Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-02-18
Having himself dealt ont, while in prosperous
trade, hdn6reds of hogsheads of intoxicating
1;cuoro I'm, bao r;ohf A.,

Having himself dealt ont, while IN prosperous
trade, hdndreds of hogsheads of intoxicating
liquors, he has a right to Say
8 Lift up yonr voice Of warningto those who
are commencing this downward course: point
cot 10 them the horrible destiny that awaits
them. Expostulate with the rumseller who
is disseminating disease and death.
Deal with him kindly, and demonstrate
with him plainly and with feelings Of friend
ship. 1t is moral suason thatis crowned with
victory: statutes will nat do it.
"Peopic who love liberty and independ-
ence, and who have long enjoyed popular
They must be extricated, persuaded: appeals
should be mado to their consciences, to their
better feelings for the good Of their fellow
man.
"Rigid laws have been enacted, and when
enforced more evil than good has been the re-
suit. These have been thoroughly tried in
Massachusetts, under the fifteen gallon law,
until the best part of the community was sat.
sfed of its inutility.
"Take all the laws on this subject as they
now stand and they are calculated not to dis
courage but actually to encourage the selling
and use Of strong drinks. Your taverns,
wholesale and retailers are licensed to keep
and vend the poison, Better, far better, have
no laws on the subject; and would that they
were all wiped from the book. We should
then have better access to the feelings, consci-
ence and reason Of the rnmseller. We could
plead with them by the cries Of the widows
and the orphans they have made; by the dis
eases and premature deaths they have caused;
by the horror of that conscience that will haunt
them in a dying hour; and that retributon
that awaith the ungodly.'
The man who yepds intoxicating drinks un-
der license or the sufferance Of the law feels
no accountability for the consequences if he
does not dc al out the poison himself, some one
else will not fail to do i, under the sanction Of
the law and if the inebriatc shall commits SUI
icide, or abuse and even murder his family, so
many have license OF some sort for selling,
that no one feels responsibility as a secondary
cause Of the crime. Let all laws be repealed
on the subject of vending liquors; and let as
sociations be formed Of such as have been in
temperate with others willing to encourage the
change-such associations as have already
been formed in many cities and towns and we
will soon find that q rectiied and purified pub
lie sentiment will enforce what the regulations
of government have failed and must always
fail to accomplish. In view Of such state OF
society as the Punishment Of drunkenness must
and will produce, the lecturer from whom we
have just quoted says
''Who that observes the signs Of the times
that looks abroad upon the world. and con-
templates the moral Improvements that are in
pe.ations-pariicularly the wonderful prog
ress of the Total Abstinence cause.-the
strength it is gaining, not only in America but
throughout the world-the surprising rapidly
and majesty with which it moves forward;
without thinking this very work may be the
harbinger Of that period called the Millennium,
and destined to be one of the efficient means of
its introduction! That blessed period is 10 be
characterized by the universal prevalence of
good order, social happiness. peace, piet,. and
the spread Of The Gospel throughout the world.
lis not, then, this wonderful temperance
reform lending Almighty influence towards this
mighty resulia
"Take out of the world all the misery Of
which intemperance is either directly or indi-
rectly the cause, and the change would be SO
great that for moment you would almost for
get that the earth was still laboring under the
origina! curse.
take away all the vice. crime and misery
caused by intsmperance, and It would almost
seem as if the sholy Jerusalem had descended
out of Heaven to dwell with men.
Limit your views to single neighborhood
or ringle city, and suppose intemperance TO
be entirely banlshed, and imagine the great
ness Of the change; then extend your views
all over the world, and then suppose this ref
ormation TO have become universal, and TO have
done its perfect work; and say whether such
an influence would not have direct bearing
in bringing forward that momentous event!'