Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-05-29
TIE ADDRESS,
10 Tho People Of Virginia.
FELLow CITIZENS:

!. JRc H'c " P"HH""' ''f''"'
beccr0grs is mol a;eccS@try, or coadu'
ciice 10 AcalMi Gai, on Tie contrary, is
a prolific so4rcc gr disease mil dcatA.
II. TIE R>e IF spirituo@ HQaors as
beverages, is u mast fr@iyal source 9f
immwality and crime.
III. Tie consumption gfspirif"o@s
Eqaors is trrrragrs, produces a rast
amonat If mdigrncc, abso1atc peRpcr-
;su., md personal sgiBsvingt from ranG
and is cmiacuAy destrnctiec cfa reH
regulated and prosperous polittcM G.
con0my.
If either Of these propositions be
true, tho inference is obvious, that the
legal prohibition of the traffic in spi,
rituons liquors would be wise and pro-
per. We think we shall moi fail to
demonstrate that they arc all true.
". IKe &aH mrite yOw c0alid cr-
animation Of a. fee Of Mf prominent
protects md dpolQgjcs Of @hch Me
dde0cotcs of this traffic utnally prcdi-
cute Mcir .just1catiOn Of q.
Wca are aware, fellow citizens, that
some venerable notions, and honorcd
customs, prevailing in the "Old Do
miuion," will be shocked by the bold
ness Of these propositions. They will
he mathematical as unlloly infrac-
lions Of the cardinal cannns of old
virginiu cheer. The effort to drive
The drmijohn from tho sidcboar'l. and
the wine cup from the social circle,
where. they have been cherished as
hnGsehold gods, time immcmorial, will
he 10 3ounced as n tanatical invasion
Of personal aud private rights, over
which the arm Of the civil law has no
right fiji Jurisdiction. We qro advised
of all this. But no length Of antiquity
eau consecraie vice. The truth should
be needed befnre error, however for
tilted by the sanctions OLA fascinating
bit really pernicinps aud criminal hos
pi,alily. Disrcgar,iing, therefore, the
dictates ofprcjudicr, VIC appeal 10 the
reason and understanding, and pro-
coed To the discussion of the perniei-
ous and, Disastrous Influences aud ef-
iects of the use Of spiiiiuul!s LIQUORS
and ha:LlilI-
Il may be urged that these are sub
.ietts proper only for the consideration
of Psychologists aud physisiats, But
although you may not be skilled in
tho science of physiology, nor ac-
quainlctl with the leclmicaliiies ofthc
m3d;ctl art, Jet you are capable of
forming opinions from matters otper-
sunaI observation aud therefore we
may properly enqrlirc-wllat means
the physical relaxation Of the stagger.
ing druukarl : wEat mean his loss of
reason and right pcrception,!-his vo-
ciferous and prolilnc babblings Ibis
reckless and ungon,lcmanliko dcmea,
nor! What mean. the horrible distor-
,ions of mind aud body rfod,!ced by
mania a potaa What mean the brutal
aspect aud. dying agonics Of tho habit
ual drunkur,l What mean all these
things, if the use Of spirituuus liquors
be not permciuus! ltdocs not require
the skill of IA physician 10 answer.
Moreover we may appeal to chem,
ical analysis. Ths result is alcohol.
Apply the same rv,t 10 this, and you
ascertain the component parts Of al-
cohol to be hy,irogca, carbOa and arg.
gen, in the proportion of nearly 10, SO
aud IS 10 the hundred. The. final re-
suit, therefore, is poison, subtle, Sc
we're, aid fatal.
1t is well known, that in alcohol
there is not Il particle of nutriment.-
1t is utterly indigestiblc. We repeat
that such an article, used as bove-
rage, must be destructive Of health
a,iil life.
But the medical faculty have ad.
dressed themselves to the subject and
given to the world the result Of their
Investigations. They inform US tint
when any nutriment. adapted to the
constitution, IS received into the sto-
mach, It undcrgocs certain and ne
ccssary preparation. When this pre-
parationis accomplished there arc ccr.
tain vessels which take up the nutri-
mcnt, uirti distribute ii through every
region Of the system, giving to each
component purl thereof, as it passes
around, that which is adapted to its
naturc aud sustenancc to the bones,
10 the muscles, to the skin--to each
its "porion in due season." But when
alcohol IS ,akcn into the stomach it
rcsists all modification, 1t is seized
by these distributing agencies, and as
it is successfully presented by them,
To each member and constituent of the
body, it meets with u prompt and un.
qualified rejection; aud thus it re-
mains, rapidly coursing through all
tho fountains aud streams of life, fcs.
tcring, poisoning, infamihg, unchang.
ed and Interchangeable, until it is ex-
PEELED through tho pores of tho skin,
bv the resistance Of nature. And.this
is the nutritious beverage which claims
and receives the protecting sanctions
of tho civil code Of this civilized and
,,I,r; E,i,,,, rnuunu wralih s,