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

OF druggists and oil the medical faculty .
and attendants should find full employ
ment, the business become extended the |
revenue increased till one half of the po-
pulation Of the country was required for
administering relief to the wants of the |
other half; would the Government be
psoliited? Would this ben wise system
Of political economy? Just so far as the
moral or physical energies OF people
are diseased or palsied by the acts Of the
Government, just so far the Government
is " weakening, impoverishing and running
itself In this respect, what is true Of
single family is true Of Nation; as we'll
might the father Of d family imagine that
he was accumulating wealth from traf-
fc which should bring idleness, profit
gacy, disease and death within his own
doors, as a Government could imagine
itself deriving beneficial revenue from a
traffic producing similar consequences
upon its own citizens. Take another
view of the same general principles, of
revenue from human suffering merely as
question Of political economy. Suppose
the Government barters the lives, the
health, the means Of usefulness of its
subjects for gain. A revenue is derived
from the traffic, human scalps or amputa-
ted limbs, by supposition, are in gre at de-
mand in foreign market; the Govern
ment possessed the po,ver "to enforce The
,crong, dooms and derotes us subjects as
their la,gful prey" furnishes that market
till the avails should fill the Governmen mt
Treasury to overAowing, would it be a
saring policy for the Nation? Their en-
ergies crippled and all their powers pal
sled, the remainder, helpless, miserable,
wretched remnants of humanity, charge
on public charity, and objects Of pity at
which even savage mercy would weep
tears of blood. Apply the illustration to
the effects which ardent spirit is produce
ing in the land, and these facts are but
family represented. 1t is ascertained
that thirty thousand die annually in the
United States by intemperance, proba-
bly, many more. A portion of these are
tor time cast on the public for support.
The loss to the community Of the labor
of each, for single year, is at least fifty
dollars, which he might have earned
more than the supply of his own wants.
BY this traffic he is made pensioner on
the public to like amount Thirty
! thousand of such cases would cause q
loss Of three millions of dollars annually
If the Government has gained in reve :.
aue, it has granted no equivalent to the
victims of the traffic.
| Another argument in favor Of this traf-
iic is, that producers might be multiplied
to an injurious extent, were it not for q
class Of consumers 1t is said that what
was not likely to be consumed, would
not be produced; the argument is an old
one, and is simply this, the producer will
not apply his labor to supply his own
wants and increase his own comforts, un-
less he can apply portion Of his pro-
} duce to support the idle and the profit
f gate; fact is assumed in this case
! which has nothing to support it, Exam
ination will prove the reverse Of the pro-
position, the assumed fact is mere delu-
sion.
Six years ago, there were in the coua-
:. ty of Hampshire, Massachusetts, about
. forty distilleries; the county contains a
, bout thirty thousand inhabitants. AT
many Of these distilleries, there were
consumed annually for each one, seve-
raj thousand bushels of grain. These
have ceased TO operate, and our grain
bears a higher price uniformly than
when they were in operation. What is
true in that country, is true elsewhere;
we may discover reason why it is so.
The mere consumer does nothing to ben
, eft the producer. Like the horse leach,
he cries give; like the devouring ele.
ment, he makes no return. 1.-The re-
8 turns an equivalent for what he receives,
, it is the fruit of others labor, and might
{ as well have passed to the hands of the
9 producer, without his interference, as
with it; all he possesses is as pensone,
e on the bounty Of others, reaping where
: he has not sown, and gathering where
he has not strewed.
o Again, no Government has ever actet
= on the principle that class Of mere con
!, sumers is necessary or useful, and suci
d a class has never existed but as objects
: Of compassion or of dread. If such clas
: be necessary, the true policy Of th'
e Government would be to designate then
: with reference to their moral charact er
e and that their number be such as woul,
s produce the greatest amount Of labor t,
d the Nation. The principle, as bearing
e on the economy Of the Nation, may b
n seen under the inquiry, who remunerate
c The producer for what is furnished to tn,
!; mere consumer? 1t is very evident tha
IS the mere consumer cannot, for he ha
II nothing to pay with; the answer may b.
: the Government. And who is the Gov
y eminent in this connexion, and what i