National Republican., 1876-11-01
ARTIFICIAL sTIMULANTs.

come recent discussion OIL Lne temper
ance question suggests few reflections
upon the use of alcoholic stimulants. They
may he deemed pertinent 10 the occasion
by some. and, possibly, impertinent by
others. Be this as it may, it is difficult for
one who is observantly familiar with
Washington life to conceive that there has
existed here at the National Capital for so
many years society devoted to the cause
of abstinence from alcoholic drinks, COM
poset1, countenanced and upheld by men,
bers Of Congress. Its influence is scarcely
perceptible. The very slight success which
has attended lis efforts may very naturally
be taken either as evidence Of great luke
warmness and inefficiency on the part of
its members, or of something radically
wrong in its method of operation. The
rapid increase in the consumption of intoxl-
eating drinks of all kinds fully attests the
utter futiliiy OF its efforts.
1t is grsceIess aud censurable act to
carp at and criticise any of the prevailing
methods of doing good to the human race
without suggesting those of an improved
and more beneficial character by which to
attain like ends. In this view let US dis
claim all design of throwing stumbling
blocks in the paths of our Temperance
friends. This cannot and will not be done
by any one with good intent, unless at the
same time that an error is pointed out the
remedy is suggested. A brief analysis Of
the effects of the use of alcoholic stimu-
lants upon the mind and conduct of man-
kind as it appears to us may serve to make
our meaning plain.
: Let US premise by saying that slight
acquaintance with physiology, aided by
very little observation, convinces US all
that alcoholic stimulants, as artifcially pre-
pared in these modern times, are not only
wholly unnecessary to health and vigor,
but were never designed by nature to be
used. The strongest reason for this belief
is found in the fact that the human system
is provided In its digestive organs with an
apparatus for the extraction from grains
and vegetables of all the nutriment and
spirits which are essential to health, and
their utilization in the best possible man
ner. The idea that the process ofbeer and
whisky making was suggested to the in
ventor by an intimate knowledge of the
animal digestive organs and their opera
tions has often occurred to us. The stomach
is the mash-tub, and receives the crude
materials. The saliva mixed with the gall,
elected by healthy and active liver into
the stomach, is the yeast which induces
fermentation. Imagine its power, which
reduces the great variety Of which mod
ern dinner is composed to beer in five
hours, so that it is in readiness for its transi-
tion through the intestinal coil which an
swers in form and functions to the worm of
the whisky still. During this process the
nutritious properties of our food, alcohol
and all, have been taken up by the various
absorbents, and distributed TO their appro-
PIRATE spheres, and the refuse is received
into the bowels, whence it is excreted In
due course. ... r..
Now, is it not clear that this wonderful
apparatus furnished by nature is fully equal
to the extraction and transformation of all
the nutriment required by the system ?
And is it not equally clear that the inven-
tons of man for the extraction of the alco-
holic essence of food were designed afier
natures pattern as nearly as possible with
a view to over stimulate the human facul-
ties and seduce them into extremes of
action? Ard is not this always tie ten
dency If not always the effect of imbibing
alcoholic drinksf The whole tendency of
artificial stimulation is either unnatural or
to cause man to overdo those things which
he may naturally and properly undertake.
To overdo, and especially is this true of
legislation, is to defeat the purpose.
Drinking alcoholic beverages, then, dis
turbs and destroys the equilibrium of
mans judgment, weakens his discretion,
dethrones temporarily his reason and units
him in greater or less degree for the du-
ties of his station. When he goes so far
as to attempt to live entirely upon this
alcoholic essence of food instead Of the
nutriment obtained in the natural way, his
stomach and digestive organs seem to or
gsnize combined disgust and send the