The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1869-04-20

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Tlhe undersigned. 10 behalf u ths
Erscutse Canmltioe & the Vermont
stAts TeHperaner Socety. tales this
ustbod q briefly addressing you, o.
tbe evils " ,htemperapce, the eRooar
ageneat e eaort for reform, and the
methods q Is prosecution. This i
bat 40 Absira4 oi sha, b has q offer
The main po.uts here given sill be
elaborated 10 subsequent articles, on
Pablc addresses IntempeNnce IN
spite u 81 hiLdrances and restraints,
Is A alarming erii. aud a gian; crime,
which appalls us by is magnitude, and
paralyzes us with its strength The
public conscience slumbers under tx,
norance, OF is covered by fear, while
this popular indulgence II s~eering
our neighbors and sons to destruction.
oornpung the fountains of good NOR
ais, wasting the resources Of the nation,
and threatening The destruction Of the
government ! need not tell you that,
in thesg United States, sixty thousand
lives are annually sacrificed 10 intem
perance, and sixty thousand moderate
drinkers advanced to 81 their places
am not here to depict the poverty,
eruel,y, wretehedness and woe, occas-
ioned to their families, nor the amount
of crime, incendiarism and murder,
which alcoholic drinks have occasioned.
II is enough foo as TO know that. ut
least seren-eighths Of all these evils
come OF intorication
Have We any idea 81 tie loss to the
country BY this inaulgence2 Mr.,
Wells Commissioner Of Internal Reve.
me. estimates the first cost Of liquors,
sold last year, at 1850, 100000. The
materials used up IN the manufacture,
The labor bestowed upon the business,
the interest on machinery, warehouses,
&C. with the money paid, as profits, by
The people. would be at least another
billion So We see the sam total sunk
on useless aud pcrnioious commerce
Is two and half billions Of dollars
which is the present amount Of our na-
tioual debt Aud it IL tax upon tho
entire population Of over twenty seven
dollars per year to every man, woman
and child l. il any wonder that there
is 50 much poverty, and complaint Of
hard tunes, and secret mnrmurings. il
not open complaints, by the Iaboring
class, against the bondholders, and Of
the poor against ths rich. We have
adopted the principle Of raising inter
nal revenue on N iu1urtes, AMI exempt.
ing the uecessartes, of life Aud, for
convenience, have imposed the tax on
spirits aud tobacco. Bat the working
class, who feel most the burden OF this
taxation, use as aecessa,les, these arti-
cles; aud, unless we show them to be
useless and pernioious, they may be ex-
pected 70 rebel against this principle Of
taxation
But worse still is the danger from its
faneied oppression. OF the immense
amount paid by the people for alcohol,
ic drinks, but moiety goes to the gov
ernment The chief amount is expend-
ed for corruption purposes aud TO en-
rich those engaged in the unlawful traf-
hc All who engage 10 il roll in wealth,
while their poor customers fo2t he bis,
aud Imagine the government IS respon-
sihle for the exorbitance. Can we save
ourselves from serious discomfort, and
open rebellion, unless we enlighten the
people on the question who are their
real oppressors And turn them from
their impoyerishing and ruinous indul-
gences
II has been settled that alcoholic
drinks contain no nourishment, or next
to none; that they do not promote, but
retard digestion, that they do not give
strehgth, but detract from it; that they
neither warm us when ccld, nor cool
us when hot. aud have no proper place
but 10 the service of the arts, or among
the siufs o! the apothecafy This is
tree q alcohol, pure and simple, what
shall We say Of the beverages now dealt
oul as St hitucus H4uors' The heavy
taz imposed has wonderfully stimulat-
ga the arts by which tha 4aaaiag has
beeu increased at the expense Of the
9uaitg By ample aud reliuh!e tesn-
mouy It con be shown that all the lq.
uors exposed iyr sale are base imita-
uons. 81 poisonous adulicrations, ofthe
articles whose names they bear; that
the besi Judges cannoi distinguish be-
tasen the spurious and the geaninci
an,l chat ghe effects oi iusbnaton arc
tcniold worse iram tais eaase NoIuau.
who has sny caat5on, will dare pat ~
his iir cop u 20 donbtiui inRredi-
cu;a. Deinata .retneus Csc g follow
oa loag aad free iadulgeaee Nov il
cones sometimes iu tie fret stages 81
inismperAnes, ana before any body
supposes ths victim Is in danger Once