Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-11-30
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

| We ask our readers To pcruSe and re -pcruse
The following article. Once reading Is not
enough. II is n sound view olthc mritcr ~
debate, and gives ~ a higher idea of The in
lelleci oi Chesterfield, than any of his writings
we have cvct seen Mark the language.
l"Paatablc poSons," "aril.ls IN slaughter ~
These terms convey strong men Of h- alb
hrrcnce Of the Icgulzing Of the traffic
Bosioa Record,r.
! Hear what Lord Chesterfield snid in the
lousc of Lords, Feb. 81 l7l3. on the celc.
bra,cd gin act-"Luxnry, my lords. Is to be
taxed, but vice prohibited, let the difficulties
~ executing The law DO what they will
would yon lay n tax upon u breach Of The ten
commandments Would no, such Il tax be-
wicked aud sCnHdalous because /. would
imply an Indulgence TO all those who could
pay The tax ? Wee, my lords, is mol proper
ly to be taxed. but suppressed, and heavy
taxes are sumctlm"s the only means by
which that suppression can BE- obtained
Luxury, my lords. or the excess of that which
Is only prrnicIous by rs excess, n,nv be very
properly iaxrd. that such excess, though not
strictly unlawful, may be- made more di;cull
But the usc of those things which are simply
hurtful IN their own nature. and ~ every de-
gre", is To- be prohibited. None, my lords,
ever heard ~ any nation. of Il tax upon theft
or adultery. because tax implies a license
granted for the use of that which is taxed to
all who shalt he willing I" pay IT,
"Drnnkcnnrss. my lords, is universal, and
III oil nnstauces an evil, aud iher, fore
ought not Ia be taxed but punished"
"l'hc noble lord (Ic went on to rcmarkl
has been kindly pleased to inform us, that
The trade of dIslIlIug is very extensive" that
II employs great numbers, and that they
have arrived nj exquisite skill, and therefore
-nOic well The conscqurncc--ihe trade of
dlstilng ~ not 10 be discouraged Once
more, my lords, allow m" 10 wonder ai the
ilerrnt conceptions Of different understand.
Ings. ltnpp"ais 20 me. that since the spirits
which The d,tlI erS produce arc allowed To
rnieebc tho lrmbs. aud vltaic The blood To
pcrvert the heart, and obscure tn" intellect,
that The number Ot dIslirrs should be DO ar.
gUmrRt in their layor for | never Bcard
that law against theft was repealed or de-
laycd because thieves were numerous. |;
appears TO me, my lords, tha, il 80 formidable
n body are cuu'drratCd against The virtue or
The lives Of their fellow. ciiIz.ns It is time tn
put an cnd 10 the havoc, aud 10 Inierpusc,
while II Is yet ~ our power, To stop the de-.
structon. SO little, my lords, am | affected
with the rperlis Of the wonderful sklll which
The dislIers ae said To have attained, that It
IL, in my opinion, no facility Of great use To
mankind, to prepare palalab.G pol,Ons nor
shalI ever contribute my lnteres, for The re-
prlovc Of u murde 'cr, because he has by long
practice obtained grca, dcXtcrl,y IN his trade.
u their liquors are so delicious that the pco.
pie are tempted to their own ruin, let us nj
length, my lords, secure lhem from this fatal
draughl, by bursting the walls ihn, contain
them. Let us crush At once these artists ~
slaughter. who have reconclcd their county
men, 10 sickness and to ruin. and spread over
the PIT falls OF drbauchcry. such bats as can
not be resisted. am vcIy lar, my lords
from thinking, that there are this year any
peculiar reasons for ,oc.atng murdcr.-nn
can conceive Why the manuisctory should
he held sacred now, n it is to be destroyed
hereafter"
Such plain language aud such close IN.
dcrslandug Of the true cause oi the evils OF
before The dav dawn at rn-
hodicd temperance efforts had gladdencd our
country aud the world, are enough to put the
ignorance ol some of our temperance men of
The present day 10 the blush. TnE TRUTH
" TOLD wv htAkN AUD nlS was tue IHii-
guage that was then used these were the
truths then proclaimed had there brcu
moral courage aud virtue sufficient io hnvr
acted up to these truths, run would long
since have heen banIsbcd from every Chris
llan land. where tie Jrnon OF Iulrmpcrnucc
had planted his clovcn foot. But the world
was not then wise enough ~ receive those
" lnlrsomc truths. or else the love of gan
irIumphcd over the conyIciions of their
aud unless we act up Ia
'ur conviciion. tins generation Will BE-
hut lule tho hotter hr thus knowledgp I'll
They do not reduce Il To pracIicn-.-if n they d"
'ri IT 'ncr and for ever proc LAIN that drunk.
Dn,ss is pic,. and one of The uora Of oh
ricrs Aud We" ~ nui io be iaXrd. bu' pun
slpd. Aud Why slrruld u be- delayed b"
rRusc tuuisr ll"rs arr uunerou.: The Sirune.
- argument ihi-. that their work ~ death
h. ND b" ,p'"f'ly pm = stop iu !, ~ our
w'ih 10 stop tbesc h,eas,d GoVdgal alcs Of