The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-11-20
GouGE ON lTHE LIQUOR QUESTION.

GOUGE ON THE LIQUOR QUESTION
Harper's Magazine, in his series of papers
entitled "a Winter in The South, Introduces
ga little dried up old man, clad in bob-tall
hunting-shirt," rejoicing in the name and
style Of ,Sqairs GOuge, whose views on 'he
Liquor Question, while they provoke a smile
Mt the oddness of the style in which they are
advanced, may start some serious thoughts in
the mind of the reader, as they appear to
have done In that Of one OF the characters in
the extract below .-.~lf
Vi What with his queer hat and keen eye,
souire Congo nightly resembled crow
marched upon the fence, and as the crow is
known to be the smartest animal that wears
feathers, our friends presently ascertained
that the resemblance was not merely super
fetal. Squire Broadacre opened conversation
with the proprietor by asking some civil
questions in relation to his business.
/, These the dstiler answered with much
pOlheness and then proceeded to inveigh
bitterly against the perverse morality of the
Legislature, exhibited in the passage Of GER
b, tain laws, interfering with the free traffic in
spirituous liquors.
,@But," said Mr.. Broa1acre, dis it not the
duty of the Legislature to watch over the
morals Of the State, and pass such laws as
are required to improve them O.
"Nol that haint hit" replied Gouge, "hlt's
this they go thar to set traps for public Of
fees, and then they eat and git drunk among
themselves, until they are nigh done for;
and when they're bout to break up, some to
save their conscience and some to fool their
constituents, they pass sirh bills as this
burned quart law" .l
"What is your objection to the quart law?"
asked the Squire.
aWhy, hits this. Formerly neighbors
mout come, take civil drink together, and
20 their ways; now they can't buy less nor
a quart. Now quart Of Ticker is too much
for any man and a poor man don't like to
fling away what he has paid his money for,
so he is bound to git drunk and hits the Leg
islater's fault"
"But can'the do without entirely?" said
the Squire.
"Was man soft on this yearth to drink
nothin' better nor persimmon beer?" asked
Gouge, scornfully. "No! God gin us these
things to be used, and not to be abused
Now God looked upon all he had made and
said it was good, ard eff so be he hadn't in
tended us to drink ticker, he wouldn't ha'
gin il to u.s."
"God did not give us brandy or whiskey,
but only apples and corn"
a1'rue," said the distiller, "nether did he
gin us bread nor pies, nor yit anything just
as we use IL; but he gin us the ingredient
and the smartness to make what we wanted
out ZEN 'em, and hits the same as If they
were his gifts" r.
4 "Man,p said Mr.. Broadacre, "was created
pure and upright, and has of himself sought
out many Inventions, and debased himself
thereby" Af ri
"True as gospel, stranger; but tell me
how do you know that apple brandy comes
under the head o. them inventions any more
. than the quart law does, or praps the woolly
hoss!"
."Then you believe in encouraging drunken
, ness and making brandy, in spite Of my ar
guments!" exclaimed Squire Broadacre, with
heat. h''' 't4'f
"Inever git drunk myself, replied Gouge,
''nor encourage my neighbors in It, but ]
can make more out of my apples this way
than any other and didn't Noey set to
making wine as soon as he got out of the
ark :"
a.nJ "a J.,,.l .oJ axnn.oJ b;,,saIf -
al en-, ,ha co. u'u"A ""u 0Ap0''u '''Dl'e'
s",a we nSqule .,. -. ..
hnu, pe,s'saeu uJuge' "as1 T., ~. s ,La,
."As ''spu III" h;n, ,"aam,, h ""a .nssod and
uiaae eamo " as,m ' ""'n 10 '''''1 anu
'n" "Eos LEE ~ ,o,h ,ho sor;.o u;,h IN
~; ou u nv w d G"b,s ill., rno"o"n
y" ILL.,, y, 'V 60 man wbo, do Won asI for =
u "ass,' sc nonr hos, p,
.ns,sa,,, 49, ho,f oor,0 ns.;d Co,ro
Do a, - ,,, hon no G,i n,s Jooanter and
o.. -: ~, ,,
''. T Nc ;b. go Sor.snon rodo o,or, somo ,;me
e. s;'an"a III, ~ Isngth tho Son;rs snots.
~ narv ,mr"h dnnb, /" so;d no "ibs fast
ollty OF iegsIaung ot"'e mo greatness or
apeople INTO virtue; ana am inclined 10 De-
iieve tnat most OF 'he patent schemes 70 az
talh e'ther ooJect nave c oeen pfocuc.'ve ol
more eVh thah good' .ne causes as wen 40
N i,ne cure o, mos. soc',' oV,s ne 700 ueep w
DC reached oy d'rec' 'eglsla'on. l"ey me
el'ner 'nherehs 10 .ne cnarav.er Vi PsoP,o
OF ue result OF iong n',n'ps anu eu ui'i.
.lon.' NOW wheh we nave seen our Leg,s'a-
lures one aI.er announcer usipe,a'eiy Punl1g
ocwn the wise'y'contiNeu oa',.Iies "neie.
win our ancient virtue anu iioerv were