19th Century Social Reform Sourcing Blog

           "A young lady will be very unsafe in marrying a young man who uses ardent spirits, either temperately or intemperately, because more women have been rendered wretched on account of drunken husbands, than by anything else. When Lavinia and Laura and Margaret, were led by their husbands to Hymen's altar, their husbands only took a little. Lavinia was the mother of four children, when the sheriff sold the last bed she had, for her husband's drams. Laura had three lovely babes, when her husband was carried off to jail, and she was left without bed, bread or home. Margaret had two children when their sottish and brutish father went to an untimely grave, and she and her babes were cast upon the world penniless. Beware young ladies of him who can drink a dram even in a week. Don't marry a reformed drunkard, as a man hardly ever gets clear of this awful disease. If you want to be miserable marry a man who drinks, who takes a little, and you are more likely to have the above enjoyments than in marrying any other character. If a man cannot give up his dram, he can sacrifice the happiness or property of any woman by taking a little."

           From the New England Farmer and Horticultural Journal VIII, no. 14 (October 23, 1829).
Sourcing: It is clear that the author is opposed to men who drink. The author's purpose in producing the document is to warn young women not to marry men who have drinking problems. The document is believable because the author provides detailed stories of women who were effected by men who drank.
Contextualization: During the time the document was produced, there was an overdrinking epidemic.
There were actual fears that the United States was on the verge of becoming a nation of drunkards. Many men became very dangerous or could no longer support their families. The document teaches  readers what women and children went through because of men who either were too drunk to support their families or died because of drinking. This document gives the reader a complete picture of what it was like during the 1800's when many men had drank their way into either unemployment or a grave and their wives and children had to suffer the consequences.
Close Reading: The authors opinion is to avoid marrying men who drink. The authors reasoning is that women who marry men who overdrink will end up homeless, penniless, and miserable. By choosing words such as " awful disease" and "miserable", the author is trying to convincing the reader that the position the families are in is horrible.