The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-03-20

passing sentence upon some liquor sci
ers for violation of the prohibitory law
of that state, said
Awhile there arc greater crimes known
to the law, and which are punished with
greater severity, there are none which
involve more of these qualities known as
desricable meanuess aud audacity, than
selling intoxicating liquors.
"Thete is something in the taking of
human lie by violence. so instantaneous
that il shocks and terri6es the minds OF
all and yet we look upon the man who
takes human life quite as surely, but by
| slow lingering process, it not without
cnndem nation at least without less horror
\ Iou who stand before the court for a
sentence, are in every moral sense mur
dererS. and you are within the spirit, il
not the latter, guilty OF manslaughter
for the law says that who ever accelerates
the death of human beug unlawfully
is guilty OF the crime Your bloated vic
tins who stood upon the witness stand
and who undoubtedly committed perjury
to screen you from the law, abundantly
testify that you are not only accclerating
death. but that you are inducing men to
commit still greater crimes than your
own.
You still maintain the appearance of
resFectabiiity but how mortally leprou-
and scrofulous you are inwardly-the
ruin, poverty and idleness which you are
inficting upon this community, declare
as from the housetops. You are living
10 idIeness aud eating the bread of
orphans watered with widows tcars-yOu
are stealthily killing your victims. and
numbering the peace and industry OF the
community. and thereby converting hap
py, industrious homes into misery. thrift
less poverty and rags. You are sowing
the seeds of ignorance idleDess and want
among the generations to come.
Anxious wives and mothers watch
aud pray in teas nightly, with desoIate
hearts, for the coming home Of your vic
Tins whom you are Turing with the wiles
and smiles OF the devil, into midnight
debauchery.
''ln 6ue one can have no adequate
conception Of cataract until he has
seen Niagara, nor the terrible furor and
grandeur of storm at mid ocean, until
he has witnessed one. SO no one can know
the utter deyradaton and total depravity
to which this species can be brought,
uuti he looks upon the deso!ute ruin
caused hy your hellish traffic
You have been frequently admon
ished by this court, of your crimes and
their terrible effects. aud yen have been
repeatedly 6ued therefor; but you give
DO heed.
You are persistent, dcfapt law
breakers, and sbamclessIy boHst that 10
defiance of the law and the moral sense
of the community you will continue in
your wicked aud criminal practices
1T has, therefore. now become the
imperative duty of this court to let fall
upon you so heavily the arm of the law
that you shall he either driven from your
ueiarious traffic. or ruined 10 your for
tunes aud wicked prosperity. You have
become stencil to the nostrils of this
cou. munity, and all good men are pray
ing hat ynp be speedily reformed or sum
nariiy destroyed BY the providence OF
God and the favor Of this court these
prayers shall be speedily answered by
signal aud exact justice for your crimes
MS court VIII Ieei proun Satisfaction
10 taking from you 10y law your i'll gotten
gains, aud giving it To the common school
fund OF this county, where, let Us hope.
it will assist in eduating the rising youth
to shdD your vices and wicked pratices.
And finally, let NE entreat you, if
you are not already lost to every senti
mcnt OF humanity. to desist from your
crimiral vagatoDd traffic, and betake
yourselves 20 some honest calling for a
livelihood : and you may yet become
ririuous, useful citizens, and entitled to
be respect of Christian community
while it you persist in this way, your
own ruin is certain, aud you will receive
as you deserve, the execrations Of man
kind
You may, perhaps. think that these
remarks are harsh aud unjustly severe
but the court assures you. that as com
pared with your crimes, and tie desola
ton you have brought upon the commu
nifty already, they are mild in the ex
trcmc."