Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-08-23
STATISTICS OF TEMPERANCE.

STATISTICS OF TEMPERANCE
Inc New fork Tribune of the Goth instant con-
ains an article on the subject of Temperance, which
- iui oil just reflections and important information
we present summary Of this article, under the
cohyicuon thatit cannot be too widely disseminated
ne evils resulting from spiitdrnking and the traffic in
intoxicating liquors had become 50 enormous and so over
wheinnpg ha, some general movement bad not taken
pace cneck 'hen eVl influence ruin desoaon seemed
ineV'ape' nc almost universal belief that Intoxicating
liquors. as beverage Were beneficial and necessary
was rapidly preparing not only the people Of these limited
States but the world, for universal intemperauce Now
most happily, this great deuson, which entced millions
of human beings to destruction, rapidly passing away the
experiment Of entire ABSTINENCE BEEN TESTED. and
millions have proclaimed their verdict that intoxicating
liquors, beverage beneficial, but always in
furious.
The Hon. b. +. BUTLER, late Attorney General Of the
United States after careful investigation Of the evils
resulting from the Of ardent spirits, found that the yearly
loss to the State of New York is eighteen millions Of dollars
and to the United States hundred and fifty millions of
dollars In this estimate Mr. Butler did not take
the evils resulting from the and traffic of the Infamous de-
cons and mixtures sold throughout land and called
wine those evils resulting from strong beer cider and
those other vile posons sold and drank under the allnng
loss to his calculations Could il be possible save all this
enormous waste Of property by the universal adoption of the
principle OF total abstinence it would according Mr. But
lers estimate, (ounded ardent spirits alone enable the
State OF New York to sustain debt five per inter
est, of about three hundred and fifty millions of dollars for
any rational public improvement, and debt Of
twenty hundred millions Of dollars same rate of
interest The State could make with this eighteen millions
heretofore wasted in rum fourteen hundred miles Of rail
road yearly Sl2 500 the mile, and the nation for the one
hundred and forty millions wasted and than wasted
eleven thousand five hundred miles of railroad YEARLY at
the cost
'sThese estimates may appear exavagan, but taking the
Union twenty millions, and estimating three
the average cost of strong drink each person per day.
would the Of two hundred and nine
teen millions of dollars yearly.
g The pecunary loss is a small consideration, in view Of
the moral blight which the sale and Of Intoxicating liquors
nc upon the community The debt of Great Britain not
quite thousand millions of pounds sterling In years.
taking the population thirty millions and the Of strong
drink three pence sterling per day each, would amount
81, 1868, 1850 600 sterling EGGS, 750, 900 than the
whole national debt There be but little doubt, would
the people of Great Britain abstain entirely for years from
the all intoxicating liquors. that the saving the whole
nation would be equal their present debt in capital alone
Why will political economists look these estimates
"The foregoing remarks and estimates have been elected
by the late interesting intelligence from Germany
"An the German societies at Hamburg have adopted the
pledge. Eight hundred German physicians in addition to
large number pledged have expressed themselves in favor of
abstinence The Rev. Mr. Seeling, efficient friend Of the
cause has preached, within eighteen months besides before
sundry assemblies in Protestant sections of the country in
venty Catholic churches consequence of which thirty thou
sand men, twenty thousand women, and than
twenty thousand scholars took the pledge The number Of
societies in Germany has increased within eighteen months
from four hundred and fifty up hundred and thirty
and probably more not including in this estimate Upper Se
and Posna In Upper Siesa where the evil not less
great than formerly Ireland Father Stephen Bezazaws
began temperance movement and already three hundred
thousand and have taken the pledge, partly
through him, partly through other clegymen. BY Upper
that there the entire Catholic clergy for it like man,
preaching from all the pupts total abstinence and already
one hundred thousand have given their pledge"
i The advantages, both social and national, which
necessarily flow from habits of temperance among a
peope, appear to too seevident to need insisting
on. The perversty of human nature, however, is
SO great, and the power of habit strong that the
cause of Temperance, though rapidly onward, has
4 yet long and arduous task to accomplish before
its full and final triumph. Its advocates will have
to heap line upon line and precept upon precept"
before their great and good work will be accomplish
! ed. Such statements as the above must set men to
thinking, and, from thoughts, wise and pro-
per action will be more or less produced.