Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-10
TEMPERANCE COLUMN.
CONTRIBUTED BY THE WonES's TEMP FRANCE USIos.l

There may be in some minds an impress
sion that the increasing interest in the sub
Ject OF temperance is gratuitous excite
ment, sprlnging up in modern times with
out any new occasion for it. other than |
the quickened interest in whatever relates
to the general welfare of mankind ; or the
more active tendency to resent and endeav-
or to remove the wrongs that affect our
selves, or others with whom we have some
partlzan connection, motives which may
be said to be, in some degree. chsractistic
of the present age. To some. indeed, it
may seem a wholly needless and imperti-
nent meddling with What is so deeply fixed
in the constitution of man and nature, that
it cannot be greatly affected by any effort
at oyerthrowing it,-something as old as
history, and as widely extended as the race,
and therafJre clothed with the authority |
that belongs to antiquity and universally. |
But this view of the subject would imply |
an imperfect knowledge Of its history. |
Rather might it be said, with scarcely any |
e1agge ration of the truth, that the whole |
energy OF the high and generous motives |
that quicken modern society, nay the whole |
force, whether defensive or aggressive, of
an enlightened Christianity itself, are i'm
peratively challenged b. the rapid and
destructive advances of q new enemy, who
has undertaken to undermine our modern
civilization, ard to sap the vital forces of
humanity itself
II is phenomenon which perhaps al
ways meets US in study the records of
human progress, that at every period when
the germs Of higher development receive
a fresh Impulse Of healthful growth, the
destructive principle also shows a renewed
activity. Already in Paradise the serpent
is lurking. The good seed is sown in the
morning. and at night the enemy comes
and seatters tares. The first cargo of
slaves has already been unloaded IN Vir-
ginia, when the Pilgrim Fathers set their
feet on Plymouth Rock, and so with the
revival Of civilization at the close of the
dark ages, comes the discovery of alcohol,
a discovery by which the whole question of
the use OF fermented liquors by man has
been reyOlutiOnized, or, TO speak in the
mildest terms possible, has been set in al
together new aspect. Previous to this
discovery there was limit to the alcoholic
strength of all liquors, which could not be
oyerpassed. Since that time there can
scarcely be SAID 10 be such a limit. Pre-
vious TO that period the exec ssiye use of
wine could scarcely become universal be-
yond the limits OF the wine-g rowing cOun-
tries, where the preference seems ID have
been Tor the mildest varieties. Since then
that which Is called wine may be obtained
every where. IN any quaCtIty. In conse-
quence OF this discovery the appetite Tor
strong drink may be stimuls ted to the point
beyond which it becomes an uncontrolla-
bic passion by far more rapid and far
more dangerous process than in earlier
periods Amos. all drinks are stronger
than those then used. There iG a graduation
IN their strength. so that by an easy and
scarcely noticed process, the drinker may
pass on from one to another, till he finds
that only the most fiery compounds will
sail.iy his unnatural craving. 1t has been
found. however. that alcoholic drinks may
be so far initiated by certain mixtures, still |
more poisonous, that uncritical tastes will |
hardly perceive the difference. This has
led 10 the wholesale adulteration Of al |
most all kinds of liquor. and finally to the
nutacture, IN vast quantities. of com
p ounds that contain but a small proportion
Oi genuine alcohol, but in its place, fiery
substances even more injurious TO the hu- |
man frame, so mingled and disguised in
various way, as TO form more or less skill
tdl limitations Of the liquors most in de- |
mand.
Alcohol was first separated from wine by
the process Of diStillation eigh or nine hun |
d7ed wears ago. This was done by an
Arabian alchemlSt, who was in search of |
that wonderful solvent which was TO detect |
aud Tree from it. prison tn. gold supposed |
10 be locked up in many OF the substances |
Ji nature. Its poisonous character was |
soon known, and for long time il was |
only used IN the laboratory. But in the |
thirteenth century belief IN its wonder
iul medicinal virtue begsn TO sp:ead from
Italy over the rest Of Europe Inc exag-
serated estimate Of It's value as a medicine
ed the Italians to call it a. Aqua Vita"
water OF ME. Ii might more Justly have
been named. as some y ne else has already
embarked, aqua morCIs, water Of death. .
