The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-12-09

pipes Holland Gin,
8 hhds. N. E. Rum,
I 10 bbls. Amer. Gin,
6 bbls. Cider Brandy,
2 hhds Rectified Spirits,
Sept. 6, 1890"
With your leave | wish to say a few
things to you, in plain but friendly man.
ner. l suppose that you are ready to sell
the above liquors to any man that wishes to
buy them, and will pay your price. When
customers cah for hogshead or barrel, you
do not inquire of them what use they design
to make of them. "That is no concern OF
yours, tits their own look out p | hear you
reply, just as merchants are accustomed to
say; you mean to sell them Unfortunately
OF course, if you find market for them,
they will be dispersed abroad, and be con-
sumed in the usual manner.
You surely do not expect that miracle
will be wrought in order to prevent the or
binary effects ofthe distribution ofthis guam
THY of ardent spirits among the people. You
are in the habit of daily prayer, know, and
you do not fail to ask God to bless the works
of your hands, and to prosper you in your
endeavors to do good. Still, you do not
believe that God will follow with his bless
ing each jug full, or barrel, or hogshead,
which starts from your store on mission !;
and send angels to watch over it and con-
duct each half gill, and gill, and half pint,
and quart to the person or thing where it
will be useful-where it will do no mischief
Although you have right sense of the eff
cacy of prayer, and of particular prayer too
yet you do not, even when your faith is in
vigorous exercise, send out the "dealings
of your hand" when you have filled the jug
or rolled out the hogshead, with the pious,
joyful feeling, that now you have sent abroad
( portion of Goods good creatures to con-
tribute their share in supporting and COM
forting your fellow men, and in advancing
the glory of God. Twill ask you, if in secret
and family prayer, when you arc ~r'eading
before the God of providence your posses
sions. en,ployments, and interests, you do
not skip all the rum, gin, and brandy you
have to sell ? In word, your ardent spirits
goes forth, unblessed. 1t is sent abroad
from your premises "unsanctifed by the
word of God and prayer" like the produc
! tons and doings of the impious and profane.
You have not the slightest ground Of hope,
that the providence Of God will make any
difference at all in the destination and eff
fects OF the quantity you may sell, from that
which is disposed of by the vilest man in
the country. You may therefore take your
proportion Of the responsibility which is at
tached to the business of supplying the
community with these noxious articles.
I 1t would be most strange and eventful
history, if the travels and achievements of
one hogshead of rum could be infinitely and
accurately recorded. 1t would read some
thing like the memoirs of the famous Capt.
Kidd and the more recent exploits of
Burke, the Edinburg butcher for the ana
tomical dissecting market. In relation to
its effect on morals and religion, it would
show the same results as Tom Paine's writ
ings and Miss Frances Wright's lectures.
AS this cannot be attained, will only turn
your attention to the following particulars,
as the probable results of your business for
the six months to come, if you succeed an
putting off, according to your advertisement,
the quantity of liquors which you scish to sell.
The quantity you advertise is equal to
about 40 hogsheads, or 1000 gallons. Let
one quarter of the whole be set down to
uses which are not either hurtful at all, or
but slightly so. Two hogsheads for hatters
to stiffen hats. for cabinet-makers and chaise
makers for their varnishes and paints, and
other manufacturers and also for the sore
backs of horses, and the apothecaries, and
for temperate families in the several uses
which are made of spirits, aside from that of
drinking it. The remainder, 5000 gallons,
will go down the throats Of men, women,
and children. The present rate of con-
sumption of spirits in Massachusetts, is about
two and quarter gallons to 1888 individu-
ais, of all ages and descriptions, who, CIV
{ ing to each family five persons, would COM
prise 266 families, with IL and quarter
gallons to each family, which is one gallon
a month"; quart week. Is, then, sir, a
quart of rum, gin, or brandy, drank in your
family each week? Would you suffer it ?
Would you not be filed with painful ankle
tv if your wife and children drank quart a
week What, in your judgment, is the
character, and what are the prospects, in
any important respects, of a village or town
of 266 families, when there is on an average
drank in each, one quart of liquors, of the
strongest intoxicating qualities? How dare
you, then, be the instrument of so great q
calamity? speak to your heart and con-
! science. This is the most favorable sappo-
sition that can be made: yet you know that
it is impossible for your 5000 gallons to be
SO equally divided.
Since the Temperance Reformation COM
menced, you know that great change has
taken place in the habits of sober and de-
cent people; especially in our town and vi
cinity. One third ofthe families have aban-
doned the practice Of drinking, entirely
and one third of the remainder do not use
more than one sixth part Of the amount
which they formerly did. Making these
deductions, your 5000 gallons will he dis.
tributed as follows: To one third of 266
families-S6, none. To one third, one sixth
part of one third-166 gallons. To the re-
mainder 1884 gallons-32 gallons to each ;
which is little less than three gills daily,