, 1873-01-12
OYS' HIN G,
GbeGZ)uz ago UIibu,1e,

Sunday hEorrips, January u, 1873.

THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.
Senator Pomeroy has 4 bill pending in the
United States Senate prohibiting the manufae-
eure, sale. or use OF Intoxicating liquor in the
District OF Columbia and the several Territories
Of tie United States. Senator Sherman, OF Ohio,
has similar bill, which is to be in force in the
District OF Columbia, tho several Territories,
and in all places held by the United States for
docks, ports, navy yards, custom houses, and
for other public purposes in the several States.
This bill of Senator Sherman prohibits the sale
Of Intoxicating liquors to be drank on the prem
Ises whoro sold; provides that such liquors shall
not be sold to minors unless upon the written
order of parents or physician; that all tayerns,
l.ooms, eating-houses, restaurants, cellars, and
4,ther places where liquor is sold to be dranlupon
the premises, shall be deemed nuiBanceH, and
eha1l be shut up and abated. It makes it un-
lawful for any person to be intoxicated, and pro-
vides, something after the manner Of tho Hi
mois Law, eeries OF remedies for damages sus-
!tained By tho sale Of liquor. We do not propose
to discuss these provisions Of the BILL but to note
that Mr.. Sherman excerpts from its operation
!" the eale Of the vino manufactured OF the pure
Juice Of the grape, OF beer, or ale, or cider"
Tho effect OF the bill, il it became Law, would
BE to discriminate against the sale Of all other
liquors, and in favor Of pure wine, beer, ale, and
cider. Without saying that MIR. sherman's bill
proposes tho best or the proper mode Of attain
ing this result, wo think one Of tho best, and
,wiaest, and most effective temperance measures
that can DO devised is the substitution Of
pure wincs, and light beer or ale for
tho fiery alcoholic beverages which are
so generally used. In countries where vine and
beer are tho general beverage OF the people,
Drunkenness hardly exists, though the use
Of the beverage is well-nigh universal. The de-
atructiye effects OF liquor are mainly duo to the
poisonous compounds that arc sold to consun1-
c1a. It is not extraVagnnt to assume that nine-
:teen-twentic!hs OF the spirits retailed over the
counters Of the Balloons contain poisonous COM
pounds, destructive alike to the body and tho
mind Il is also fact that those who have ed
ucatea their taste to these fiery, liquids do not
relish pure liquor, but thirst after tho drink
which burns throat and stomach the longest and
most intensely. There baye been repeated e3-
,posures OF the horrible ingredients re-
tailed under the name Of Spirits. An
investigation and chemical Analysis Of
the spirits sold at tho bars in New York, two
gears ago, showed that in no instance, not even
ut the first-c!ass hotels waa there pure article
rctailcd at the bar. The gradations we're, con-
siderable, but the fact remained that all the
spirits thus sold we're moro or less poisonous,
from the "benzine Of tho lower doggories to
the compound OF fusl oil ut the more preten-'
uous establishments, - .~ -
The llabitual uso OF this. foul etun is neceB-
EARLY fatal. It is mere question OF tho en-
dutance OF the Stomach md the strength of tho
brain. para1gEib and death are the natural re-
cults OF the use Of such drinks, and tho cheaper
tho Price tho greater tho quantity and
1aore. poisonous tho quality that is sold. II our
poop!o could bo educated to an abstinence
from theso and other alcoholic compounds,
apd to The use OF pura wines and light beers,
the great and most deplorable evils Of intempe.-
snco wonld be-: zrerted. :: While in.o1ication
;tseI would be groatly reduced, there would be
an abatement OF all these mental and physical !
disorders aud ca1a1aitias Which naturally follow
the uso Of poisonous mixtures publicly sold un-
der the name Of epirituous liquors. We manu- /
1acture annually in this country 20 900 900 gal 1
Ions Of spirits. This is the amount reported to
the ta1~gatherer. We import large Quantities
of brandy nnd other spirits. There. is
nlso much that is distilled that is never
known to the revenue officer. This vast !
4nount Of spirits Is Ill doctored; that is |
to say, it is drugged and otherwise onixod |
until there iE produced and 1etailed to the pub
lie twice or thrice the amount of the origi-
nal distillation and import, md it all finds it's
wsv to the human stomach. Nov, he is true |
promoter Of Temperance who can induce any
cumbcr Of his fellor-rnen to substitute for this
+ill2nous etaT the uae OF pure wine or beer. I
Such . change arrests the 1atal consequences OF
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