New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-12
LIQUOR-SELLING IN Or TOWN.

Ii il some time since have glanced about US to
ascertain the condition of the quor-sellng business
in our town. Has improved, that good fruit
grows on a corrupt tree? We were talking only few
days since with gentleman who employs about fifty
men, and he spoke of the injury which the liquor
business did to him. giving pecuniary Illustration
of il. Near to him another gentleman Is driving
business which requires him also to employ some fifty
men. In the immediate vicinity of these two works,
EMPLOYING hundred aboTers, low sort of q man had
bought a piece of ground and built house, the main
object being to sell rum by the quart. The traffic
worked 40 much against the interests of the two
gentlemen alluded to, it so greatly damaged their
business and plans, that they thought seriously
of asking the lquOr-seIer TO state in dollars how
much profit he expected to realize per year from
the sale of liquor and to offer him precisely that sum
10 shut up shop and to keep it shut But on further
consideration they perceive that even, should they
close this shop there others not half mile of at
which rum could be bought, 20 that they would gain
nothing Still the principle is the same. These eel
ployers of men willing to pay several hundred
dollars year in order to be rid of the pest Of liquor
selling so far as il inerered with their business. Our
blacksmths shoemakers, cOopers, mlers and me-
chancs generally, we willing TO pay to have them
remain and pursue their trades but here men
willing to pay rumseer literally in order to abate
the nuisance Of his occupation This is suggestive.
Time fails to improve the effects Of such Of
our citizens as drink H. IL makes fools of and all
Of them. Not long since was riding by house, and
Was startled to see three men holding a surth, who
was white man when the fracas commenced, but who
was now 80 black in the face that did not begin to
suspect who he was, although well acquainted with
him. And what was the matter Had he q mt A! He
was choked and his companions cried out, Lay him
down; he is dead And really he looked enough Ike
being dead; but screamed "a of them to run his
finger down the mans throat. He obeyed and out
flew a piece Of beef-grise about tw0 inches square,
which the fellow had attempted 10 swallow without
chewing! And why so great fool! IN 'cas HqDor
said his brother This AL ignorant man, but liquor
made him fool.
Ii converts our big men into fool too. saw some
low fellows around an educated man, aud making
mirth at his expense. He is reputed to be- a man OF
sense and learning ordinarily, but these low fellows
seemed to feel themselves his superiOrs. And how
did il happen? He was drunk and for the time being,
learned and able as he was he treated a fool,
and he was a fool. And this minds me to say that
drunkards are not so bright when drunk druBkards
used to be twenty-five and thirty years ago. / re-
member a. well a. if il an hour ago the bright
retort the m.chievous !eer the merry laugh Of Capt
c. and Squire T.. and poor G.. There that con
.pnmate oddity p who when drunk would deliver
the most witty, eoquen, taking harangues from box
or anywhere you might name; and that man j., who
drank applesck every day and lived to be DID, was as
sharp as cimeter, so that few wished To make a
word-war on him when be wa drunk. But now when
man gets drunk ii does not matter whether you call
the liquor madeira or port or gin,'Or brandy it seems
to convert him into fool right off. Our drunkard-
| now-e-dnys wheu drunk look like IDIOTS speak like
idiots act ike idiots and for the time being idiots.
While the idiotc stage of the drunken 1T i. coming
on. these muchto-be-pied nen are sometime, crazy