The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-07-27
Every Man Treat Himself.

ertheless, one Of great importance
We were hesitating as to whether we
should make it local mattcr--that Is,
put our remarks upon the local page OF
on paper. or not. But a little rcGcc'
ton convinces us that it is n subject
altogether too ponderons and National
for u local application, In saying it is
4 rational subject, We do not mean any
reflection upon President Grant, We
suppose he pigs for all he drinks, aud
Il good round sum it takes, we verify
believe. 1t may be. however, that
Gen. Grant gets barrels Of whisky rs
presents, just like he gets houses, and
a countless lumber OF things from eX
pectaut hangers-on, Whether he pays
for his liquor is none Of ON business,
but we are very much pleased with the
suggestion Of the Brownsville Bee that
If every man had to pay for all the
wliskcy he drinks, it would stop hall
the drinking in the world, If there
were 4 law imposing Il heavy fine upon
any man who treats another to whisky,
it would do more for temperance than
any plan ever yet adopted. When we
remember that the present statutes Of
Tennessee prohibit the giving away Of
liquor on election days, who knows
but q step farther will be taken before
long?
Dear reader Of the Home Journal,
don't say this is q petty subject. a
distinguished observe Of facts says:
"All the crimes on earth do not destroy
so many Of the human race, nor ALLEVIATE
so much property, rs drunkenness
and the people Of the United States,
according to the report of Commits
sioncr Wclles, swallowed at the coun-
tcrs Of saloons in one year, liquor to
the value Of l,49l. $4,000. Now, we
are determined to never be an cXtre-
mist in matters of any kind. We are
not going to condemn any one for
drinking just as much as he p~lcases.
We may be sorry that he is his worst
enemy, and may feel intense disgust for
the ridiculous appearance he presents
when staggering under the effects Of
bcastly indulgence. lfhe psys for his
liquor, or the saloon man credits him,
that is all right in itself. IF he gets
very drunk, loses the center Of gravity,
and lays suddenly down in mud and
water, It's his W ac.ion-hc "pays
his money and takes his choice 1t
is what men do and say after they are
drunk for which we would hold them
responsible, and Blackstone says drum
kcnnCss is no excuse for criminal mis-
behavior. We repeat that we have no
words Of rcproach for the man who
chooses to ge: drunk. He is no worse
|. in our estimation than a lazy man. and
truly not so bad, for his drunkenness
incnpacitatcs him from doing my
thing, for the nonCc, but there is room
to believe he viii! do something when
sobercl. Nor have we any intention
OF auimadvcrting upon any one who
takes his social glass. We are not
hypocritical enough to deny that we
should be making Il false impression
about "ourself, and we are not fool
enough to condemn oursclf. We have
no patience with those rigid, right
eous few who pirate so loudly against
il little wine for the stomach sake
yet are leprous with sins of a different
naLurc-such rs slandcring, driving
har,l bargains, boarding money and
refusing to allow an honest difference
Of ~opinion-who take advantage of q
drunken man in a trade, and in their
hearts are glad he was drunk, and that
the law holds Il drunk man to his bar
gain just as it does Il sober one. Now
don't suppose we've been having any
trouble in this respect-nevcr did, and,
God help us! will. But we have
seen many men who could not trade to
advantage when drunk, and some sober
man got the better of them, then ma
ligned them for drinking. We do not
intend to defend drinking to excess.
Perhaps George Gascoigne was cor
rect in saying that all drunkards are
beasts. Whether he was or not, he ev-
identity had seen somewhat Of the pecu-
liar Influence whiskey has upon men,
and it would be quite interesting to
read what be says. He illustrates his
proposition in n fancilul manner, The
first, he says, is ape-drunk, and leaps
and sings, and dances, says funny
things, and is quite familiar, The sec
oond is i;oR-drunk, and he breaks
glasses. calls people hard names,
swoars he is the best man that ever