
and to enter upon another campaign against
them. One would suppose, that after the many
rebuffs they have met with, they would be glad to
live in peace and quietness; but no, you might as
well expect a fish to live out of the water, as a
teetotaller to live in peace and quietness. Their
very existence depends upon their making a
noise, and lie who can agitate has all that is ne-
cessary to constitute a first-rate teetotaller. Op-
position is the very thing they want. Their great
desire is to draw the attention of the public
towards them, so that they may cut a figure in
the world. Their cry is---say something about
us, we do not care whether it be good or ill, but
do not treat us with neglect or contempt. With-
out opposition they would sink into their former
insignificance, and be reduced to the level of
common mortals.
When they found that people had, in a great
measure, ceased talking about them, because they
did not think it worth their while to take up their
time in noticing a number of individuals who
were playing off a few antics to attract the public
attention, they found it necessary to adopt some
other plan of agitation; hence arose the teetotal
band, the teetotal procession, and the teetotal
tea parties. But as all these means were likely
to prove unavailing in attracting the wonder and
admiration of the public, they havee been obliged
to have recourse to some other plan; hence have
arisen the teetotal lectures. Should these fail in
making a noise, we may by and by expect to hear
of something else being tried; perhaps a teetotal
theatre, a boxing school, or something of that
kind. But,Mr Editor, you take my advice, and
treat them with neglect; take no more notice of
them than if they were not in existence; and if
that does not annoy them, I do not know what
will. By opposing them, and their pretended
principles, you puff them up with pride, and make
them think themselves men of the greatest im-
portance.
People have gone the wrong way to work with
these chartists, puseyites, socialists, and teeto-
tallists, and a whole host of modern jackasses,
who have commenced braying merely to get
people to look at and talk about them. Take my
word for it, if people would cease looking at them
they would soon cease braying. They remind me
of those blockheads who shot at the Queen the
other day, who, it appears, were determined to
be known and talked about, even at the expense
of their lives. Say nothing about them, either
good, bad, or indifferent, and if this does not
quench their teetotal ardour, my name is not
COMMON SENSE.
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