The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-02-07
License Law and AduIterntea LII
OuOFS.


The following excellent letter is addressed
to the State Sentinel by an esteemed and
widely known Clergyman of the Catholic
Church in this State Father Bessonies is
beloved and esteemed by men of every re-
ligious creed, who know him. His recon-
mendation will have weight with all who
know his singleness of purpose and bencyo-
lence of design.
1t is now expected that temperance bill
viii be pissed at this session, requiring n
heavy license for the sale of spirituous IL
quors, and although many are opposed to
legalizing such traffic, | think that the
people of our State at large, will be satisfied
with such bill for our Legislators are, of
two evils choosing the least, and cannot do
any better under the circumstances. That
the license law will do great deal of good
will bereadily admitted, and no one has a
greater desire than | have, to see the in
creasing evils produced by intemperance,
checked. But there is an evil that the IL
cense law will not reach; and that is the
general practice among our dealers in spirit
nous liquors, to adulterate them. Hence
the horrid scenes of almost daily occurrence
among our citizens of delirium tremens-
An experience acquired by life of 90 years
in different parts of the State of Indiana
and my previous life for the same period of
time as we'll as my travels in Europe. con-
vinces me that there are in this country, a
hundred cases of delirium tremens to one
in Europe in proportion to population.
What is the cause of this ? Is it that the
European people drink no liquor? Any
one acquainted with their mode of living
knows. that they use, besides their claret
wine or beer as a common beverage, a great
deal of French brandy, which they buy at
one cent glass. How is it then that they
do not get the delirium tremens, or, as
some appropriately call it, snakes in the
| boots?" The reason is that their liquors
are not adulterated-they contain no poi
son. But why do not the dealers adulterate
them there? Is it because it is not profit
able to do so2 No. The reason is, not
that they have a severe law, as am told
we have in Indiana, for furnishing that
crime, which destroys valuable lives by
thousands, but that they enforce that law,
which we do not here, and it is to this point
that l hope our legislators will turn their at
tention. Of what benefit is law upon our
| StdIute OoOh II Is uO lNeduS pTONIu6u
for its execution Now, who will be will
ing, under our present law prohibiting
aduIterating liquors, to go round in the va
| rions liquor stores throughout the State, and
analyze their stock, and if found adulter-
| ated, report the offender to the proper tri-
bunal? No one has the right to do it, and
even admitting the right, but very few in
the State have sufficient knowledge of
chemistry to make the experiment. What
then can be done? Would it not be well
for the Legislature to appoint a general in
spector for the State, with fixed salary,
whose duty it would be to visit the differ
ent counties, arrive at the different points
when half expected, go to work, and if
adulterated liquors are found, deal with the