Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-06-05
THE ADDRESS
OF TIE
TEMPERANCE CONVENTION,
HELD At rAtRMoNr, VA"
.MAY 18th & 18th, 1859.
To the People Of Virginia.
TcoSci

w. Having with as much brosity
as was possible, discussed tho three
cardinal propositions on which We
Predicate tho propriety ofprohibiting
the traffic i'll spirttuous liquors, we
proceed to a rapid examination Of the
prominent apologies offered by the ad
vocates Of the traffic. '5'
The first is:-That ,ourlicensc laws
increase tie pu1iic rerenEcs. But this
apology, abhorrent as it is to every
sentiment Of humanity and principle
of virtue, is not true. lie must DO a
superficial statesman who can be de-
ccivct byit, 1t cannot Withstand even
partial examination. Ten Thousand
facts confute it. The truth is that the
sale Of spirituous liquors diminishes
tho publicrevenues. Industry, enter
prise and provident economy, are the
principal agencies employed to in.
crease wealth, either national or indi-
vidual. What is more destructive OF
all these than tipping? Industry and
economy multiply the number, in
crease tho value, and preserve unim-
paired both the number and value Of
the taxable commodities of the COM
monwealth. But the habit Of using
Intoxicating beverages destroys indus
try, wastes time t,,ins estates and be-
gets irnproyidence. Where aresthe
idler and the loafer found 7 AT the
! ,distillery, the saloon,.the' tavern, the
GROCERY. Whence ourannuallevies
for poor rates Whence our large
expenditures for the prosecution Of
crimes and misdemeanors Must we
again advert to the fact that three.
fourths of the costs of pauperism, and
thrce.f oarlhs of the costs ofcrime, are
most unquestionably the consequences
ofthe use Of spirituous liquors THAT
whilst in the year 1850, the total a.
mount Of revenue in Virginia derived
from licenses for the sale Of these IL
quors, was only se3,32o 40, the loss to
the Commonwealth by the cohsump-
ton of them was more than the whole
amount Of the States revenue derived
from all sources whatsoever? ,a;
But we have not the patience to
expose so miserable d fallacy. Tho
traffic in spirituous liquors is morally
wrong. We have demonstrated it to
he so. What is morallysrong cannot
he politically right. Even if it we're
true that this traffic we're most pro-
,luctive source of revenue, we depre.
cate the idea that tho Jcsuitical max
i'm should ever be introduced into our
system Of civil polity, that the cnd
ilslilies the MEANS No man can he
honorable in the true sense Of the
term, whose conduct is immoral. No
state is Justly entitled to high and
honorable national character, that
sanctions or fosters vice by its laws.
IT. as individuals, We were to deprive
our neighbor of his estate and send his
family abroad begging-if we were to
aid and abet rioting and debauclicry
and murtler-@we should he placed un-
der the ban Of civilized society, as
.l,,oral monsters unfit to associate with
honorablc mon, perhaps unfit to live.
How eau STATE claim exemption
from n similar msledic!ion, whilst it
fosters by its policy ard laws, tho traf.
&c of an article which is constantly
leading to the preparation of every
Crime in the catalogue Of human de-
gprayily.
The language Of ,l,eBiblc is, "wo
into him that givctl, his ncighbbr
Strong drink, that puttclh thy hottie to
his mtu,h." What the Bible con.
dcmns cannot bc made fight BY the
Virginia Legislature. Aud however
sapient our lawsivers.f,ay be, wiser
man tl'nn they speaklItg by authority
! bf a Sovereign riiighticr ihan therc"-
I rle, has saitl',-"I.ook not uTbifllls
\ wine whei' il is rcd, When it'givctl'
its color in ,iit cup" &c, cat the last
i, bi,elh like serpent, and stingetl'
like an adder
/ But, follow.cilizeus;ifi, merely re.
,Nuirc,l the saittihn'of law to rcnt!cr
hat iiiilnnccnt which would otherwise
Q criminal, why does our Legislature,
its tcal for tho rcvenhe, stop will
I:ens;ug onlinuries / There arc 9th,
vices besides in,empcrance. Why
/ !, license gamhlioy' To do 50,