New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-22

We recently gave an account from London
paper of the appearance of Neal Dow, the famous
author of the Maine Law before a London audi
ence. The Times endeavOred to crush out before
hand any effort in favor of the doctrine of total alb
stinence and the legal suppression of grog-shops
which Mr. BOWS speech might produce by a
leader which we print in another column, and
which some of our New York papers have published
with signs of evident gusto. 1t would appear from
this article that the ground upon which beer (and
wine) drinking is defended III England has some
what chapg ed since the time that Franklin worked
in London as journeyman printer, and at once as
tonished and refuted his fellow journeymen BY
showing himself, though only water-drinker,
vet stronger than any of them. Their porter was
held to be absolutely essential to give laborng
man the strength to do his days work The Times
has somewhat come down from that peg. 1t in
ssts upon beer or wine merely as necessary condi-
ments-one for the poor, the other for the rich
toward the digestion of their dinners
The difference upon which The Times insists
between those who lead life of outdoor exercise
and those condemned to the artificial existence
of the artisan, mechanic, manufacturing operative,
oyerwOrked barrster or author, hardly furnishes,
we are inclined to think, any valid argument in
favor Of the use by the latter of alcoholic drinks
1t might have been tolerably safe for the Engh'h
squires of hundred years ago. whose lives during
their waking hours were long foS-chase, 10 go 10
bed drunk every night, as was the custom OF most
of them, and as DIR. johnson said was the custom
in his youthful DAYS of all the decent people
of his native city of Ltchfeld But we very much
doubt whether this operation or any approach 10 H.
could be repeated with impuDity by mere sedentary
in door workers. We question, in fact, very much
whether brains oyerstraned and nerves over tasAed
are likely to be benefited by either wine or beer. Ii
we are not very much mistaken, those are not the
.ort of patients to whom this kind OF stimulus 10
recommended even by those physicians who ascrioe
TO alcoholic liquors high place in their list oil me-
dcinal agents.
Since The Times appeals to the experience OF
mankind. il might recollect that it is precisely
among the most savage, INDECENT, phlegmatlc per-
sons that the natural appetite for splrituous liquors
exists in the highest degree. Why Because they
are sunk in mental torpor, and need something
to set their imaginations at work. Whatever stun
ulUs such drinks may afford 10 the stomach, IL IS
the activity they give TO all the conceP'Ve faculties
in which their great chatm consists. The more
capacities and more opportunities man has Tor
the normal exercise of those faculties, the less
likely be is to turn to the bottle to help him out
Hence il may fairly be argued, and experience may
be appealed 10 TO sustain the argument that with
the progress Of civilization the multiplication of
bccks newspapers. public meetings andoiher things
of that SOFT. the natural call for the stimulus OF
gror constantly dimiuishes, and that, directly con-
trary TO the argument of The Times, agricultural
laborers, in the lack of all other smulants to set
their brains at werk have ten times greater natural
call to stir themselves up with glass or TWO than
we denizens OF cities always on the stretch and
with brains always sgog.
That alcoholic drinks possess certain powerful
medicinal properties, that perhaps they may be
cccasionsly used with advantage to prevent or cure
dyspepsia, it is not necessary 10 deny. But all
medicines 10 BE- effective, must be used, not habit
uaily. but occasionally; and il very seldom hap
pens that suan who undertakes TO be his own
ID ctor in be matter of prescribing for himself does
not do himself coed deal more OF harm than of
rood. Itissogith what are commonly termed qusck
medicines snd i. IL, We suspect, still oftener the
case With those who prescribe for thap'esves nore