Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-12-27
Ingersoll and Temperance.

Col. Bob. Ingersoll was lately en-
ployed in case which involved the
manufacture Of ardent spirits, and in
his speech to the jury he used the fol
lowing language
am aware that there is a preju-
dice against any man engaged in the
manufacture of alcohol. / believe
from the time it issues from the coiled
and poisoned worm in the distillery
until it empties into the hell OF death,
dishonor and crimes, that it democrat.
ICES everybody that touches it, from
the source to where it ends. / do
not believe that anybody can contem-
plate the subject without becoming
prejudiced against the crime. All
we have to do is to think of the
wrecks on either side OF the stream OF
death, of the suicides, of the insanity,
of the poverty, of the ignorance, of
the restitution, of the little children
tugging at the breast of the weeping
and despairing wives asking for bread
of the men OF genius it has wrecked,
the men struggling with imaginary
serpents, produced by this devilish
thing; and when you think of the
jails, the almshouses, of the asylums,
OF the prisons, and of the scaffolds, on
either bank, | do not wonder that
every thoughtful man is prejudiced
against this damned stuff that is called
alcohol. Intemperance cuts down
youth in its vlgor, manhood in its
strength, and age in its weakness. 1t
breaks the fathers heart, bereaves
the doting mother, extinguishes natu-
raj affection grasses coniugal love,
blots out 6lial attachments, blights
paternal hope and brings down
mourning age in sorrow to the grave.
1t produces weakness, not strength /;
sickness, not health !; death, not life.
1t makes wives widows children or
phans fathers tiends, and all of them
raupers and beggars. 1t feeds rheu-
matlsm, nurses govt, welcomes cpl
denies, invites cholera, imports pesti-
lence and embraces consumption. 1t
covers the land with misery, idleness
and crime. 1t fills your jails, sup
plies your almshouses and demands
your asylums. 1t engenders contro-
versies, fosters quarrels and cherishes
riots. 1t crowds your penitentiaries
and furnishes victims to your scat
folds. 1t is the blood of the gambler,
the element of the burglar, the prop
of the highwayman and the support
of the midnight incendary. 1t coun
tenances the liar, respects the thief,
esteems the blasphemer. 1t violates
obligations, reverences fraud and hon.
ors infamy. 1t defames benevolence,
hates loves, scorns virtue and ISLANDERS
innocence. 1t incites the father to
butcher his helpless offspring, and the
child to grind the paternal ak. 1t
burns up men, consumes women, de-
tests life, curses God and despises
heaven. 1t suborns witnesses, nurses
perfidy, de6les the jury box and stains
the judicial ermine. 1t brides voters,
disqualifies voters, corrupts elections,
pollutes our institutions and endang-
ers government. 1t degrades the cit
izen, debases the Legislature, dishon-
ors the statesman and disarms the pa
triot. 1t brings shame, not honor !;
terror, not safety despair, not hope
misery, not happiness and, with the
malevolence of fiend, it calmly sur
veys its frightful desolation, and, un-
satiated with havoc, it posions felicity
kills peace, ruins morals, blights con-
fidence, Stays reputation and wipes
out national honor, then curses the
world and laughs at its ruin. 1t does
that and more-it murders the soul.
1t is the sum of all villainies, the faith
er of all crimes, the mother of abom'
nations, the DEVILS best friend, and
Gods worst enemy"