Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-06-05

active industry. Hence every member
Of the community is interested in increas-
ing the means for remunerating the la
borer, that they become AS abundant as
possible. The prosperity and Increasing
wealth Of a Nation, furnish the richest
rewards to the laborer, and are an in
ducement to activity and diligence in the
active pursuits Of life. The mere con-
sumner hangs as a continual discourage
lnent upon tho active industry of the
country. The truth Of this principle
may be illustrated by adverting to such
judgments upon the fruits of the field as
produce a scarcity: here is a consumer,
but it is beneficial to the public. Have
patriots or christians ever desired the
visits of blast or mildew on the fruits of
the field, for the purpose Of creating a
consumption, or making market for the
surplus produce of the laborer' The To-
Gusts and caterpilars Of Egypt, were
consumers, but no blessing to the Ma
tion. BY the unalterable laws of God,
labor is the source whence our wants are
to be supplied, and without it the world
would be depopulated. In savage life,
labor is limited and supplies scanty; la
Dor does not 60 beyond the production
of mere nee essaries; yet something in
the form Of labor does exist, and no Ma
tion can exist without it, The grave
would hardly be more barren Of supplies
for the wants Of life, than the earth with
out the aids of active industry. To dis
continue the traffic in ardent spirit would
increase the wealth of the Nation almost
beyond calculation. In n few years the
value Of our lands would be doubled
purchasers would be multiplied, active
labor greatly incre ased, and wealth ac-
cumulating for the useful purposes of life.
New investments and applications OF
capital would give elasticity to mind
and enterprise in action; these in their
turn would become accumulative and
seek new investments for purposes ben
eficial to the public. Railroads and
Canals, would bring into commercial
nearness, the most distant parts Of the
land; means Of instruction in the useful
arts Of life, would be furnished and di-
rected to the improvement Of the intel
lectual and moral powers Of man. 1t is
not within the scope of my design to car
ry out in statistical detail, the effects OF
suppressing the traffic in ardent spirit,
neither could it come within the limits
prescribed for this essay; all that can be
done here is to present general princi-
pies, leaving the details and the applica-
ton ofthem for others.
Probably more than one hundred mil
lions Of dollars has been lost annually to
these United States, for succession OF
years, in this traffic; it is total loss, and
whether it be more or less than the COM
putation here made, is Of little moment
to the patriot or the christian. We can
not here follow out the demoralizing ef:
fects Of the traffic upon the community
three fourths Of the crime of the land
three iourths Of the expense Of our Grim
lnal code, three fourths Of the oeeurren
ces which jeopardize life and propert,
by night and by day, by sea and by
land, and three fourths Of all the miser,
which the righteous retrbution of infinite
Justice visits on our land, is the ofsprin!
OF this traffic. These effects merely OIL
the financial concerns Of the country
must arrest the attention of every patriot
he must act, and he will act till thes,
streams Of desolation are dried at thei
fountain. Temperance is the means t.
produce the change, the redeeming pow
er which alone can accomplish tn
work. by this, thousands of drunk ard
hn 10, al oct 81 a1
of free drinkers saved from a drunka p
end. by this, vast numbers Of the idle
the profligate, and the abandoned viii
be turned to honest and useful employ
ment. BY this,o aims houses, our pen
itentiaries, our jails and our state prisons
will be converted into apartments 70
free, useful, and profitable industry -
by this, many families will be taken fror
the sinks of degradation, and misery
and restored to comfort, and to compe
tence, and instructed in the useful art
of life. Legislators should begin thi
work and place this traffic on the con
traSand list, as filled with contagion t
the community. Such an act of prohi
bltion on the traffic would soon chang
the whole aspect Of things; prosperit
= would be written on all the employmen,
, Of men, and give stability and perpetuit
$ to the Government: forty thousand pub
8 lie prosecutions for crimes would be say
e ed for single year, at an expense q
q two millions Of dollars an army of per
sloners on public charity, and officers ft
. executing the penalties Of law upo
0 transgressors, would be disbanded, an
? seek useful and productive employ men
Q 1t was said Of one of the former Kings {
s England, that during his reign, "non
e needed the public charity, because non
{ were idle" The emphatic lanpuage {