The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-04-20


demned.
1t IS not simply temperance move
ment, but Is also religious revival.
Its present objective point Is against the
sale and use Of intoxicating drinks. A
vital point In this discussion Is the inquiry
into the nature and character Of alcohOls
Whence are alcohols and what Is their
origin? would that this question were
in better hands; l myself can only
tell from limited observation; but we may
all learn from the simple laws oil nature
all that is necessary. Men searched the
realms Of nature TO find the philosophers
stone; the old Glchemists sought for the
fountain Of lie, but in vain. You will
search all nature in vain for alcohol.
Go to Chemistry, no alcohol can be
found in its residuum.
The forest says 1t is not in me, fruits,
flowers and grain say It Is not in US. You
will not find 1t in any Of the creations Of
COP.
It's a product OF art, made BY men TO
satisfy their lust for gain, and to pamper
a vicious appetite.
In nature there are two opposite pro.
cesses; upward We have growth, develop.
ment, life; downward we have decay, de.
composition, death and in moral lite we
have the same antagonisms.
Where do We find alcohol but on the
downward side, II is the product Of decay,
it begins and ends with that. II is never
found in pure State, it flows from, and
produces death.
Fruits fresh and pure arc pressed, the
grain is mashed, their products are suit
jected TO heat, to decay and from this rot.
IcnnGss may be evolved alcohol. 1t does
not partake Of the nature Of the fruit, it
is not the juice Of the grape or the apple.
In fermentation Of grain takes place the
same change which makes the egg or
flesh unfit TOR food. What is the process
Of brewing but a rotting process. II it
were not you might as well go 10 flour.
ing mill for whisky as to distillery The
process is allied to death. We have
springs Of water combining minerals and
health giving substances, but no springs OF
alcohol. PoisOns have q use and are used,
but they are carefully used and handled.
No doubt alcohols have their use, but let
them be confined to their proper use in
materia meGics and the arts, but they are
Of no use as foods. This matter has been
carefully investigated, and alcohols are net
food, and cannot be used by the body as
food. They are rejected by all the organs
Of the body because they cannot be ap-
propriated or assimIlated, they simply
pass into the body. They are Of no more
use as food, as sustenance for Che body
than cotton.
We have seen the origin Of alcohol and
We now ask what are its affects. The
use OF alcoholic drink as beverage Is an
abuse of the body; it infsmes the pas.
sions, deranges the organs and destroys
the harmony Of the body. II acts as q
poison in all cases, II you doubt this as.
sertion consult the best medical authori-
ties. They will tell you that whatever
destroys liies healthy movement IS poison.
They will tel you that the poison Of
alcohol in It's nature Is like prussic acid
1t prevents the change Of black to YER
million blood. The very word intoxcste,
which is oil Latin origin, means to poison.
Its effect upon the intellect is not less
banetul than upon the body; it degsades
and brutalizes the faculties of the mind;
1t steals away the brain and plays the
fool with the understanding.
A friend saw poor drunken wretch
lyingin the cutters Of the Federal Capt.
tal who, even in his degradation, had an
air OF respectability, and on inquiring
learned that 1t was jim Green, OF Mis-.
souri,, once the peer Of Douglass and the
able men Of his day, and he exclaimed,
"How are the mighty fallen" It's use
makes OF q man slave makes him Tor.
get his children and his vile. Its effects
destroy not only the family but they
reach society and the community at large.
1t is o constant drain upon society. We
may pay the national debt with The rev.
enues derived from its manufacture, but
the money will be the price Of immortal
souls. Revenues from licenses may pave
our streets, but they are the price Of
orphans signs and widows tears. We
pay the cost OF our poor house and our
ails that q lew men may live In idleness.
We impeaCh this traffic Gnd charge il with
high crimes and misdemeanors.
It is the cause Of nearly all the poverty,
nearly all the crime, Ignorance and mis-.
cry IN the country, 1t has sunk into perdi.
ton more people than were drowned by
Noah's flood. Christianity asks can Il
not be stopped. 1t lifts It's voice and calls
upon, the Lord oil Sabbaoth to save. What
can we do TO guard the young from It's
temptations? Are we obliged 10 sit down
In the face Of this great evil and do moth.
ing? Shall we not have liberty to pray
to God 10 save us, to save speedily from
this body ofdeath. Shall we not take the
drunkard by the hand and lead him up
from the depth Of his degradation2 Shall
we not drive away intempersnce from our
midstp The object OF the present move.
ment Is to bring about discontinuance Of
the use Of alcoholic drinks. The oppos.
tion is like an army with banners; it Is
clothed with great power In our midst,
but we can do much, we have whole
some laws, which Il faithfully executed,
liquor could not be sold as q beverage.
Time and again have the provisions Of
these laws been violated.
Watchman, what Of the night how
goes the victory? II is useless 10 ssy that
no good has been done, the public mind
has been awakened, aud the whisky traf-
tic, slthough power in the land, is Shaken
to It's foundation. We are told that II ia
. mere excitement that will pass sway:
doubtless the manner Of It's operations
will be changed, but the work viii 70 on
and It's influence will continue 10 be fell
We believe the time will come when the
use Of alcohol as beverage will cease:
when It shall not hurt nor destroy in ali
my holy mountain, Tor thei earth shall be