The Columbian fountain., 1845-11-20
THE COLUMBIAN FOUNTAIN
THURSDAY MORNING, NOV. 20, ls45,
TO DEALERS.


We believe you (many of yon) to be sin
cerc, but mistaken; and il is on this account
that we feel willing TO labor with you, in o.
der to show that you are doing wrong.
When this is done, we shall expect you to
desist from doing what we noac know to be
wrong, and what you then will feel to be
so. We now come to notice your excuse
for trading in the article.
]. You say that it is useful in its place,
ale, therefore, you may sell it.
We will admit it, for the time, that this
is ccr.ect. Then all you can make out of
this assertion and admission is this !: You
are to sell it in its place, or, for right use.
What is the right user We answer, only
as medicine, and not as a beverage This,
we think, we have clearly shown in our
previous assertions, which you admit. Look
them over again, in orr last number. Well,
then, arsenic is useful in its place, and,
therefore, You may sell it in, but not out OF
paw, ~ III TaSHt uoC--llot loI mWOpCT
purposes. The latter you know TO be true
the former is equally true. Look at it fairly
and candidly, and you will admit it. So
you see, here you have no excuse for sell
ing it as beverage.
Again, you say, it may be used moder-
ately and will do no harm. We will admit
this, to please you, for the present. So may
arsenic. Intoxicating drinks have been used
moderately, and still did great harm in form
ing an appetite, the indulgence Of which has
led to all the crimes, wretchcdncss, misery
and disaster, of which we have spoken in
our former numbers therefore you have no
excuse. But you say j! is perfectly harm
less, if men do not touch it. So we say.
Well, then, you keep out of harms way, by
not touching it, and use your influence to
keep others from it. But you say men
ought to be masters of their appetites, and
therefore we are not accountable for what
others do. Now this we deny; and if we
should press this principle home upon you,
that is involved in the assertion that you are
not accountable for what others do under
your agency or influence, we, think you
would draw back and retract--you are not
to throw stumbling block in the way OF
any-men have their reason to be acted OH
by argument-their apPettes to be acted up
on by things with which the appeiites have
to do. Now, if you present to the reason
ing powers of any one, arguments to bias
his judgment in favor of wrong and dam
gerous principles, out Of which would, as a
necessary consequence, flow bad practice,
are you not accountable Or if you C,av-
ing it in your power afford him informa-
tion with regard to wrong opinions, or bad
practices, refuse to give him this inforna-
ton, are you not accountable 7 If you have
under your control and at your disposal, the
means of creating or pampering his appe-
tite, and you place them in his way, are you
not accountable' You must admit you are.
Take care, then, how you say you are not
accountable for the conduct of others
We will suppose case in point. An in
divldual comes to you for vial of lauda-
nun, or a paper Of arsenic-you feel con-
fdent, in your own mind, from something
you see in the person that applies, or from
- . II K Il
what you have heard, that suicide is in
tended to be committed. The evidence you |
have is sufficient to produce conviction that
mischief is intended. You sell 1.-THE mis-
chief is done. Are you accountable? You
know you are Where is, then, your ex-
cuse on this ground?
But you. perhaps, from the fact that men
have been trading in this article so long,
and it has been tolerated and licensed, and
is still tolerated and licensed, feel yourself
clear This is no excuse, because there are
many things tolerated by the law, and tol-
Grated by the people, that are wrong, as you
will admit: and that this is the fact, we have
only need to call up your own judgment to
decide in the case. Therefore this is no ex-
cuse. The fact is, there can be no excuse