Spirit of the age., 1853-05-25
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
The Evil Effects of Intemperance.
BY A. L. HICKS.

The picture drawn in our last, indulgent
reader, is no fancy sketch to enlist your sym
pathies and excite your compassion; it is no
cunningly devised fable, with which to de- |
ceive you but it is the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the TRUTH We appeal to
the past we appeal to the present time if the
picture is not true-a true delineatiOn of the
evil effects arising from the use of intoxica-
ting liquors? 1t proves to us the impor-
tance of stunning the approach Of the HYDRA
headed monster, for it leaves within the bo-
som ranking, fostering poison which no
time can fully eradicate-it plants within the
heart we'll Of bitter waters, which con-
stantIy spring up to embitter the few pleas
ures Of life!
We will now proceed to notice the effects
OF lntemperance upon communities. It's eff
fects are much greater upon society, than is
at first supposed to be. Go into neighbor-
hood that boasts q Still-house-go into a
community where Intemperance is tolerated
by men Of influence, where the administra-
ton of JUSTICE l. placed in the hands of men
who get drunk, and blush not at being pull
ed out of the CUTTER and CELLAR, and you
will at once detect the marks of the monster.
You will find that ignorance is predominant.
has made known its supremacy and has bid
defiance to LAW and GOSPEL. Morality
is secondary object, whilst the making and
selling Of whiskey is the primary object of
| life. The Sabbath is only known by crowds
| of rufian looking men gathered around the
Stili-houseto spend the day in drinking, fght-
ing, sacearing and damning their 0acn i'm
mortal souls. Education is foreign term
among them they glory in ignorance; not
wishing to distinguish between right and
wrong, preterlng DARKNESS to LIGHT, because
of their evil works. Their children are
reared up in squallid poverty, taught to lie,
cheat and swindle, from the time they can
walk until the grave hides their disgrace
and infamy. Christianity is unknown a.
mong them. IF a minister of the Gospel
finds his way into the neighborhood, he is
gazed at as if he was Royal Tiger from
the jungles of Bengal; the children run from
him as if for dear life, and their parents shun
him as they would the plague.
The Still-house is the Devils DISTRIBUTING
OFFICE, where gradutes of VICE and INFAMY
obtain their DIPLOMAs-FREE TICKETS, pass
ports to hell The Still-house engenders
and fosters crimes Of the deepest tints tC
prove this assertion, we point you to the
State Docket Go to the Court house: sec
that bloated, trembling wretch standing il
the criminals box. He is arraigned for the
=
the mark Of the BEAST, which speaks in
F language too plain to be misinterpreted-run
infamed his brain and nerved his arm t.
strike the fatal blow! See yon jail-it con
tains many prisoners; they have been drink
ing and fighting like tGendS incdrnate, ant
now are paying the penalty of the law.
Now is it not evident to every refectiny
mind, that ninety and nine cases out Of al
hundred Intemperance arraigns its votarie
, before the Tribunal of State, and does no
, ninety and nine cases out of an hundre
most concluStcely proUe that Intemperance
: the cause of more crime and misery tha
i any other curse under the sun? Who the
b is so much bigoted so prgudtced so acIfu
, ly blinded, so far lost to RELIGION, to HEAVEN
V to PATRIOTISM and to shame and feelinq, a
e attempt to hold forth the pitiful idea, tha
IS lntemperance does but little or no harm ?
All! could tears but speak-tears shed b
l. those who have seen their nearest and deaI
h est friends wrlthing beneath the horrors
+ dctlrlum treneps, what volume of woe the
e would present to our view They woul
IF tell US to shun the tempter-to beware of h
Y calling chains; they would tell of miser,
:? of broken hearts and broken hopes the
f. would plead with all the power of love, an
J. cause US to arise en- n1Gsse and strike wit
OF NlSOiOuo 'tIiIo dLI1 " dG the lOQ
IS tain-head of this living curse!
D. 1t is evident to US that Intemperance
O. still making new accessions to its reelir
i'd ranks; is cutting off the blooming yout
I'd and is hurting them into the naaelstron,
20 destruction. We behold it stalking in ol
of midst. invading the freside; we find it
,h our Legislative halls, and eren within Il
in pales of the Church! No condition in Ii
e is free from its ravages-none are so rich
US to bribe its approach, none so poor as to {
a cape its notice-no, verify! it riots upon t
a whole race of Adam; it has buried its mi
nd IONS and millions more are on their journey
Id the drunkard's gravel Astonishing though
pc Humanity weeps Thousands, yes, genel
i'm tions yet within the vale of futurity call L
IT. to US to stem the progress of Intemperan
st, to roll back its ebon ,oares through the p
xt, tails of hell, even back upon its proye,sitor
ial the DEVIL! 1t becomes our duty TO ari
do to work whilst it is called to-day. Tho t