The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-12-30
The Use OF Tobacco.
TO the Editor Of the Enquirer and Eran.

| liner:
James the First King OF England wou
not deserve 60 much contempt from hist.
rians If he had never done ANYTHING mo,
cOntemptible than writing his counterbla,
to tobacco. His principal opposition
the use Of the weed was right, only b
manner Of advocating it was obiectionab
from its silly extravaganza yet the oil
Kings extravagance was moderation CON
pared with that of the Russian priest
They esteemed smoking most 6einou
sin, while drunkenness was regarded o
perfectly innocent, becadse, fotsooth, on
Savior has said :: /" Not that which goet
into the mouth defleth man, but tina
which cometh ont OF TIE mosth this d.
fileth man."
/ I cannot endorse the spplication Of thi
text, but can sympathizs with King an
priests, and ladies', too, in their opposition
to the use Of tobacco in any form. Mis-
Murray, one Of Queen Victoria's maids o
honor, in the account of her travels in tn
South, said that she found Southern gen
tlemeD charming, with one exception, u,
abominable habit Of continual splitting.
1t 10 strange that men take 80 mucl
pains to acquire az artificial taste for ,
nauseOus weed to form habit 1isaerees
Bile to others, troublesome, expensive ana
injurious to themselves. - g
In what consists the strange fascination
Of tobacco! Johnston, in his /" Chemistry
Of Common Life" says " that he is unable
from experiesice, to deecribe its effect, and
that those who habitually use it are unable
or unwilling to give him the desired in for.
nation" it is universally admitted that
tobacco is q stimulant, but what kind nj
stimulant? It's certainly very different
in its effects from Intoxicating LIQUORS. and
it is also certain that the effect is very DIFF
ferent on man anaccustomed TO its use
and on One who has long INDUCED in it.
A very small piece Of tobacco will nauseate
the fryer and dreadfully excite his nerves |;
While, on the contrary, It seems to exert .
sedative. soothing effect on one who has
for years addicted himself to it's use.
When the habit 10 once formed, whatever
effort it may have cost, it 10 almost impos-
sible to break. have known old men who
have been habitual drunksrds all their
lives abandon intoxicating liquors, but i
nave only known single instance Of a
man who had thoroughly acquired q taste
Tor tobacco abandoning its use. To his
honor, let me record his name-Alexaniar
Pope Abel. OF Charlottesville.
have known many men quit chewing
y smoking for months. or even years, but
wen alter years 0fabstinenco the taste re-
Mains, ard the habit is almost sure To he
esumed. 1t is like the old man of the |
Mountains on Sinbad's shoulders. impos-
lille to shake Oh. And yet, nine ont Of
on men will tell you that they regret ever !
aving formed tho habit, and advise vou |
lot to initiate their example. nnce
new young man to sit down yerv deIib- I
ut as follows: ~
transformations which induce me 70
bandon the use Of tobacco
LIST. It is useless. a s..faaGe, ls-z l.
I'd. II 10 troublesome. s- T.
ID. It 10 injurious.
9Th. 1t sp0ils my teeth. s.r ~ |,
9th. 1t ia frequently inconyepient. and
'mporary abstinence is DISTRESSING.
9th: II is disagreeable to my brothers
7th. It is dirty habit disgusting to re-
ned people.
9th. It IS expensive. g'5 ..a2y ~
9Th. 1t creates q thist which water win
1t quench. va
He persevered two days, but ON the I
'ird his resolution failed, habit reas- I
rted Its sway, and this, too, although, I
felt and acknowledged tho full force | =
ms nine considerations. The last of | y
e nlnc Is a very potent consideration. n
0mgi not generally acknowledged. '
1nlhk OF 1t, yOurg men. Did Won n
er know drunkari who did not nse q
bacco in some form or did Won ever i
low man who used tobacco exces- q
'ely that did not have more than !. +
turai craving for ardent spiritsf I'll a
yer did. This coincidence, means =
mcthing. The fact is that a constant n
q excessive use of tobacco Drodnces =.
feeling Of langour and debiIitv = y
cuity about the stomach, general en- n
Vation and depression. Whiskey d
anteracts this feeling, and thereme- d,
Is too often sought. "But two r.
ongs can never make one right al
What then : Would you advise ey- p
body quit the use Of t0baccof Ger h,
My would, and nobody would be M
rse on for 1T. Only think of the mil II,
ne OF dollars spent annually for fl,ia En-
less and even n0xious luxury. Floors an
public halls and churches snoilell Inv ~
'ing tobacco juice squirted over N
m. Think Of the railroad ears. Duh- ~
hotels and private houses, rendered q,
.ost uninbabitable by the foul Odor M
lead tobacco smoke. And spufIino M
is too disgusting to talk about. p,
tie whole nuisance be abated: Mt An
It let 1t die out with the present. n,
Grafton, since there is no hope of its =,
Let the boys stick to ma n
and scOrn to violate her Commands ~
forming an artificial taste for q nau- ~ -.
Is weed. m - - - lite
That then will become Of the great d. Do.
'cco INTEREST," What of the Man int,
who make their living by raising ri,
lcc0 for market, the great staple of NV
,iniaf Oh! let tho planters turn E1,
r attention to something else, they Of [
hnd many things that will pay as peo
!, and bettertOO. Tobacco culture cut
already ruined half the State-im- folI
erished the land aud its owner tn Pri
er. All the manure and nearly An Won
labor must go on the tobacco ers,
md. The whole crop is taken OIL ed I
transported to market. It ia like end
ming the cream of the land itselfl disc
selling it. It sells for casl, Il IL NOR
but what becomes of the cash p side
a the planter has bought all that o6Rc
night have raised but for tobacco, sent