M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1859-07-14
A WIrc~DriulljHs EatiOn--Ab-
scICC OF lnt0XiCnlIOn.

ScICC OF Int0XiCntiOn.
Hon. James 0. Putnom, now in Europe
writes from Spain to III, Dulla,o Advertiser
an interesting lctern regard to graperlis.
ing and wine making. in regard to inloxi,
cation, he says:
A few cents every where buys bottle OF
wine-iis use is universal there is never a
meal withoutit.
What is The effect Of this abundance and
this universal use upon the habits Of the
People7
] can only answer that I have sought the
mos, intelligent sources Of information, and
have had but one reply, and that has been
confirmed b. my own observation, which
has not been uniuQui,iiye, that drunkenness
is not vico of the country; that excessive
drinking Of intoxicating liquor, is not its
habit; that, while there are exec lti)uQl cases.
as nation it is one Of sobristy. 1t is not
true that there is no drunkenness; but it is
rare, not habitual, even in individuals, and
is not felt as public evil. Nor is it tru,
that the wines drank in great cXcesses will
not intOyicita. You viii think my curiosity
little imperlnrut-bu have visited hos
pitals beth in Portugal aud Spain and in
quired oil their physicians If they ever had
cases OF dc'triH@ iremcRS that scourge
which, in our country, onens the gateway 10
death to so many gifted NnI noble natures
and their universal reply has been, that it
was a disease unknown TO the country.-
Private practitioners told me the same thing.
During the three months have spent in
Spain have seen but a single instance of in
toxication; this was on "bull-fght" dly at
Grenada. Another thing have observed,
there is in Spain no constant dram drinking.
First, let me say that the hotels in this coun-
try have no bar or salooG The loungar7.
and the country swarms with them, visit the
Cafes and Club houses. The holels are as
qu'et as private dwelling. Butily you were
to visit those evening resorts of the people
to Gee their life, you nigh. find them all
drinkinga but most of them would be dgipk-
ing nothing stronger than cofIe or lemonade,
without spirits Of any Sort Not to partcu-
Iari2e any further, will give you a single
experience. 1t is representative fact. ard
Therefore more significant.
| made the passage on the Berengusr,
Spanish steamer, from CadR to Havana-l
voyage OF twenty days. There were fifty
four FIRST cabin and lifty-seyen second cabin
passengers, among them half a dozen young
army officers. on their way to their regiments
in Havana. Thee were eight or ten ladies' and
all the passengers but two, Sp0niard5 There
was no bar or saloon, or any thing answering
to them, on the Steamer, nor is there on ny!0l
the Spanish steamers. The common wine
of the country was furnished as part of tie
breakfast and dinner, Of which all drank
but very modern ely--anl, 50 far as ooscrv-
ed, OF nothing else. The only exceptions
were Freuchman and Spaniarl who had
spent his days in England
| never saw a passenger drinking spirits
Of any sort, with these two exceptions, and
those not TO any excess except at their meals
There could not have been moie sobriety Of
conduct if il had been body of delegates TO
a temperance convention. |! was so novel
a steamboat experience to me that on my ar
rival at Havana | asked the steward what
amount OF liquors of all sorts had been sold
during the voyage Aud what result do YOU
suppose the examination of his hooks gave
rs ! ltrevealed an aggregate sale Of sixteen
bottles Of brandy and tweuty. Obottl,s OF
extra w;nas to The whole one hundred and
eleven passengers all ;old, during the en-
tire voyage OF twenty days.
Every evening would fnd fifteen or twenty |
passengers playing the usual steamboat
game, but without spirits ofauy sort to drink.
think score Of men passing three hours
Of an evening in those steamboat amustmpn,s |
with ne beverage but tea and coffee is a spec
.acls you must 50 beyond the States to see.
was so impressed with this Ito me) entire
y new observation in steamboat life tha !
inquired Of the commanding officer if this !
sobriaty were usual. He assured me it was, J
-emlrking that the Spaniard was very mod !
crate drnher Of the stronger liquors, but that
the men. women anl children drank the |
wines of the country a their meals.