The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-19
HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY IN RE
FERENCE TO INTERPRETATION.
The Drunkard's diseased appetite;
can it be cured?

Some friend Of the temperance cause
has laid upon our table two pamphlets,
captioned as above, with a request to give
them a notice.
Since religious temperance meetings
have come in vogue, and particularly
since the series of that class of meetings
which have been held in this city have
awakened more or less attention to the
subject among large number of citizens,
it will not probably be amiss to present
our readers with few extracts from the
sources above mentioned. The intemper-
aDce alluded to is that which results from
the immoderate use of alcoholic drink.
The testimony of medical men is very
explicit as to the evils of inebriety, and its
fearful effect as an hereditary and trans
missable disease; their language is equally
forcible in regard to any species of intern
perance which tends ID weaken and de-
stroy physical functions,or produce demen-
tia, insanity, or intellectual depravity
Excessive indulgence Of the appetites and
passions, Of what kind sOever, is intern
perance, -intemperance 10 form IS fatal,
and in many cases as much to be dreaded
and suppressed, as that which appears so
piIable in the unfortunate drunkard.
But grave and important as all topics of
morality are in the economy of physical as
we'll az moral nature, they are not within
the scope of the present article, and the
commonly recognized idea of the term
intemperance. 10 the first place take the
case Of
INEBRIATES FROM CHOICE.
Some weak minded men regard it i'm
polite 10 refuse an invitation to drink with
friend or in company when invited to do
so. The great bulk of this silly class of
people drift into habits Of intoxication.
Some men drink for stimulation. This
is frequently the case in literary circles.
This class, work and sweat the brain until
drowsiness ensues, but the work being
partially unaccOmpished, the fountains of
thought must be stimulated with alcohol.
As the dram must necessarily be increased
from time to time, intoxication ensues, aud
the mighty men are brought low.
Some men drink in order TO drown sor 70
row. These are the veriest towards on
the lace OF the EARTH Even the suicide is
brave when compared with them, for be
does venture TO take leap in the dark.
La trying TO drown sorrow this class of
men very soon succeed in drowning The
little brain power once possessed.
Some men drink for the purpose of for
warding business. They cannot buy or
sell without ratifying the bargain with a
debguch.
Notorious criminals drink for the pur.
pose OF nerving themselves for the perpe-
tratiCn OF premeditated crime. They first
charge the revolver with powder and bullet
and then fire the brain and stimulate the
nerves with alcohol, 80 that they may be
prepared Tor the preparation of any deed
which may be found necessary for the
accomplishment of their object.
In these classes of cases which we have
presented all the parties concerned are
obviously responsible tor their conduct
and they ought not to be allowed to plead
lntoxication as an excuse for the crimes
which they may commit while under the
influence Of liquor.
A still more unfortunate class, and con
siderably more numerous than is generally
supposed, is that of the inheritors of thi,
vicious propensity to. strong drink. Tn,
highest medical authorities leave no doub
as to the certainty, or the fearful evils o
AN INHERITED APPETITE.
The celebrated DR.. Darwin says: 1t i