The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-12-01
Project the HelplesS.


of protection, but the article in question
is a good one and prompted by theright
spirit
To protect the weak against the OPP
precision of the strong, says the paper
referred to, has been considered by brave
men in all ages, as a duty in the per-
tormance Of which they took especial
pride. By an irresistible impulse of our
better nature, we feel our sympathies go
ing out to the nation or individual that
is making a fruitless effort to rid itself of
bondage, Of whatever kind, imposed by
the hand Of despotic power. And, did
we always follow the dictates of that bet
ter nature We would be found lighting on
the side of the down-trodden and OPP
pressed, whether it be n nation striving
against IL more powerful, or an indi-
yidual struggling with Il tyranny Of a
domestic character. A few years ago
slavery existed in this land. 1t was bol-
ished after a four years Of war and all
parties are now eager to acknowledge
that it was Il curse not only to the slave
but to the STAKEHOLDER, and all rejoice
that it is swept away forever, But hav-
ing accomplished this, wenow have time
to consider another form Of slavery more
degrading, more tyrannical than African
slavery itself, because more general, per-
yading as it does, all classes, whether
high or low, rich or poor, alike, We re-
fer to the slavery of intempcrance-a
system that has its victims in every city,
in every hamlet, in every neighborhood
and in nearly every family in the land.
A system OF slavery thathas caused more
sorrow, more sin, more violence and
blOodshed, more crime OF every descrip-
ton than NIL other vices put together.
We say its effects are more general than
that of any other vice, because it not on
" cnGenders many others, but embraces
among its victims not only the inebriate
himself, but the innocent wife and chill
dren who are dependent upon him for
subsistence and protection. For this
reason, if for no other, it should COM
mand the attention of the brave and
chiyalrous of I'LL parties everywhere.
We have had abundant legislation for
the punishment of crime. The most Sc
we're penalties have been inflicted with a
hope of lettering others from commit
ting like offences, but all to no purpose.
The Penitentiary is filled to overlooking
with convicts, and the iails in every coun-
ty are crowded with others awaiting hi
nj, a certain per cent. of whom will be
convicted and sent on to undergo the
punishment prescribed by law for their
respective offences. Every intelligent
man in the country will acknowledge
that a large portion of the crimes COM
mittcd by These men was the direct re-
srH of rAnpcTnncJ And yet there is
no legislation uiidcrfnheu to prevent its
spread. no law passed to even limit
the sale Of Intoxicating liquors. The
helpless and dependent women and chill
dren OF the country are as completely at
the mercy of the dram-aellor as if they
belonged to him, body and soul. They
have 10 remedy at law for the injuries
inflicted or priyations suffered in conse-
quence of this indiscriminate sale Of III
toXicating liquors.
The wife has no power to prevent the
sale of this soul destroying beverage to
her drunken husband, but entirely pow
e%rless, she is compelled to accompany him
down the scale Of social degradation,
partake Of his poverty, and share the
disgrace Of crimes committed while in a
state of intoxication bordering upon
madness, and which she has no power
to prevent. We ask i'll all candor is it
not high time we had some legislation
upon this subject Habitual drunken
ness is disease. The habitual drunk
ard is, to II certain extent insane, and
his family should have the powerb by law
to assume a guardianship over his move
ments just as they would had he been
afflicted with any other form of mania
that rendered him incapable of control
ling his affairs to the best interest o him-
self and family. They SHOULD have the
power to prevent the sax ofintoxicating
liquors to him, and the man who does
so after being warned in accordance
with the law, should be held responsible
for that act, and made to suffer with his
victim for every crime committed in
consequence of it. We shall have more
to say on this subject in the future.
Hard On Editors.
Soon after Chief Justice Chase resum-
ed the Gubernatorlal chair i'll Ohio, he