Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1859-02-19

ity TO the robust and well developed o,
the genus homo, require not the deadly
drugging Of a deadly stimulating agent
to keep in activity that wonderful
harp Of thousand strings" the corpo.
raj nature of man. I reason thus from
. knowledge of the component proper.
ties of the beverage and from a knowl.
edge of its effects the most palpable
and convincing.
I do not wish to declare myself the
antagonist Of any man or set of men.
l do not wish to launch the canister
shot Of truth at wounded, writhing er-
ror without any show of reason or only
for the sake of triumph, nor to lacerate,
for the sake of show, the social liga-
ments that bind together the social
feelings of any class of citizens. do
not wish to thwart tho exertions of in
dustry, nor scatter the tolls of trade
I would not lend the labors of my pen
to any project that would break hearts,
for in the sincerity of my heart, so help
me Gop, my heart beats with fervent
patriotic devotion to tho interests and
struggles Of the toiling millions of my
country. But it strikes my mind, new
ertheless, that the time has arrived for
sober reflection and efficient action.
have neither leisure nor inclination to
write such a treaties AZ would be re-
CURED 70 give in detail the analytical
properties and effects Of arcohol. So
much, however, I am at liberty to say
that Of all the books that have been
published on the subject, not s writer
has been able TO find one redeeming
argument III support of its daily con-
tinued use as beverage. 1t i. mani
fest that there is in ardent spirit moth
ing that acts in harmony with nature
there is no nutriment in it-nothing
that gives energy to the pinciple of life,
nor that gives force to the pulsations of
the heart. The subtle extract, howev-
er, hurts the coatings Of the stomach,
hurts the kidney and liver, not blood
vessel, not = nerve, nor an artery es-
capes. 1t is poison to the human
flesh, withering blight to health and
happiness. Look At those spectres of
men that daily issue from the drinking
palaces of London and see the despolia-
ton of their shattered constitutions
The drugs used to give potency to
London ale render it exceedingly nox-
ious to maintain health. Did that giant
form known in the streets of London
by the name of Big Ben escape the
death-warrant Of London beer? Not
at all! One day this man received a
scratch from the passing wheels Of a
carriage and what was the consequence?
In one weeks time Big Ben was in his
grave. When Sir Astly Cooper was
called to extract silver from under the
nail of gentleman IN the high ranks
Of London life by some means he for
got his lancet case. Returning to re.
cover the same he found his patient in
dying condition; in very few hour
the unfortunate gentleman was a
corpse. 1t is not unffequently that the
consumers of the noxious beverages,
fall into state Of apathy on the sub.
ject. They do not manage to die in
their beds. Death called too early fol-
them, and without much forethought
they suddenly disappear.
A company of gentlemen met to en-.
Joy the pleasures of the cup in London
In the words of Robert Burns ssthe
night went on with songs and clatter'
until the small hours, when one mem
ber of the party looked somewhat pale
and cadaverous, and on examination
was found to be stone-dead. The gen
tleman who sat next to him reported
to this effect, that he knew that the
gentleman had been dead for two hours
only he thought he would not spoil the
mirth of the party present by making
it known. From hence we argue tha,
intemperance is treacherous to life, tha,
it is poor companion in times of ad
versity, that it not only skaters the
constitution, but that it also produce,
an awful hiatus in the moral FEELINGS
It snatches men suddenly away