Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-08
EXTRAORDINARY MOVEMENT IN swE,
DEN.

From the king to the meancst boor, the entire
nation, each in his own way, seems TO be moved
with laudablc desire to effect the suppression of
intempernnce. The working classes, we are in
formed, have made remarkable demonstration
against the great distilery kings near Carlshaum,
in South Sweden. They marched in immense
crowds to the distilleries, refused the gift of money
by the brandy makers, and demanded that no more
"hell-broth' should bc made at present. The
great disticries are burning up ali the corn and
potatoes they can lay hold Of for the manufacture
Of this cursed frc-water, while the peasantry are
starving for want Of food. On their return, the
"insurgents"--if we are to call them such-extin-
guished the fire in the boiling rooms; otherwise
! they did not hurt fly.
! In opening the Diet few days ago, his Majesty
said "Agriculture, the most important branch Of
our industry, has within the last few years made
the most satisfactory progress. Tho recent har-
vests which we have gathered, have not, however,
given corresponding argument to tho general
veal. Wasted 10 n great extent by the fabrication
of liquor, the abuse Of which threatens to under
mine the most noble faculties of the population,
those haryests have not ayailed 10 exclude the I'M
portation Of articles Of consumption from foreign
countries, which the soil Of our country might
supply in plenty, even beyond the wants Of our
tive consumption. Gentlemen, il is time to pave
the way TO results which are more conformable to
the public good. All good citizens are in this
respect animated by sentiment which is noble as
it is patriotic have received numerous petitions
from all parts of the country entreating me to
check tire disastrous fabrication ana the excessive
consumption Of that liquor. Gentlemen, submit to
you proposition tending to effect that purpose
and am convinced that you will be eager TO meet
my paterna inventions"
! Now we not surprised at this agitation and
ALARM acquainted as we are with facts of the case
Drunkenness has in Sweden attained its climax.
IL is most extraordinary fact that in country
entirely agricultural and pastoral, drunkenness
and crime shoul1 Ora1tlv nNrnnl nf hon
England orS,Otland. In the rural districts of Swe-
den, the commitments for crime in 400; while
in Glasgow and Manchester they are not more than
| in 800. In Stockholm, with population Of only
sO,OOO, and without manufacture of any kind
the commitments are 1000, while the proportion
Of foundlings and natural children in this town is
greater than in Paris itself being moro than one
third Of the whole population. This fearful demor-
nzation is, however, explained, when it is stated
that by an unhappy law, every man upon the pay
ment OF os to the Crown, acquires the right Of dis
tilling spirits to any extent. In Sweden at this
moment, with population of three millions, there
are l0OOOO stills H. operation IN which are distilled
annually thirty millions of gallons. giving ten gal
Ions or sixty bottles, to every man, weoman and
child in the country, while in drunken Scotland the
average is only eleven gallons sixty six bottles
, for the men alone. DR.. lIuss of Stockholm in n
work recently published, states that it is common
, : thing for working man to consume from five to
! six glasses OF brandy daily, that many habitual
! dram-drnkers will consume from twelve 10 frtecn
. and that he has known some who drank from six.
teen to twenty glasses. This unparalleled intem-
perance OF the lower classes of the Swedish nopu-
lation has originated n terrible disorder which he
! designntes AichOiSmWs Chrohcus, and states that
fewer than 1879 cases Of this disease were treated
In one hospital in the course Of single year.
c All success we say to the King and his subjects
in their audable endeavors to put an end to their
National disgrace.
We rejoice to find the London Times sayinr in
reference to the speech Of this Temperance King:
ut is peculiarity of spirit drinking that the
money spent in il is, MT the best thrown away. and
in general far worse tlan thrown away. II neither
supplies the natural wants of man, nor offers an
adequate substitute for them. Indeed it is far too
favorable view of the sui Get to treat the money
spent on il ms If ii were cast into the sea Yet
even so, there is something exceedingly irritating
in the reflection that great part ofa harvest rails
cd with infinite care hnd pains on an ungrataful.
: soil and in an inhospitable climate, instead of add
ing to the national wealth, or bringing the rich
' returns that in this season Of famine il could moi
fail to command, is poured in tho shape of lquid
FIRE down the thrOats of the nation that produces IL
and instead OF leaving them richer and happier 10
: mpoyerlsh them by the waste of labor and capital
and degrade them by vicious and debilitating in
dulgence. A great portion Of the harvest of Swe.
den and of many other countries is applied to a
, purpose. compared with which it would have been
better that the corn had grown or that it had
been mildewed in the ear no way so rapid to in
crease the wealth of nations and the mortality of
society could be devised as the utter annihlation Of
the man uacture Of ardent spirits constituting as
they do an infinite waste, an unmxed evil TO this
task the King ofSweden is about to address himself