The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-02-09

Some, u1uS0rOuey uuu u0Eulsu.Uy tue
lnndening influence OF ardent spirits.
AS the organs Of the animal pro-
pensltles are more intimately related
to the body than those of the higher
mental powers, the use Of stimulants
tonds to augment the force.of those
propensities, and BY excess Of action
to drive them directly to abuse and
peryersion; while the reason, the
memory, skill, taste, prudence, ambi-
ton, moral and religious sentiments
are misdirectcd, clouded, and benum-
bed. We have known honest men,
who, whom under the influence OF
liquor, would lie and take every
dishonorable method to obtain mon
ey, in order to carry out their maud
lin purposes, but who, when sober,
would scorn q lie or . dishonorabIe
act. Who has not seen kind and be-
nevolent men who, when disguised
by liquor, SEEMED callous to every
sentiment Of kindness ? The sound
est reason, the sharpcst perceptions,
and the clearest memory become
clouded- by stimulants- until the an
happy victim is unable to manage
his affairs or reason correctly on any
subject. Moreover, every social tie
il severed by misrepresentation in
every case, but in myriads Of cases.
Tho fait and. loving wife and her
prattling babe, who are the pleasure
and pride of the husband and father,
become the objects and victims of his
hate and murder, when his brain is
fired by stimulants. Many such .
| man has awakened from .. drunken
condition il felon's cell, and been
Mortified when informed that he had
slain his wife and child. If this
state is not one ofinsanity it is akin
to it, with the crime of incompetence
added. The setting on fire Of allthe
passions, and bunting all the higher
feelings, dethrones all that is Godlike
in man. and makes him moro british
than beast.
| lite sometimes asserted that some
men cannot make > speech, or any
other great and successful mental
effort, until they are aroused and
stimulated by strong drink. Men
may become 50 accustomed to the
use Of alcoholic liquors as 70 require
| large amount to rouse them to Of
fort. The same Is equally true OF
those who use opium, morphine, or
arsenic. But who thinks the poison.
ing Of q person by arsenic or NOR
| phine . proper or desirable mode Of
| whipping the faculties into aotion?-
| Who does not know that the slave OF
opium or arsenic is using up his life
forcc, and will soon break down his
abused constitution and die by poi
son? Does not the very common
yet awful disease called dslirium
I, trsuaens settle the question as to The
dire effects upon mind and body Of
alcoholic stimulsnts? Is deirium
tremens more reputable or less ter.
rible death than that produced BY
the poison of opium or arsenic?-
Who would not prefer to SEQ loved
friend, il no must die an untimely
death glido into the dreamy elysiun
of the opium-eascr, until conscious
, ness is smothered in tho silence o
death, than to witness tho menta
: agony of ono whose brain, all on fir,
with alcoholic poison, sees monstrou
spcctres which seem to the victim I,
bite and devour him2 This is insan
ity intensified--a consciousness
J thousand times magnified in its ca
: pacity for suffering, having al tn
. pains OF the martyr ut the stake witt
! none Of the martyrs consultations
Danto's "Inferno" pictures no wors
: fortunes than such q brain recognize
q in rapid review and makes them a
+ its own, until wearied nature release
J, its unhappy grasp OF life, and the tel
= rified spirit is launched upon the Ut
is seen and eternal.