New-York daily tribune., 1842-08-12
Causea ofIuten.perance.

The bighting scourge OF lntemperance stalks
through the land selecting its victims among all
Glasses and, whan once fastened upon them, rarely
leaves them, until thas dragged them down through
career offoly madness and disease, into the grave
! The heart.breakirg grief OF famles-of wives and
children, and thousand moral and physical woes
aud miseres accompany ii. We want radical
remedy for this moral plagus.-Cannot one be
found? To answer this question, must
anime the causes which produce Intemperance.
Intemperance, like Poverty, Vice and Crime, is
the result of false system of Society. Intem-
perance is an Eject and if we wish to eradicate
it, we must eradicate the Causes which produce
it. There are four principal causes of drunken
ness we viii examine them, and show how they
can be removed. and with them ons of the de-
plorabe evils of our false Societies
Great efforts are making by the Temperance
Societies 20 effect Temperance Reform, but their
efforts can only be partially successful because they
merely combat the Effect they do not aim at up
roofing the Causes. The good and great results
which those Societies producing may also
be but temporary, for if in ten twenty years hence
the present Temperance movement dies away, In
|
prevalent ever.
The error which people commit is wish to
effect one-sded or partial reforms they wish to
do away with isolated Evils without going TO the
foundation of them they wish to correct, as we
said, mere Effects, and leave the Causes un
touched, which reproduce the same effects:
they the stalk and leave the roots, which bring
forth new stalks again.
We will first examine the primary causes of
Drunkenness, and then briefly show how the causes
and the effect can DC extrpated together. This in
quiry is one of interest and Importance We will
show that Association offers a remedy for the
scourge of Drunkenness,-and a remedy which
will be radical and permanent.
The first cause of Drunkenness is prolonged,
dreary and monotonous Labor, without change or
relief. The lower orders of the Laboring Mass
toll constantly without variety or diversion at re-
pugnant rounds of Labor-some in dirty and con-
fined manufactures and workshops; others on
canals, often in the mud and water others again
the lonely ocean, enduring every hardship, and
living in manner unsuited to brutes; and others
in ways equally as oppressive, which exhaust, de-
grade and wear them out, in body and soul.
The portion of the Laboring Mass, of which we
have spoken, have scarcely any moral and intel
ectual pleasures and occupations, and few or no
varied and agreeable Social Relations The hu-
man Heart demands, however, and demands I'm
periously, variety, excitement, pleasing occupa-
tious, enthusiasm and cougcniei Social ReiarIons.
The Labering Glasses are Men; the same Divine
Spark which animates the most favored beings in
Society, animates their toi-worn frames they tee
instinctively the aspirations OF the human Soul;
they want some Happiness some Delights, but
they cannot obtain them; life is a blank as to
! tp,l lna
inebratng cup is before them; it procures con-
fused and brutal excitement, but an excitement
which is not without certain exhilration and
exaltation and it brings for the time forgelfulness
of, and indifference TO, the various evils which
press upon them.
Is it surprising that men who are deprived of all
pleasures s.-hat of exaltation and gay excitement,
which the mind at times so strongly requires,
whose lives arc u OF care and depression,
should take to the intoxicating bowlf No, 1t Is
net and 20 long as the condition of the Laborng
Mass is not improved and elevated SO long as they
are not relieved from overburthening labor and
harassng cares. so long will tho FIRST Glass ot
Drunkards-Me Drunkdrds Of Aonotonous Toll
exist.
The second cause Of Drunkenness is to be found
in Habit and Example. Drunkards of this class
are composed of men belonging to all classes OF
society, and who, from being constantly invited to
drink, and having liquor before them ut the dinner
table, in meetings, parties Sc, acquire gradually
| the habit of it. With time the stomach becomes
accustomed TO the artificial stimulus, and cannot
only, not do without it, but the dose must be IN
creased to make up for the wearing out of the sys-
tenn and the maintenance of equilibrium.
This class of Drunk;lrds can be reformed il
the temptation be taken out of the way-it they
can be induced early 10 abstain from exciting
drinks, so that the habit is not contracted-ihey
can easily be diverted from the ruin that awaits
! them. With this class the temperance Societies
can easily succeed but with the ether classes, they
mast first ex,rpale the causes to obtain q general
| and permanent success.
The third cause of Drunkenness is to be found
in the dsappointmenrs, despair, detection, and
terrible violations of feelings. which are produced
by sudden ruin and of fortune, by failures
| in undertakings, By want of success and loss OF
hone after pro,racted efforts, by lhwarted ambition,
bad conduct Of childten, &c, &c
Our sscieries are subject 10 constant revulsons
and changes The Rich are often precipitated from
atiiuence into poverty; they are also frequently
disappointed in their children, who turn out gam
bers, drunkards, criminals: hope IN hte Is lost,
] and trouble, the desire of forgettulness or the
want of excitement, drive many 10 the iata cup.
! Other persons, gain, are contendiDs against the
chances of fortune; they spend the best part of
! their lives in endeavoring to attain some desired
end, but without success period ut length ar
rves when the energy of the soul is broken when
they lose hope and gave up; apathy and prostra-
ton follow, and ntemperance, or some other vice,
makes them its victim. Persons, from these and
various other causes, are overwhelmed BY disaP-
pointmen,, and sink into deJectior and despair; q
fearful crisis then generally follows; some are
saved BY Religion, become hypocoadriaca,
some even crazy. commit suicide this is
more common in France than in this country