New-York tribune., 1868-04-01
THE LIQUORS OF COMMERCE.

ulIhCuitJ Va pure anu wholesome
stimulants for the sick. HipDocrates called
attention TO the tricks of the Athenian vintners
four centuries before the Christian era. Galen.
somewhat later, sternly Tebuked the wine mer
chants of Rome for tampering with the iuico
of the grape. There were no distilled liquors
in those days, and many of the subtle
pOisOns at present used by liquor mixer,
were unknown, but considering their
knowledge and opportunities, the adultcrators
of the "classic ages" showed considerable
adroitness in their nefarious calling Lead
lime, gypsum, and sea water were put into
new VINE by the Roman dealers, and il was
boiled and left to cool in metal vessels by way
of improving its taste and giving il trans
parency. To this day some of the Mediter-
ranean wines are subjected to similar pro
cess. All the wines of Europe are more or less
adulterated before they leave first hands
and as to the stuff commonly retailed in this
country under the name of Port, Sherry,
Madeira, &C., &C., sloe- juice, decoctiOn Of log
wood, powder OF catecheu, alum, plaster Of
paris, lead, litharge, carbonate Of soda, oil Of
almonds, cider, and bad rum, may be- men
toned as among their pleasant ingredients.
But it is in the concOcton of "spirituOns
liquors" that the adulterators Of this genera
ton particularly excel. The tricks of the Greek
and Roman winners were mere child's play to
theirs. Strychnine, sulphuric acid, sugar OF
lead, jalap. opiates, and a variety Of pungent
alkales, are among the delicacies that enter
into the composition of ordinary "bar-room
Liquors. and some of them consist almost
wholly of pernicious chemicals with small
admixture of unrectifed spirit. No wonder,
4 4. Al.of
rum, gin and whisky carry death and madness
in their train. No, wonder, also, that physt-
clans hare lost confidence in the liquors Of con-
merce, and are afraid to use them. Shmulants,
however, are as necessary IN medicaI practico
as febrifuges, or cathartics, or anodynes, or
alternatives, or any other of the recognized
specified diseases. The great question Is, can
a pure stimulant be had3 We say ii can. We
| assert that HosTETTER's STOMACH BTTTERs, the
! alcoholic basis of which is the essence OF sound
| MonOngahea Rye, is as pure stimulant rs "a
| il possible for human skill TO manufacture. IL
| il however something more and better than
| this to wit: A iudiciOusly medicated stlnulant
| in which the qualifying ingredients arc the
! finest stOmachc, aperient, alteratlye and anti
bilious herbs, roots and gums. Ihese NeSsta-
! BILE constituents modify and control the effect
| of the spirtuOus elements, and render the BIT
| ters the safest, mildest, and most elective IN
vigOrant at present IN use. It may nc r-
marked, perhaps, that this is an easy tlilng 10
| say--but how is il 10 be proyedT To this va
| have only TO reply that cOrroboratlve testimony
| from high scientific sources, and nom cluzens
| of good standing in every profession ana call'
| ing, extending over period OF mort lnaii
! twenty-five years, is at the service OK Whom "
| may concern Volumes OF this testimony havd
been published, and there remains at least an
| eeual amount as yet imprinted For The mel
ancholy consequences which ensue from me
sale of unwholesOme compounds nearing thd
| names of the various spirltuOus liquors, thd
| powers that be are in some degree responsible
| Deriving, as it does, a large revenue from
| the importation and manufacture OF alcoholic
beverages, it is maniiesty the DUTY of the
| General Government TO protect the people as
| far as possible against the introduction OF
! PoIsoNs into their daily drink Still more inn
| perative is the obligation to shield the SICK
| from the peril of being killed or injured by
penciOus exctants, administered as MEDICINES
| Inspection and taxation ought, IN this nlatteTs
to go hand in hand, and IN all cases OF adul-
! teration, the adulterated articles, instead or
| being taxed, shonld be DESTROYED. Every
| tincture and extract containing, or purportInG
| to contain alcohol, should be examined by COM
| petent scientific men. and not permitted to
| 20 into the market until its purity has been
! authOrtatively certified; The sanitary inter
! ests of the community should be paramount TO
the financial interests Ot the Goyernment--
| the public health being of infinitely more
Importance than the public rcvenue-
| But no such protective SUPERVISION
is exercised either by the central power a6
| Washington or by the State Governments. The
Internal Revenue Assessors and Collectors SIM
| ply demand their tax, knowing nothing about
| the wholeSOmeness or unwhOles0menesS ol tho
| articles upon which it is levied, the CrstOm-
| House Collectors insist payment of the
duties required by law on imported liquors. hut
! how much or how little foreign poison there
| may be in each cask or puncheOD, II s not
| their business to ascertain. Congress seems tO
| bova entirpIv oVprlOOEpd ifs function uf DuhllO
| protection in legislatng on the liquor question:
| State Legislatures have been equally remiSs.
| Many of them have tried prohibition, and
failed No one of them, so Tar rs wo
| are aware, has endeayored TO mitigate tho
| evils of which they have all complained.
| by inStituting n rigid system of inspection. We
| should be glad TO see such system adopted
as an experiment. Ii would at least prevent
unprincipled dealers from palmlng on upon
the working classes, to an unlimited extent, tha
fiery fluids which fill our jails, pOor-houses,
hospitals. lunatic asylums and innumcrabe
graves with miserable victims. Were such a
regulation in force, we should have no need to
explain the nature and value OF our pTepara-
ton through the public press. The report or
the inspecting officers would he our suincent
youcher-a stronger advertisement than any Wa
could frame. Gladly would we welcome the
official agents of the GOvernment-State or
Federal - to our factory, and challenge
their closest scrutiny, their sharpest test. Au
inspection law of the kind Indicated would, IL
competently administered. be one OF the most
useful enactments ever placed upon our statute
| books. ItwOuld be conservative alike al both
health and morals. When the British Govern
ment literally rendered opium TO the Chinese nc
| the point of the bayOnet-compellmg that un-
fortunate nation TO make It's election between
homeless war and demOraZiDg aud deadly
noison-the United States cried shame We
| denounced the conduct of Great Britain as UNI
| Christian and inhuman. SO it was; but is our
Government guiltless if it tacitly permits tho