Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-08-17
ApIALooU E IN A GROCERY.

Lawyer, and poor ragged Drunkard'
with bottle IN his hand.
Drunkdrd.--I say, Mister, ] say, here
(holding out his bottle.) i
Grocer.-What do you want, 10!
have got nothing for you to-day. You
had enough yesterday to last you ten
days.
Minister.--I hope you don't fill JOS
bottle every day. Twas down at his
house few days ago; and such scene
of wretchedness never Witnessed be-
fore. No fuel, but some poor green
woodworking TO eat; children half
starved, and crying for bread, and 10
drunk and asleep Jo, you ought 10 be
ashamed Of yourself TO treat your wife
and children as you do, and make such a
beast of Yourself
d. say, Mister! (holding out his
bottle.)
G. Go home, 10 shan't sell you any
to-day.
Lawyer | guess not to-mor-
row. You may as well roll out your
barrels, and knock their heads in for it
you do not, we shall do it for you. We
are determined on having the Maine
Law.
G. Not in your day, nor mine; and if
you should get il, ! would shoot the first
man that should come iuto my store and
seize my property. should view it as
downright robbery; and | would treat II
man who would do it, as would pirate
OH the ocean.
nj. Hold, neighbor; you don't view it
right. Consider, in the first place you
are not bound to keep this species OF
property. In the second place if you
keep it; and offer to sell il, you do il
contrary to law; and thirdly, You do it;
knowing it will be seized and destroy
ed.
G. care nothing about your firstly,
secondly, and thirdly; keep them for
your sermons. | say this property Is
mine, and have a right to do with it MS
| please. may give it or sell it TO
whom please, and touch it if you dare.
L. (Laughing) | should love to see
you carry out your principles. You have
IL mad dog, and your neighbors fearing
their children may be bitten, combine to.
gether aud shoot it; and. as they shoot,
you shoot, because it is your property.
Or you sell licentious books and pic
lures, and the sheriff comes and seizes
and burns them, and you up with your
gun TO shoot him down, you would be
apt to 60 UPON gallows.
q. don't care about your reasoning
no man has a right to take anothers'
property without fair remuneration
If he does, he is u thief and robber, and
should have Il place for ten years in IA
State Prison.
d. (Grining) Mister, | say; you speak
my mhd x-acily. You've got father
farm, hav'nt you! What did you give
for it! Your cursed rum. | say, give
me back what was mine. You came and
took it and said it was yours, and turned
me off. You know you did.
M. Surely, neighbor, out Of your own
mouth you are condemned. You have
been the greatest destroyer Of property
in all this neighborhood. You have Ia
ken away all this poor fellows land and
lie had very pretty place which his ia.
ther left him. when came hSe, You
have seized it all, and destroyed it for
him, and what have YOU given him in re-
turn! You sold Dick Williams rum.
and he went drunk, with a cigar in his
''mouih, into barn, and set fire to that
" barn, and burnt ii up, full Of hay, horses
aud oxen. You have seized our money
to pay the taxes you have imposed upon
us, to build poor.hOuses for your poor
drunkards with their forsaken wives and
children, to build jails to hold the Grim.
inals you have excited to deeds Of muir.
der. You and your craft have turned
rail trains from their iron path, throw,
them down precipces, wasting and de.
stroylng thousands ofproperty, and lives
too. You have sunk ships in the ocean
or stranded them on the coast. Not less
than hundred millions you and your
fellows have destroyed liza year. Itwo'o
take Maine Law thousand years to
destroy rs much property as you and
your brother liquor sellers do in ten
And yet you say destroyer of proper
ty is a thief and villain, and should zinc
his bed in State prison. My friend
what would be your doom if you hac
your deserts?
&. l. don't like to hear any more Of
your talk. As long as men want rum
shall sell it to them; and it is imper
tinent in you to NEEDLE with my bust
ness.
l.. All right, neighbor; only neve
open your lips against the Maine Law
again, as the destroyer of property
That destroys only what is a curse, ant
can never be blessing. Every ange
III heaven rejoices when it is poured out
though every devil may gnash his teell
for rage. But you waste and destro,
property that is valuable. You destro,
business you cause nettles 10 grow
over the farm; you waste, but never re
pleuish food and clothing, you begga
oncp n m, q ri H., onI ha,,,.,, c..x..i...,