The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-09-28
WRITTEN FOR THE INDEPENDENT rREss.
The Drunkard and the Temperate.

remarked u tear not only GoD, but he
who does not fear GoD." And I would
add: "Let us also fear the drunkard."
lntemperance is curse Of GoD on the
habitual drunkard. For such a one there
ought to be no sympathy; the sooner he
dies the better; therefore, let him drink,
that society may be rid of his bad example
and of his carcass. Any "Maine Liquor
La~," or any other oppressive law, will not
arrest this great curse and evil of intemper-
Wcc. The short trials made in the North
ern States sufficiently prove its inefiiciency.
The experience of the people of Italy,
France and Spain, and other countries, that
are inhabited by temperate people, are
countries where they cultivate the grape,
make wine and drink it as portion of
their daily food and sustenance to enable
them TO execute with perfect case their dali
ly tasks. In such a country, drunkards are
scarcely ever seen; while in the other por-
tions Of Europe, where wine is not raised as
staple, the people are invariably addicted
to strong alcoholic drinks. They habtu-
ally drink to excess, and their character
becomes dcbased, brutalized and beastly.
And as RICHARD PoRsoN says, to celebrate
his tour in Germany, he devotes these few
doggerel lines, which depict the habits Of the
highest universities and professors of Ger
many:
81 went to Frankfort and got drunk,
With that most learned Professor Brunck:
went to Wortz aud got more drunken,
With that more learned Professor Buhnken."
And in my days in Europe, it was pro-
verbal 10 say "to be drunk like German
or an Englishman." Let the man that gets
drunk among us be punished by law as
much so as any one that breaks the sacred
laws Of the land. Let the Legislature not
attempt to abridge our liberties by any
"Maine Liquor Law; ; but let punishment be
inflicted on the drunkard who is the break
er of the laws. 1t is, in my estimation, the
most absurd legislation that which makes
laws by which the temperate, the orderly,
the law-abidng people, are made to suffer,
because some vagabonGs choose to get
drunk. The Legislators have not the cour-
age to strike the right blow, and have not
the boldncss to drag the drunkard before
the law and to punish him, and so that
public eSecration may rest upon him.
AS have already intimated above, there
is but one snre and certain remedy to this
dreadful evil; and that is, the raising of
grapes, making Of wine, and the drinking Of
it with water, as all sober nations do
Therefore, let us encourage vineyards, and
let us plant them in the whole United
States, and then the people will be temper
ate. Man was intended by the very crea-
ton of his teeth and digestive organs to be
omnivorous, that is, that unlike all other
animals, he should eat and drink both veg
etable and animal food, and still there are
whole nations whose religious tenets forbid
them to eat meat Of any sort. MAHoMRr
and the Koran (the testament of the Ma
hometans) forbid the drinking of wine be-
cause Christians drink it, and this is inti-
mately connected with the most precious rite
Of the Christian Church. The Mosaic law
forbids to the Jews the eating of the flesh
Of the hog. And our modern prophets and
lawgivers would have law prohibiting eve
ry kind Of beverage that by its excessive
use or abuse may become Intoxicating Or
inebriating. This is a sweeping dsnnncia-
ton, an intolerant exclusion, and an entire
prohibition Of the good things that G6D
bestowed upon us, for food and sustelauce.
The question is in nutshell !: It is in the
abuse Of all these blessings that the evils
exist, and notin.tbeir moderate, occasional,
or: even habitual use. There is no doubt
that excess or r'abase of any kind is an evil.
Religious: tanatieism is an evil, because al,
intoleraut abuse OF an excessive original
religious feeling, tie simple and contr;te
yworshipd Gob, The Maine Liauof Law
and itsadyeeates ate intbeir Tay 3 nosb,et
ter than. ths idqghition ahd the .inquisito,s
fns thsiI osn way Bot,si sib,aaais, xish alI
lheif: ndges afasanbieet san g into i sstisl ts
dame intolerant md Slbpseasiiss sssuss of
power Tho shs ;;ndus;sss1 ssfs.
],;ststiSsIs sSssid S ~ 4 nd isl ae,SS
a |a q sa Ham
Esses s.: sssS