Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-07-13
can make it right In the fourth place, we

NohiHiouity IS iaiily eXcHangeu 10 another. By this individuals, as we'll a, nations, have their wealth But, is not thi pnnclpie grossly violated in the liquo traffic? Has the consumer received fai equivalent for his ID onev when exchanged for whisky? Has he that which tends tc make him more honorable, more industri ous, wiser and better? Does he advance tn, interest of his family, or better the condition of his wife or children? After having re- duced himself to beggary-sqnandere hi fortune, and ruined his health; well may hc ask, is that traffic just which has taken my all for nothing? Onetenth part of the sums annually expended for drams, would erect and support schools for the education O every child in the Union. The amount O. tune squandered at groceries would, if em ployed in honest agricultural or mechanical pursuits, greatly increase the commerce O the Worlc essen ten fold the amount of crime reduce the number of paupers more than half, and contribute largely to the evaneeli- z ton of the world. But the dram thinker re. celves for his money list ofevils too shock ing to mention. A bloatcd visage, a disor. dered brain, diseased stomach, fetied breath and at last dishonored grave. But I would more especially speak of the evil oi mtemperance as 1t exists in our own State. we are not misunderstanding people: we consume and export but little
 Not one gallon in thousand of ardent spirits drank in our State, is made amongst us, 1t is all imported, not from Europe, but other States, and mostly from the so@th- (oplng Ohio. And after all that may be said of Arkansas navigation. and the sandy rlver that gives name and locality to our State, 1t IS doubtful whether it be a blessing or 9 curse. It's noisy puffing stern-wheel steamers freighted by aboli- ton hands, with red and yellow headed barrels of whisky, the managers and mak- CTS of which talk long and loud of southern cruelty and southern slavery Sad liberty silnekers, are doing more to impoverish our otherwise prosperous and growing State than all else besides. There are but few Villages, not to say cross roads and black Jack groceries but that can boast of having more or less, and always enough of Gin clnnati whisky. Where is the lover of bis country that has not been shocked at the numerous signs, dishonoring capboards. and forest trees with the omnibus words whisky for sale' And is 1t true that these rustic c'Nhantes-suah tenements find customers. The pealcd saplings and trodden yard give unmstaka5le signs, that farms. wife and children, have all felt the grocery influence. Can that man love his neigh- bors, and love his country, when his sordid love of gold induces him 10 sell to their sons and to themselves, that which he himself knows can do them no good, but must be the means of continued evil.
 But then it is placed in justification, first, that it is legal Law is right and if keer the law shall not greatly CIT. What law right? The tipping laws Answer. ve murdered thousands, ghostly forms of the once noble and manly, ye, wretched homes. deSolate widows, answer with vour multi. tudinous voices, your Sobs and groans, is it right?
 There is law, hear it; woe unto him that maketh his nighbor drunk, that putteth the bottle to his mouth, etc In law. an accessory to crime Is esteemed equally gull ty with the perpetrator. Apply this prin- ciple to the sale of ardent spirits, and is it not plain, that he who sells to the drunkard, in view of the miseries which he entails on his family and himself, is a party deeply concerned in his downfall and ruin? But then it is said, if don't somebody else will, and so I had as well do it as anybody else
 It is hardly probable that everybody will be honest, somebody will steal, and I had os well do it. Is this your faithl But l am reminded ?, the story told of the boys. who had prepared to rob poor mans orchard; one more honest than the rest. said boys, Ipray you don't do so. the old man s apples are his bread. Don't do 50. But said they, apples we want and apples we will have, so if you want any you had bet ter join in the crowd. So said the boy to himself, see they will co If the matter depended on me, the oll mans apples might hang on the trees. But he will only lose a few more. 50 along will go. So reasons the iqnor vender, as though his was not a crime, because others did so. Such reason ing would unsettle the very foundations of society, give license to all crime, and destroy all responsibility. Perhaps no taste how ever depraved can exceed that of the drunk ards for his accustomed drinks. And see with how much skill the vender of rum and gin arranges his tempting dccanters He invites to cooling .shade, and ice water in summers heat, and to warm fires in winters cold Look at that lighted saloon, long af- ter the sound of honest toll has ceased at night, and listen to those songs, drunken orgies, better suited to the lunatic asylum than to sane intelligent beings.
 To arrest these evils, glaring as they are, it may be asked what is to be done? This question is embarrassed with no small num- Der of difficulties. To the moderate dram drinker no difficulty exists. He answers; let all use 1t in moderation, and triumph antly points to his own case as an example Forgetting that the last of drunkards that now disgrace themselves, were like him once moderate drinkers. Moderate drink. Ing IS the bane of society What does il take to constitute moderate drinker?- Who shall have the honor of inventing all infaIlibie rule? Will one dram a dny suffice aa moderate drinking; or two or three. TC some 1t would, butthere are other moderate drinkers, that three drams day would leav, in their estimation, as dry as powder horn Three drams a day, morning, noon and night, makes 1905 drams year, at a cost ot five cents dram, itamounts to S54 75 q year. X small sum indeed, continued fol 20 years, 1t makes the handsome sum oI S10e0 And is the consumer bettered, ha. ne added either to his health ur comfort?- Experience has demonstrated that alcoholi, drinks are at no time necessary to healthy man,
 But the question remains still to be an swe ed, what is to be done? The drunkarl says let well enough alone. The evil yol seek to cure k an ancient one. Did moi the great survivor of the food himself gel drunk, and even the pious and devoted Lot and what better can be expected of us!
 Profanity itself hlushes. and atheism it astounded when depravity attempts to jus tiiy drunkenness by an appeal to Gods holy word The moral defects of the patriarchs and ancient saints, in life like characters art drawn, as warning to future generations and are always mentioned in scripture noj In praise but in censure While heavens heaviest maledictions are denounced against