Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-04-15

world was u,ei"nt,;..>----s..!s= - ::fngt :f.r
its vices and crimes before intoxicating drinks
were discovered Mr. Srhaifers speech
at The Industrial Congress. The most afro
ciuus crimes, in all ages have been commit
ted by mcn who seldom or never indulged
in the vice Of drunkenness. Monroe Ed
wards and Mitchell, among the forgers Pro-
fcssor Webster and Colt, among the murder
crs. and Otis Allen, Onc-Eycd Thompson,
and Niles, among the counterfritcrs and au-
daciUus criminals, were abstcmious men.
The statistics of crime in the city of New
York, referred to in the mi ority report, are
not entitled TO confidence. TO attribute dcs-
tituiion and vagraucy in a large city wholly
to Intoxicating liquors. bctrays either great
Ignorance or great dishonesty. In France
and Hungary, where wine constitutes the
ordinary beverage Of the people, drunken
ness is less common than in England or
America. The diffusion of education, and
moral suasion, are the great and only sue
crsslul mcanes of combating intcmpcrancc.
In confirmation of this truth, we have the
fact, that while in 1880 the quantity of whis-
Key distilled in this State amounted to H.,
973,Sl5 gallons, it appears by the census to
have been reduced to 9,23l,700 gallons in
the year lS5O-bcng a diminulion Of 2,742,
lis gallons in ten years, though the popua-
tion has increased over 81 per cent in the
same period But The violence and coercion
attempted BY the fanatics arc very likely to
produce Il reaction.
The minority report appeals to the Bible
itself against these sclfrighteous Pharisees.
1t shows that the prophet Jeremiah, under
the inspiration of God, commanded the pco-
pie to "buy meat, wine, or strong drink. or
anything their souls desired, that they might
make merry with their friends" And when
the Israeites were delivered out of bondage,
God promised that "their vats should over
flow with new winc." Wine was the COM
mon beverage of the Jews and early Chris
tians, and the assertion that it was not in
toxicating is rcfuted by the fact that it pro-
duced drunkenness aud that the excess was
denounced, but not the moderate use. The
logical writer's inform us that wine is used in
the eucharist because ofits renovating, cheer
ing and sustaining qualities, and Christ HIM
self was in the habit of drinking wine, and,
was called :: wine bibber " by the Pharisccs
of that day His turning of the water into
wine, (and capital wine, too) for the use OF
the guests at the marriage feast at Cana. of
Galilee, wIIon the supply Of the exllilaraling
beverage fell short: is in the recollection of
every reader of the New Testament. But
Grecly, and the illustrious individuals of the
Holy Alliance, claim, it seems, to be better
and hoier than the Son of God,
But. say the fanatics, there is no utility or
benefit from the use Of liquor, and therefore
why not lcgisIatc against it! The costly
mansions, the elegant furniture of our cili.
zcns, the works of art, the silks of India, and
the diamonds of Brazil-the theatre, the op.
era house, and the ball room-arc all unne.
cessary, and. according to this argument,
ought to be demolished, and banishcd by leg
islalion. Nearly sOo,ooo,ooo pounds of to,
bacco are annually raised in the United
States. There is no utility in this article
and is it to be prohibited by law!
In reply to the assertion Of the majority
report, that the consumption of spirtuous
liquors adds nothing to the general prosper.
ity, the minority refer to the fact that foreign
wines and spirits, to the value of S25,0O0,OOO