{ was next used as terrifying b sverage
n cases u great exposure. or of seve re toll.
larticularly IN the mines in Hungary and
turing the war in the Netherlands, in 1851,
was introd lced into the English army
I seems TO have been in common use IN
reiand IN the reign Of Henry VIII, judg-
ne from decree Of that king, that there
hall be lat one maker Of aqua vitae IN any
uroug'I or town. In 1856 an act OF par
iameu was passed at Drogheda against
lstll.lng It at all, " 1t being a d-ink moth
ng profitable to be daily drunken and used"
Distilled liquors were introduced into this
ountry IN the last pant of the same cen
ury. strict laws were made ty our ances-
ors here IN New England limiting their
ale and use and through the prevalence
l Vlrtuous manners and stern religious
rlnclp4e, these laws seem to have been
lstained and carried into execution. The
'2r OF the revolution seems to have been
be occasion that at last brought distilled
9uors INTO almost universal use in ell parts
the country. During that great con-
let they were supplied TO the soldiers IN ,
er the mistaken impression that the latter =
ou4d thus be e.tsr able to endure the ,
reat hsrdshlps and exposures which hey !
ere iJrced to undergo. The fatal Taste :
a thus acquired BY vast number Of, P en- I,
ms who carried It home with them VIII en-
lie war Was over, and from them it rapidly
read throughout society. The most
oral and upright persons IN the eommu-
ty did not escape the delusive contagion. '
Inisters OF the Gospel were deceived with |
lie rest. The following is picture drawn t
rty-h7e years ago of the state Of things t
hlch at last called forth the spirit of re e
IN ;
e. ~ the close of the first half century a
our national existence. this diseased ap- y
elite had become 50 prevalent as TO de- 2
and annually Tor Its qualification more u
an sixty million gallons CT liquid fire.
no While II cost the consumers more than
lrty million dollars, 1t cost more than
ree-iourths OF all the pauperism. crimes
ID Indebtedness OF the community. IL 7
50 greatly increased the number, frequen-
and violence of diseases and. accord
g 10 the testimony Of the most intelligent '
d Judlclous physicians, occasioned an i
~ y the loss of more than thirty-thou- V
nd lives. The loss Of property occssioned
the consumption Oiardent spirit amount b
l., IN forty wears, TO greater sum than the B
lue CT all the houses and lands in the | G.
liied States, forty years ago. The use Of D
caused destructlOn-Rnd.th there Is reason d
lear. for both worlds,--Of more than half
million Of men. ThOug Oh no exact ac-
unit had been taken in this country. it T.
: known that it had DESTROYED the
isOn OF great portion of all the mani
IN the land and had lessened the reason.
well aS weakened the bodies, blunted
? neral susceptib!lites, and hardened the
arts OF all who had freely used it. '.'
Tree use OF this stimulant had, in
ny cases, caused predispOsition to in II
MY. not only IN those who used it. but L
their children, and childrens children.
tendency to this disco Sc. and many Others p,
asloned by strong drink. had become =
editary, and was Transmitted from gene
Ion to generation. 4 diminution OF size -
stature, decrease of bodily and men
strength, feehleness of vision. and a 70
mature old age, told of a disease that "a
seized on the trials, and was consum-
the energies OF life The use of this
lld was causing general deterioration
body and mind. and was threatening 10 10
Its curses IN broader and deeper nj
ans over all future generations. Yet, "A.
WithstandIng all this, such was the ma ;it
e OF this poison. and such its power to do
GIVE those who used it, that the opinion ma
almost universal, that the use of it 81
salutarY, and to laboring men need III
:" sa
Individuals were all along awake. how 10
:, to the greatness of the evil, and many co
hem lifted up their voices in protest de
warning, but the community az a whole
in deep slumber from which il was -