Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-01-23
ALCOHOL.

ALCOHOL.
It's effects upon the Human Systematic Sci
ent!tfc basis Of Prohibition-By Protesso,
r. L. Poumans, Of Brooklyn, N. 7.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK
The Foundation of Government is riqht
action Of the Brain
Let US consider the practical import o.
these facts:-A mar, for example, moving
free IN society, discharges his duties and
regulates all his conduct properly. We al
once refer this course of action to his will
and say that he chooses it. That is true
but It is not the whole truth That right
sonrJ hra;ns laaipd rests for its basis upon
nl'lon OF harmonious and rapid physiological
change as makes this course of throught and
action possible. In another instance he
may take advantage Of his liberty to com.
mt wrong and nflict injury upon others.
and we then attribute his course to deDrn.
yea VIII. But here again we must 90 fur
ther back to that state of the minds oroan
which permitted the freedom of choice. for
the liberty Of votion depends upon prop
ercondltlon of the instrument of throuoht
or, IN still another instant brain deranoe-
ment may annihilate the free action of tba
voluntary facilities, and drive insane individ-
nais to Obstructive deeds, for which he is not
10 De held responsible. In all these cases
! the final basis ot individual action is tho CON
dlt'on OF the organ of throught. Govern
ment' by means of law, prescribes, in certain
respects course Of action for the citizen.
ana appeals TO certain motives as inducements
TO It. 1t promises the protection of natural
right as consequence of obedience to law,
ana threatens punishment as the result ofits
violation. Government thus makes its an
peal to mind and we hence say that it rests
upon mind-that its foundation is the re.
sponslbl intelligence of its subject. This is
quite true, but we must 90 deeper Gov
efnment Is built upon responsible mind, and
That IN turn depends upon cerebral condi-
uons. Hence. states of the material brain
become the real foundations of government.
Its true basis is that which holds and sus-
tains the intelligent nature Of man in ;ts
harmony and integrity.
No Government for Idiots or the Insane. |
!here Is class of persons destitute of
nralns' Or rather, they have only part of
the organ just sufficient to regulate and con-
troll the animal life. They have no intel.
lectual brain, their minds are therefore low
and tragmentary, and we call them idiots
SO as to make tfft res
deficiency of that portion Of the organism
upon which 90, ernment is based; and 1t
therefore, in this case, has no basis. The
idiot is simply an animal lacking that organ
ic part, which, superadded, confers intelli-
eence, responsibility, and suhjection to law.
Or, thoug the brain Of an individual may
have been formed perfect, if from any cause
it becomes dsordered, 50 that the mind can
no longer use it, the relation of such per-
son 10 society is at once dissolved, all moral
obligations and legal demands upon him
cease, and he passes beyound the limit OF
social and civil accountability.
The facts disclose the relative rank OF diff
ferent parts of the human body. Each has
its importance but there is an infinite differ
ence in their respective values. The organs
are all bound together by such ties of sym
pathy and mutual dependence as to conSti
tute harmonious unit; /; but when any on
becomes dsordered so as to interrupt or de
feat its peculiar action, we behold at one
the wide graduation of their offices. If tn
bones be broken the body is no longer sup
ported if the muscles be paral yzed motion
impossible; if the lungs are disordered resp
ration becomes affected or if the stomach
there is disturbed digestion. Yet all this j
but perversion of the subordinate machlr
ery of the human constitution. Ii dlseas
fastens upon the organ of mind there Is d
thronement of the intellect and total wret
of manhood. God and man-reilglon, 60
ernment, and all the multiform relatio
which clustered around the intelligent bell
are blotted out of existence, for we knc
nothing of these except by rational al
coherent ideas, which are impossible if I
temple of thought be thrown into tum'
} and disorder. The bodily system of m
mas thus be contemplated as an invisl'
whole in its subsection to physical laws, !
is d:visible into two widely different portlt
ia re spect of the purposes 1t serves. !
| fact consists of the apparatus OF animal
t and this is made subsersient to another
f sacred part, devoted 10 nobler objects, a
# to which appertaius whatever is glorions
7; ood-like in mans nature-a part which
trolls the cisizen in the whole circle of
J. private and public responsibilities, IN VIII
E. therefore, society and government have
e. especial and peculiar intereSt-upon VIII
'g indeed, they rest as foundation.
re Lap By .chich Agents act upon different p
r of the Constitution.
IT. I call attention now to an important p
30 ioloyical law, according to which tor
substances affect the bodily constitution
nu The first action Of the system upon the
all rious nutritive materials which are desis
dc to nourish it is, by means of the dige
process, to prepare uniform homogen
Ide LIQUID. which is to circulate through q
MS parts. This liquid. the blood, contains
elements necessary to form all the struc
of the body. The nutrition of these F
DE therefore. consists in taking out OF tn
H. eulatory current and appropriating
'no snecial elements which each tissure req
ust There is no one part which demands a
ern constituents of the blood in its grow
ent therefore only withdraws such elemeI
80 it needs other parts of the body taklr
~ rest, Nutrition, therefore, involves 9
oO,- of vital ANALYSIS of the sanguinary hult
rya- the local appropriation of its constlt
ons. For example-where the bones are ret
ho;,. to grow, compounds Of lime are with
from The blood the muscular tissues
II from it compounds containing sulphu
GERS the nervous tissue those containing
&c of nhorous, And so each individual se'
oil