The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-12-07
4 Jndge's Temperance Lecture.

At Morris, Grundy county, H., three
saloon keepers-one woman and two
menAweFe arrested and Indicted for
selling liquor to minors. As usual in
such cases, the liquor sellers were
lavish Of their funds in aid Of their un.
fortunate co.workers, and eminent
counsel was employed in defense OF
these destroyers oi the bodies and
souls Of the young and rising genera.
tion. But the proof Of their guilt was
so fully demonstrated that the Jury
were compelled to pronounce them
guilty. Hon. ]. n. Reading, the pre-.
siding Judge, in proneuncing the sen.
tenee Of the court, used the following
language:
@The Jury having found you guilty Of
selling the intoxicating liquors to q
minor, it remains for the court to pro-
nounce the sentence OF law. The pen
atty Of this ofianse, fixed by this Legis.
lature, indicates that it considered the
crime to be OF a serious character. By
the law you may sell to men and 10
women, il they will buy. You have
given your bond, and paid for your
license to sell to them, and no ono has
the right to molest you in your legal
business. No matter what the conBe.
quences may be, no matter what desti-
tuition and poverty are produced by
your selling according to law, you
have paid your money for this privilege,
and you are licensed to pursue your
calling. No matter what families are
distracted and rendered miserable, no
matter what wives Rre treated with yio-
lence, what children starye or mourn
over tho degradation OF q parent, your
business is legalized and no one may
interfere with you in it. No matter
what mother may ngonize over the loss
OF son, or sister blush for the shame
OF o brother, you have the right to dis
regard them oil and pursue your legal
calling; you are licensed. You may
ct up your lawful place Of business in
the most enticing aud captivating form;
you may furnish II with the most Gle.
giant and costly equipment for your
lawful trade; you may ill 1t with the
allurements TO amusements; you may
use all your art to induce visitors you
may skilfully arrange and expose to
view your choice wines and most capt..
yating beverages you may then induce
thirst by oil contrivances, 10 produce q
raging appetite for drink; and then
you may supply that appetite to the
inll-because it is lawful; you ha7e q
license.
"You may allow boys, almost chill.
dren, to frequent your saloon they
may become witnesses OF the apparent
satisfaction with which their seniors
quaf the sparkling glass; you may be
schooling and training them for the
period OF twenty-one, when they, too, can
participate, for all this Is lawful. You
may hold the cup TO the very lips but
you must not Let them drink-that ia
unlawful. But, while you have all
these privileges for the money which
you pay, this poor privilege OF selling
to children is denied you. Here
parents have the right TO say, Leave
my son to me until the law gives you
tho right to destroy him. Do not an.
ticipate that terrible moment when 1
can assert for him no further protec.
tion. That will be soon enough for
me, for his mother, for his sisters, for
his friends, and for the community, to
see him take his road to death. Givs
him to us in childhood, OF least. Let
US have few years OF his young life,
in which he may enjoy his innocence, to
repay us in some degree for the care
and love we have layished upon him.
This is something you, who now stand
prisoner at the bar, have not paid for;
this is not embraced in your license.
You have your 'bond to use to It's full
extent; but in thus taking your
pound Of flesh you draw the blood,
and that which Is nearest the heart.
The law in its wisdom does not permit
this, and you must obey tho law. By
the verdict Of the Jury you have been
found guilty Of transgressing the law.
It's extreme penalty is thirty days i'm.
prisonment in the county jail and 800
fine; its lowest, ten days imprison-
ment and $40 fine.
"For this offense the court sentences
you to ten days imprisonment in the
county jail, and that you pay fine Of
S75 and costs, and that you stand COM
mitted until the fine and costs Of this
prosecution are paid"
As may be imagined, the delivery Of
such o sentence produced considerable
commotion, being praised by the tenn
perance people as tho best temperance
speech OF the season.-Fricnds' Re.
VictO.