Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-08-09
Public 0ninion Of prnnhardn.

fuDno Uplnlon OF Urunkards.
In these dsys when politics absorb 30
much Of peoples attention, and engross 70
hsrge share Of public interest, questions
Of MINOR Importance and apparently affect
ing only our social relations, are In danger
of being neglected or wholly lost sight Of.
The Incorporate or excessive use of al.
coholic liquors AZ a beverage Ia one of these
and Is somewhat spasmodie in ita hold up-
on the public mind. When the peace ind
quietness OF town or neighborhooa is dai-
ly and nightly disturbed throug!, the agen-
cy of this foe to human welfare. there aris.
es a manifest desire to sdpprcss the traffic
and abolish the custom, but SO long as it
doesrot abriGse the comfort or curtail the
pleasures of others, the inebriates arc left
to follow their inclinations and do as they
please.
We are aware OF the trite nature Of this
subject, and the stereotyped arguments per-
tanning to it, of the thousands of lectures
delivered and published, and the multitude
of works written, viewing the theme from
every available standpoint, discussing ev-
cry feature which it presents, and produc-
ing from reason and everyday experience
the most irrcfragable and conlusive evi-
dence of the pernicious and baneful effects
of strong drinks upon the human race.
And yet men, aye, and women too contin-
ue not only to use it themselves but tacitly
or openly sanction its use bv others. And
many who never drink glass of wine, or
ardent spirits, ale or cider, are so apathetic
concerning its use by others, that they new
or utter any protest, or take any decisive
action looking to the reformation Of the
drunkards, or the moral salvation of the
moderate drinker
KLeptomania finds no palliation in our
criminal courts or with the public, but
drunkenness is frequently extenuated on
the plea of its being habit, weakness,
&c. Thieving is habit and weakness,
and so with every other crime; but is it less
censured or docs it incur less penalty on
that account7
We often hear it said that "such man
is remarkably smart if he would only keep
sober" So is thief Smart" Again, he
is real clever and good-hearted when he ID
sober" Just so, and many burglar would
be considered "clever and good-hesrted" il
he would only let people's property alone.
We can not directly control mans ap.
petite, but we can refrain from giving coun-
tenance to his excesses. We are under nc
sort of obligation to let drunken man sit
down at table with, or even come into the
presence Of sober persons; we protest
against this tolerance and mistaken lenity
We hold that 80 long as an inebriated con-
dition does not preclude persons admis-
sion to social circles or place him under the
ban OF the community, SO long will men
continue to reel along our streets, stagger
into our houses and annoy lis with thei,
maudlin utterances
Our limits will not allow us to enlarge
upon this subject. The article would be
too prolix and tedious to our readers were
we to descant only upon its most promi.
nent features. Its tendency (alcoholic
drinks) to shorten human life; its brutal.
iSing influence upon the mind, the profiga.
cy or wasteful expenditure of means
which it involves; the consequent misery
and ruin of family circles, and the very in
innate connection which il established be
tween it and the commission of crime
these views present to the philanthropis
wide fields of contemplation fraught with
terrible facts, and replete with the mos
fearful statistics, many of which have beer
compiled and published, but what hav'
these things accomplished? What ha
been achieved by legislation for the sup
preston Of the illicit traffic? We are no
aware that the consumption Of intoxicating
drinks have materially decreased since tn
inception Of the total abstinence movement
We seek not to decry or disparage any o
the means used for the promotion of tenn
| perance, for it is a source of graduation +
/ its advocates that thousands of victim
have been rescued from the maelstrom @
drunkenness and many debauchee restor
= ed to the nobility of manhood through il
r instrumentality; but experience teache
3 that something more is required, that tn
numerous organizations now in operation
| and al the legislation combined will ne
n stop this Juggernaut of vice. What then
y 1t is now and has long been our impressio
that more elevated pu2lic sentiment an
more decided and pronounced publ
: opinion must prevail ere we can reason
: bly, hope for general and permanent su
: cess in the cause of total abstinence.