The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-06-16

We are now to ask whether these usa-
ges are necessary or usefml! Unless
they can show some offset to the vast a
mount of evil which they occasion, they
ought, surely, to be ruled out of court.
But is any one prepared to maintain
that they are HeceSSary-that 1t is nee
essary or even usciul that men should
use Intoxicating liquors as a beverage ?
Do they add vlgor to muscle, or strength
to intellect, or warmth to the heart, or
rcctitude to the conscience The expe-
rience Of thousands and even millions,
has answered this question. In almost
every age and quarter of the world, but
especially within the last twenty-five
years, and in our own land many have
made trials of entire abstinence from all
that can intoxicate. How few of them
will confess that they suffered from
it, either in health of body, or elasticity
of spirits, or energy and activity of mind
How many will testify, that in each OF
these respects, they were sensible gain
ers from the time they renounced the
use of all alcoholic stimulants
But if neither useful nor necessary
can it be coutendcd that these drinking
customs are harmless Are they not
crpeaSicc? Many moderate drinker
did be reckon up accurately the cost O
this indulgence. would discover that il
forms one ofhis heaviest burdens. No tax
es says Franklin, are so oppressive az
those which men levy on themselves
Appetite and fashion-vanty and osten
tation-constitute our most rapaciou
tax gathercrs 1t is computed by Mr
Potter, an English statstician of distin
guished ability, but Of no special inter
est in the subject which we are now dis
cussing, that the iaLOring people O
Great Britain, exclusive of the mddl
and higher classes, expend no less tha
E53,000,000 $3.50 000,000) every yeai
on alcoholic liquor and tobacco Their
is little doubt that the amount, d
rectly or indirectly, consumed in Penn
sylvaniat annually, for the same indu
gence, equals Sl0000000-a sum whicl
could it be saved for four successiy
years, would pay the debt which no
hangs, like an incubus, on the energie
= =" My companion at the press" say
Franklin, speaking of his life as jou
neyman printer, London, "drank ever
e day a pint before breakfast, pint ,
breakfast, with his bread and cheese,
\ pint between breakfast and dinner, pin
5 at dinner, a pint in the afternoon abol
u six o'clock, and another when he ha
J. done his days work | thought it a d
testable custom but it was necessar
: he supposed, to drink strong beer, tn
: he might be strong to labor | endea
e ored to convince him that the bodi
strength afforded by beer could only
e in proportion to the grain or flour of Il
If barley dissolved in the water of whi'
> it was made that there was more flo
v in penny worth Of bread, and thel
{. fore, if he could eat that with pint
water, it would give him more streng
e than quart of beer. He drank c
, however. and had four or FIVE shillin
to pay out Of his wages every Saturd
night for that vile liquor an expeu
which / WAS free from and thus M'
lie poor degils keep MemSelveS aiicays n
g. der."-See DIR, Faanklin's Life, writ
of by himself
&c In western Pennsylvania, one of I
n most valuable products is bituminC
- coal. Great quantities are sent do
Ms the Ohio, and are paid for in whiskey.
en- was informed by distinguished eiti2
a. of that part of the State, that eyC
year shows balance against the proc
&c GERS of coal, and in favor of the dis
y lers