Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-02-24
IRELANp.-Intempefance.

Out ny tue t1enryS, It's iiie-blOOd ANNA IV
drained off by the absentees, and its remain.
ing substance devoured BY terrific and in.
satiabie pauperlsm. it would be miracle. il
TINS island were not one of the poorest and
most degraded spots in christendom. Butall
these causes OF its unparalleled Indebtedness
are cast in the shade. by the rayages OF
strong drink Bad and oppressive as the
whole system Of political economy is, in Ire.
land, if the demon Of incompetence could
be cast out. there would still be bread
enough and to spare for its great population.
while the condition OF the people, in every
other respect, would be infinitely improved.
intemperance is not like famine, or pesti-
lence, or any other single-handed enemy
which marches through land and leaves
IT, It's name is "legion," and its waves of
lire never cease to roll There lie beneath
the sparkling OF intoxicating liquors. all the
poison Of adders; all The Internal agencies
Of bodily torture; all the elements OF pau.
perism, insanity, and crime; and all the
burnings Of hell. Horribly toruring and
debasing every where; intemperance is pre-
eminently SO in Ireland, owing to the power
ty OF the country, and other kindred aggra-
vations. 1t is the garment OF Nessus, tat
tered indeed, but saturated with venom
which no constitution could resist; and il
must be torn of. or il will calcine the bones,
which famine has left bare and dry
The documents on which chiefly rely,
to bear me ont in these strong statements,
are contained in the Parliamentary Ell.
denees. on Drunkenness, taken before rery
respectable Committee of Tie House of Com.
mons, in The month IF June and July 1884
This was after the temperance reform had
been introduced and made considerable pro.
gress, chiefly in the north OF Ireland; and
since then. vigorous efforts have been made,
by a few individuals. to carry forward the
work; but from all the inquiries could
make, when was there, and from all that
have been able to learn since, am afraid
that the state OF the island at large, in this
respect, is very little better than il has been
for the las, ten years.
In 1928, the consumption Of distilled spir-
its. in Ireland, according TO the Excise Of.
fee returns. was 100000 of gallons
Besides this, q very large quantity must be
put down TO the score Of illicit distilIation,
which no vigilance Of the government has
yet been able TO suppress. In the Parlia-
mentary papers for 1928, ii is stated, that AT
period when 100000 Of gallons were
charged with duty, 100000, in opinion Of
the Revenue committee, were really made.
In another case, subsequent to this, where
5000 600 were charged, it was believed H.
100000 were distilled For some reason
however. which does not appear. Professor
Edgar estimates the private dstillaiion, in
1928. at only 100000 gallons. which, add
ed to the 100000 paying duty. makes
l2,500.000; and this. by the addition of wa
ter in the vaults and shops, raised il to at
least A,O00,000. The cost, TO the consum-
ers, could not have been less than nine
shillings per gallon, or f6, 100000 sterling.
AT the annual meeting Of the Hibernian
Temperance Society in Dublin, held on the
10Th Of June, 1885, it was stated by John
Mackay, Esq. that no less sum, than screen
million OF pounds was expended on whis-
key, in 1888. Taking this as q fair esti-
mate. of the present consumption. in Ireland.
the annual cost of liquid FIRE which goes
down into her vitals. and up 10 the throne of
reason. is S35,000,000
But this is not all In 1886, there were
PAS brewers in Ireland whose consumption
of malt was l.s29,5s7 bushels. The pro-
duet of this, must have cost the consumers
from three to four million Of dolars-so
that, including wines, large quantities of
which are drank by the higher class in Ire.
land, the aggregate cost OF intoxicating H.
quors must exceed S4O,O00,000i Now sup
pose this money were thrown into the Irish
channel, the loss would amount in ten years.
to S40O00O,000i Is it strange that there
are two million and half OF paupers in
Ireland The wonder is. how any thing
can still be left to be consumed. by those
tartarean fires, which have SO long ravaged
the island
But where do the 100000 gallons of
ardent spirits come lrom2 What substances
in nature are put TO the torture, in order TO
I'll these fountains, and furnish these peren-
NAL streams Of liquid poison2 Not the
vintagcs Of France and Italy, nor the cane
crops of the West Indies. nor the fruits of
the orchards; but the staff Of hfe ITSELF
Yes. the grain. the bread which should feed
the furnishing millions of Ireland, is taken
from their mouths. and converted into fiery
liquid, to madden and burn them up, soul
and body together. am not able, at this
moment to put down the average product.
in whiskey from single bushel Of grain.
-Four gallons however, believe, is rather
above, than below, a fair estimate Reck-
oning it nj four gallons, it takes 100000
bushels Of bread stuf!s. TO make l4,0000O0
gallons Of "lquid fire and distilled damna-
Iion.p TO this add the 1923, 567 bushels Of
malt. which the brewers consume and you
have 1929, 597 bushels of grain. from the