The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-20
Thf fnesih,
What Intemperance Docs.

Robert G Ingersoll was lately
employed in a case which involved
the manufacture of ardent spirits,
and in his speech to the jury he us
ed the following language;
| am aware there is a prejudice
against any man engaged in the
manufacture of alcohol. | believe
from the time it issues from the
coiled and poisonous worm in the
distillery until it empties into the
hell of death that is demOralizing to
everybody that touches it from the
souIce to where it ends. | 10 not
believe that anybody can contem-
plate the subject without being
prejudiced against the crime. All
they have to do is to think of the
wrecks on either side of the stream
ofdeath, of the suicides, Of the in
qanity. of the poverty, of the destruc-
ton, of the little children tugging
at the breast, Of weeping and des-
pairing wives asking for bread, Of
the men struggling with imaginary
scrpcnts produced by the devilish
thing; and when you think Of the
iails, Of the almshouscs, of the asy-
lums, Of the prisons, Of the scaflolds,
on either bank, | do not wonder
that every thoughtful man is preju
diced against the vile stuff called
alcohol.
lntcmpcrlnce cuts down youth in
its ygOr, manhood in its siren 9Th.
and age in its weakness. IL breaks
the fathers heart, betrays the do
ting mother, eXtinguishes natural
affection, grasses conjual love, blOt5
ont lilial attachment, blights paren-
tai hope, and brings down mourn
ing age in sorrow to the grave. 1t
produces weakness, not strength;
sickness, not health; death, not life.
1t makes wives widows; children
orphans; fathers fiends, and all of
them paupcrs and beggars. 1t feeds
rheumatism, nurses gOut, welcomes
rpcicmicS, invites cholera, imports
pcaIilcnrc, and embraces consump-
tion. 1t covers the land with idle
ness, poverty, disease and crime. 1t
| fills your jalls, supplies your aims
houses, and demands your asylums.
it ingcndcrs controversies, fosters
quarrcls, and cherish riots. 1t
crowds your penitentiarics. and fur
nisheS the victims for your scaffOld.
1t is The life blood Of the gambler,
the alimcut ofthc countcrfcter, the
highwaynan, and the support of
midnight inrcndiary. 1t counten-
ances the liar, respects the thief,
and cstccms the hlasph2mcr. 1t
violates obligation, references fraud
and honors iniamy. 1t defames
beneyolrncG, hates love, scorns vir-
tue, and SANDERS innocence. 1t cX.
cites the father to butcher his help
less offspring, helps the husband to
massacre els wife, and aids the
child tn grind the pauicidal AK. 1t
| burns up man and consumes woman.
dctcs,s liIc, curses God, and despis-
cs heaven. 1t suborns witnesses.
nurses perjury, defles the jury box
aud stains the judicial erminc. 1t
bribes ands, disqualifics voters,
corrupt elections, pollutes our insti-
tutions, and cndangers our govern
mcnt. Itdegrades the citizen, de-
bases the legislator, dishonOrs the
statesman, and disarms the patriot.
1t brings shame, not honor, terror,
not safety; despair, no hope misery,
no happiness. And with the malev-
olence of q ficnd, it calmly surveys
It's frightful desolatious, and, insati
ated with havoc, it poisons felicity,
kills peace ruins morals, blights
confidence, Stays reputation, and
wipes ont national honor, thea
rnrscs the world and laughs at its
ruin.
1t does all that and more. 1t is
She sum oS all villianics; the fathre
of crimes; the mother of all abomi-
nation, the curse Of curses; the
devils best friend, and Gods worst
enemy.