The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1854-05-17

and saw what The result must be. Could
any reason or sophistry convince you that
he loved his neighbor as himsslfl Or sup
pose a druggist living near you should
sweeten and spice poisonous mixture,
which he would sell chsaply aad ye. with
profit, and sell 1t to your children for their
pennies until they were poisoned TO DEATH
Could You be convinced that he loved his
neighbor as himselfl But in whatdo these
cases differ from the business you are pur-
suingi You know that your liquors are
poisonous. You see that while they graf.
ify burning appetite and exhlara'e for
while, they produce disease and death in
those to whom you sell. And you sell for
no other earthly reason than because you
wish 10 make money. Gan you fora mo-
ment imagine that this is consistent with
loving your neighbor as yourselfs
But, Srs, your business violates that law
which requires justice between man and
man. This law requires that one man
should not lake from another anything,
without rendering him an equivalent It's
upon this principle tina, lotteries and gam
bling are prohibited by most civilized coun-
tries. But do you not receive the drinkers
money, and often the only money he has,
with which he might feed and clothe him
self and those dependant upon him, with
out giving him an equivalent! You give
him liquor, but is that any real value to
him So far from being Of any real val
ue to him, it is the source Of incalculuble
evil Of disease, disgrace, poverty, misery
and death. You know beforehand that il
will do him no good, but will produce, in
a greater or less degree, these very evils.
Is your business an homes, one, then, so far
as tho drinker himself is concerned! +! You
may here affirm, as an offset, that it is a
voluntary act On the part Of the drinker I;
that you do not take advantage of him, in
order 10 sc, his money for what is of no
value 10 him, The statement is not exact
y true. You do take advantage, in greal
many cases, Of an appetite which imPels
him TO buy. Bul,ifyour plea were strictly
true, it would no, alter the case. Gam
blers do not force men to play with them
or take the money Of Others, excep, when
they win ii by an arrangement voluntarily
mnde. Lottery companies do mol take ad
vantage of men as TO the purchase of hei
tickets. They simply offer them for sale
just as you offer your liquors. The pur
chaser acts as voluntarily, as the man wh'
buys and drinks your, poison. And yet
both these cases, common sense and com
mon law. in most of the States OF this coun
try, pronounce tho transaction dishonest
- Blu, your business is worse than either
these. They only take money. wi'hou
Il rendering any equivalent whatever; bu
ms you give them that which will poison them
to and ruin them for time and eternity. Iii
w impossible tha, you should justify you
n business, as according with the principle
"a. of com'Don justice.
he But, Sirs, your business not only doe
10 Injustice to the drinker, but 10 all the con
10, munity. Look little at the matter in tn
an light. You belong 10 community all I
Hc whose members are taxed for the suppo
X. of its institutions, the detection and punsl
he ment of crimes committed in its midst, n
nv maintenance Of paupers and the promote
no. Of the general good All are bound to col
9 tribute in this way for the good The Who'll
to Now, whilst you, perhaps, pay your tax
de. as others, your business produces thre
nj. lourhs of The pauperism and crime exit
mi. ing, and on account of which all are hea
the lily taxed The actual cost of the paupe
iii. ism and crime resulting from your busine
,ce. in this country, is not short Of twelve mi
nly ions Of dollars annually. Now, the
ore twelve millions are paid almost entirely
his the sober and industrious, who abomina
aim your traffic. Is just on your part 10 L
low business which compels your iellC
ola. citizens TO pay a, least half dollar ann
raj ally apiece for every man, woman a
II as child, besides putting their property in o
be er respects, and their lives and the desti
$ to Of their children, in jeopardy n No, 81
n is no. II is impossible that you should ev
arli. reconciie'your traffic with the eighth p
the cept of tho decaloguge. 1t is necessar
no unjust, and, therefore, wrong before GC
ugar But neither is your business consist,
llent with the precept thou shalt no. kill"
tha. do no. by this mean 10 charge you W
Ives, murder. But let me ask you a quest
bev. or two. Please to answer them to "
0 in. own conscience, before God.--Suppos
will, druggist living near you should sweele
per- preparation which cost him but tri
too, and to make money should sell i. to y
most children; and as fas, as their appetite
,har. creases, he should sell them more and m
him, until they sickened and died. What wo
.ppe. YOU call himl or wha, crime would
,.lo. ,h;nL him ouiltv He did not meal