New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-23
WHISKY AND ITS VICTIMS,

announced that Governor Davis and Ad.
iutant General Zimpleman had agreed on
an armistice Of twenty-four hours. There
was 10 be nothing offensive done by either
patty until the expiration Of that time. All
iarrooms are closed"
This last sentence brings 20 our mind an
article which friend Of this paper some
days ago translated for ;s from the An.
:eigey. des W.sse,.s. and which was writ.
ten on the occasion OF the death of ex.
Senate: Yates. Of Illinois. who. i: will be
remembered. became a perfect sot. and died
an :rsorc.gible drunkard. The .Aa=eige-
write. from a German standpoint. These
are the reflections on the sad theme:
WHISKY makes terrible destruction among
our public men. 1t is the cause that nearly
al! OF :bem die poor, leave their families in
poverty and distress, and neglect the edu-
cation of their sons by letting them grow
up without any supervision except that.
perhaps. of an indulgent mother.
We are not allied 10 the temperance or
abstinence society; neither do we believe
that laws. OF vows, will prevent the disease;
nor are we disposed to regard the reason
able use Of epirituous beverages as wrong,
ds a SIN, or as a GlSeaSes
Wine brings hilarity: i. cheers up soul
and body. We believe iu the German phis
losopher, Kant, who. AZ example of virtue,
indorsed the moderate use OF stimulating
drinks as iustiiable. and at times even
necessary, to bring up the dropping spirits
OF suffering, careworn man. And while he
regards the silent, secret, unsOcial drinker
with the utmost contempt, he is disposed to
loo.; upon the OccasiOna! free indulgence OF
exhileratiDg drinks. III good company. a
parGonable excuse, and even q wholesome
ecstacy.
THIS great thinker and observer could
| surely, however, never have had an idea OF
the erime-engenderiDg, degrading, and all
the finer feelings-stitling, beastly drinking
OF some Of our people here, even among
those of the better classes OF standing.
Nowhere IN -he enumeration Of all the
different sorts and degrees of drunkards
and sots mentioned in Kant's Anthropology
can we find any species mentioned such as
are found in this country, simply because
they do not exist in that form in Germany,
or they had no noticeable existence in
kants time.
Nobody in Germany. least of all the edu-
Gated German, drinks Like some socalled
human beings do in this country. The Ger
man drinks, aye, and if he even drinks
often it is rather exceptional than habltual.
DIuuReDUSES III du btluCdltu UtEIuGu Is
scarcely ever heard of, and seldom ever
known even among the poor and ilhterate.
II is scarcely ever kpowc o: the educated
nau 20 resor. TO !nebriatioI to banish care
or bury the troubles and maelles with
which the path OF lite is burdened; on the
contrary, pretty much IL al eases, his inc
briati0n is the resUi. of mpanionship, of
gay, Jolly, social meetings with friends, re-
unions of gentlemen who, in point of educa-
-: Il Il.
respectively the equals of each other Sucn
a thing as that public officer would. in
state of drunkenness, attempt to perform
the duties of his office, or that he would ID
consequence Of drunkenness be lncapacira.ed
from performing the duties OF hls office is
OF the unheaId OF occurrences. the punish
,nent for which. should such thing ever oc-
eur. would follow on the heel OF the otiense
nstanter.
That which is the cause of the tendency
20 run into the vice of drunkenness i'll this
country. is a certain gap in the education
and cultivation OF pretty much all our pub.
lie characters. What they lack, or nearly
all lack, is the esthetic. moral education.
which manitests Itself in the shape of dig
nifty and pride of honor in public lite and
place. In the effort and haste to give the
youth practical education and to qualify
them for their respective vocatlons. little or
no pains are tdheu W give tuelI III iNutIs aHU
morals the proper schooling and tIue .enden.
cy; hence our public men il this country are
seldom what in other countries they really
are, and .'have to be-" Beyond natural
aptness and quickness ta drive trade.
certain superficial outward polish, the IN
hate coarseness works on, and brings forth
the natural fruits all the world over;
namely. drunkenness and rascality. Such
is the state of affairs in Hungary. in
Croatia. such is the case in Denmark, and,
we regret 70 add, also in the United States.
If the signs on all sides do not deceive rs,
however. this vice OF drunkenness is on the
define also in this country. and it is not
likely that men Ike Richard Yates will
appear often again on The stage OF active
public life. to disgrace their talents and
position through the bestiality Of drunken
ness. The example OF hi. miserable end,
after having stood honoled and esteemed
among the highest men in the country,
ought to be enongh of warning for the
American youth to flee the vices OF dy1uk.
enness for al! the days OF their life.