Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-07-18
South Carolina Temperance Tract.
Few Thoughts on the Liquor Traffic
BY THOMAS J. WARREN.

IAOMAS D. WAhh6Ns
In the first place. is the liquor traffic
right? We ask this question with candor
and sincerity, letit be pondered and answered
accordingly. For our part we are prepared
to answer it promptly, with an emphatic no.
] Who is able to point to single instance in
which there can be shown a good reason for
its continuance? Who is able to show us
where this traffic has benefited the world
or conferred the slightest good on our race
either socially, morally, or politically?
Can we find in the whole, length and
breadth.of this wide, E.de Wlssi, a single
church, school-house, c5lNAE :. other
worthy institution which tie liquosrfrafic
has aided in erecting? Nay; verify, these
are not to be seen as the fruits of this traffic.
Not even solitary hospital or asylum rears
its spire upon the contribution of the liqour
dealer. No house of refuge, no place is
provided for the myriads of hapless victims
which this relentless curse has bequeathed
to the world for its support. We look in
vain for single instance where this traffic
has aided towards the promotion of public
or benevolent enterprises On the contrary,
it is VIGOROUSLY and lamentably true, the
amount of capital employed in the manufac-
ture, the value of the products consumed,
the labor expended in the distillation Of IL
quors in this country with the incidental
and consequential outlays of monies, would
be ample to build our colleges and railroads,
educate and feed, and make thrice ten thou
sand homes happy, which are row ruined
and desolate
Dear reader turn over the pages of the
last census of these United States; see what
these statistics reveal, what fearful and ap-
pailing facts are these that stare US in the
face; let us read the truth and know the
rest.
Ele0en millions, sirty-seuen thousand,
sac hundred and sirty-one (11,067,56D
bushels Of corn are distilled annually in our
country, and yet it is also true, that corn is
sometimes scarce. EUep now, the very
staff Of life is needed to support the emaca-
ted and tottering frames Of scores in South
Carolina. Think of it; our best friend con-
verted into our deadest enemy-corn made
into poison! How much human suffering,
starvation and death would this relieve and
prevent! Nor is this ALL The truth-telling
census exhibits to our astonished gaze another
frightful figure. Three millions, one hun
dred and forty three thousand, nine. hun
dred and twenty,seyen 6, 14a. 927) bushels
with 521 $40 bushels of apples B,767 ,195
bushels of barley; 1924 tons of hops and
6l,675 hhds ofmolasses, all these consumed
in distiliing and mailing, the aggregate value
Of which, at average prices, will not vary
much from $14, ,642, 727
There is another and fearful thought
brought to our minds by these statistics,
which shows US in figures, which cannot lie,
the aggravated and terrible enormity Of this
: evil. 1t is the ratio Of distilled grains COM
pared with the quantity grown, which, ac-
cording to computation, is: 'Of corn, l
" bushel distilled in every 54 Of. rye, in
= every 5; Of oats, in 2618; Of barley,
there is matted bushels in 5. From these
: = products are manufactured forty-two millions,
one hundred and thirty three thousand, nine
hundred and ffty-fve gallons of whisky
. six millions, five hundred thousand, five
! ! hundred gallons of rum; one million, seven
hundred and seventy-seven thousand, nine
), hundred and seventy four barrels Of ale
II The aggregate value Of these liquors
! at wholesale prices is estimated att$19, ,941 )
q 897.'
% Besides the above, there are made 221,
22l gallons of wine, and an inconceivable
~ amount of bad liquors that draws heavily
= for their constituents upon domestic and
u foreign drugs in their manufacture, but
which are not counted in the manufacture
Of III ton nl kbo
II startling facts, which had we time, might be
he easily adduced, we ask the candid and hon
Fet e est reader if he will not respond to th
day sentiment, that the liquor traffic is wrong
ue all wrong, and ought to be abolished.
re- We make few closing inquiries and re
fections and leave the reader to draw hi
'ce conclusions therefrom.
lat Has not this liquor traffic injured tn
"r- world in millions of cases? Does it nc
eu' people our ails and penitentiaries with score
81 and hundreds of miserable victims who's
:, u hands and hearts are STEPPED in crimes
'n9 the deepest dye? Another 1is7rsFNs snt thougl
9eu = we desire just here to present. This syste
Vi of legalized wholesale destruction to hums
life and property does not support itself, b.
fol- relies upon the people, the sovereign ind
ler- pendent people who are heavily taxed
the its support. Our contingent account stati
to tics warrants this assertion.
No one can deny, but that drunkards a
sun; and made by this traffic Iftbere were no tipl
and ing shops, we would have few, or no miser
died BILE specimens of depraved humanity reeli
het in our streets, and found on our highwa
a. often in state of beastly intoxication,
rage it's
his
,des- Pass where we may, thro' city rthro' TOW
atre, Village or hamlet, of this fairy land,
his -ev'ryt twentieth pace
rally Conducts the unguarded nose to such wi
first OF stale debauch, forth issuing from the sti
1den That Law has licensed, as makes Temp'rar
the reel
Why ought liquor dealers to have spec
on.a and reserved rights guaranteed by the |;
than than of the land, which, in their daily operati
prize iniure all other classes of the communi
been and since it is manifest that almost all
took social and political troubles, are occasion
lclpiIe by this legalized wholesale mischief, '
Mani5 ~,nL should the people longer submit in sile
'obad 'Obad to system SO griegous and unjust III
can be no half right and half wrong in
matter. The traffic in ardent spirits is eli
.ding. all right or all wrong. If it is right,
are the traders in it taxed for purs