The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-10-01
A severe Arraignnlent.

A severe Arraignnlcnt.
Col. Robert IngersolI was htely
employed in a case which involved
the manufacture Of ardent spirits,
and in his speech TO tbejury heussd
the following language. IS the ar.
raignment truthful?
q am aware.tiiere is prejudice
against any iran engaged il the
manufauture Of ;llcohol. / believe
from the time it issues from the coil
cd and poisonous worm in the distil-
lery until it empties into the hell Of
death, dishonor. and crime, that it is
demoralizing to everybody that
touches it, from the source to where
it ends. LIDO not believe that any
body can contemplate the subject
without being prejudiced against the
crime. All VIZ have to do isto think
of the wrecks on either side Of the
stream of death, of the SUICIDES, of the
insanity, Of the poverty, Of the de.
struction, Of the little children tug
ging at the breast, of the menof ge-
MUS it has wrecked, the man strug-
Cling with imaginary serpents pro.
duced by this deylish thing; and
when you think of the jails, Of the
aims houses, Of the asylurns, of the
prisons andLof The scafolds on either
hand, 4 dofpnts ,sondef chat every
thoughtful nanis prejndlced against
this vile stuff called alcohol. Intern
perance cuts down youth in its Wig
or, manhood in its strength, age in
its weakness. II breaks the fathers
heart, bereaves the doting mother,
extinguishes natural affection, grasses
conjugal love, blots out tilial attach
ments and blights paternal hope,
and brings premature age in sorrow
to the grave. 1t produces weakness,
not strength; sickness, not health,
death, not life. 1t makes wives wild
ows, children orphans, fathers tiends,
and all paupers. 1t feeds rhenma-
tism, nurses govt, welcomes epidem-
les, invites cholera, imports pesti.
lencc and embraces consumption. 1t
covers the land with misery, idleness
and crime. 1t engenders controver-
sizes, fosters quarrels and cherishes
riots. 1t crowds your penitentiaries
and furnishes victims for the scaffold.
1t is the blood oflthe gambler, the ell
ement of the BURGLAR, the prop Of
the highwayman, and the support Of
the midnight incendiary. 1t coun-
tenances the liar, respects the thief,
esteems the blasphemer. 1t violates
obligations, reverences fraud, honors
infamy. 1t defames benevolence,
hates love, scorns virture and limo.
cence. 1t incites the father to butch.
er his helpless offspring, and the child
to grind the parricidal axe. 1t burns
up men, consumes women, detests
life, curses God and despises heaven.
1t suborns witnesses, nurses perfdy,
de6cs the jury box and stains the ju.
dieial eremine. 1t brides voters, dis.
qualities voters, corrupts elections, pc.
lutes our institutions, and endangers
the government. 1t degradcs the
citizen, dcbases the legislator, dis.
honors the statesman and disarms the
patriot. 1t brings shame, not honor;
terror, not safety; despair, not hope;
misery, not happiness: and with the
maleyolehce OF fehds, camly surveys
its frightful desolation, and unsatiat.
ed with havoc, it poisons felicity, kills
peace, ruins mortals, wipes out nat.
ional 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 villianieS, the father OF
crimes, the mother of all abomina.
lions, the devils best friend, and
Gods worst enemy" -Ncw York Mer-
camille Journal.