The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1873-10-15
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If this shOulu be so 1t were better
for u few farmers to die in power,
ty than for half . nation to live
in drunkenness. But such in fact
would not bo tho case; for do
say the consumption OF grain for
liquor is useless one. Drinking
never did any body any good; but
every body great deal Of harm.
And in the long run it would be
better simply to use corn for max
mg-a fire than for making whis-
key. If all the grain which is an
nuaIly made into abominable liquor
was left in the fields for the birds,
this land of ours would be a great
deal better off. ..
| now wish to show especially
that is the duty Of the law to pro-
hibit the sale Of ardent spirits.
Aud it follows from this, VIZ: that
whoever knowingly and willing
i ly puts his fellow-men into q con-
dition or in any way helps to put
him into a condition, which is
likely to lead to crime, such a man
is virtually a partakcr in whatever
crime results from that condition.
If furnish D man with & gun, and
at the same time havo some rea-
son even to expect that it will be
used for murder; if The murder be
committed, then I shall in proper
tion to the ground Of my presump-
ton, share in the guilt. The prin-
.cip!c is true or else justice is 3
humbug. Now he who sells intoxi-
eating drinks knowingly, and will
ingly, puts, or in some way helps
to put,his. teliow-men into a con.
ditlon which is very likely to lead
to crime, and hence this seller
is virtually a partakcr in whatever
crime results from that condition.
But it may be objected that he is
not a sharer in the crime, from
the very fact that the present law
does not consider him as such,
but makes liquor selling a lawful
business. Well just on this point
our present law is wholly at fault,
just here it departs far away from
the principles Of justice which
ought to be the foundation OF all
law, it here makes itself an arbri-
trary individual, despotic, some
thing entirely independent Of JUS
ticc it is in other words mock
law totally inconsistent with the
true aim Of law. Do you suppose
that q license would be granted to
y man 10 sell arsenic were that used
chiefly for criminal purposes? ?
And why then is Justice taid aside
and*a license granted 10 man to
ellhquor? Isirnot known that liq-
uor is necessarily worse than AZ
senic? 1t does not indeed kill
outright as arsenic does, but this
makes ita great deal worse. Arscn-
ic is a momentary, individual de-
stroyer; strong drink is::a: contin-
ued evil, an everlasting contaglon,
fraught with social destruction
and consequently an evil i'll direct
opposition to justice. 1t would
le a thousand times better for
men if whiskoy brought as
speedy a death as arsenic, for
then We might hope that they
would be deferred from using it.
And while it is true that law has
no right to interfere with ali the
causes Of injustice, yet it plainly
has a right TO interfere in this
case; and what else can our pre-
sent'law be, fostering the causes
of crime and claiming to be its
avenger; what else can it be but a
mock law totally inconsistent, and
a discardor ofjustice? | cannot
dctain you with e catalogue Of the
numerous evils consequent upon
the use of ardent spirits, we ha7o
become so familiar with then that
a recital Of them would not be OF
much effect. We are a people sleep
ing in q deadly atmosphere, and
unless it's POISONOUS principles arc
destroyed by justice, its spell
bound victims be reused by relig-
ion, we should soon sleep the sleep
of national death. If each one as
a citizen and sensible man would
come right up to the, point: OF
thinking plainly a a d sensible
about this matter, he would then
feel and act in carnest:f for the de-
sired cDd. It is time we wore do.
ing something if we,expect ever
to sec brighter days. If we are
arc ever going to do anything
let US do it now. Why stand we
idle and when this death
spreading. g.intcmperance is making
haste to sink our people to the
deepest depths of misery? While
we wait for better time, intem'
pcrance is making q worse one
She is not dilatory; even this day
she has scaled to a gloomy fate
many q Graded infant she. has
bound to her vile service many
young man ofjoyful promise; she
has robbed some house Of its peace
and stored it with her bitterness
and before another morning sur
shall rise, men once strong in
health, and unmindful of thcil
sad destiny shall be ready for the
grave. Her hands are full of ini