The patron of husbandry., 1881-01-08
What Intemperance noo.

"hsst incompetence Does
Robert G. Ingersoll was lately an
ployed in case which involved A.
manufacture Of ardent spirits, and 4
his speech to the jury he used the A
lowing language:
[ am aware there is a prepd.
against any man engaged in the mann
facture of alcohol. | believe from Il.
time it issues from the coiled and nj
sonous worm i'll the distilery until
it empties into the hell Of dcstl
that it is demoralizing to cvevboirI
that touches it from the source to when
it ends. | do not believe that spv.
body can contemplate the subject viii
out being prejudiced against the crime
All they have to do is to think Of ii
wrecks on either side of the stream
| death, of the suicides, Of the insarn
of the poverty, Of the destruction, ca |
little children tugging at the breast Il
weeping and despairing wives assn:
for bread, of the men struggling viii
imaginary s""pents produced by Tel
devilish thiLr; and when you think d
the jails, of the almshouses, Of the GF
lums, Of the prisons, of the scafoldS al
either bank, / do not wonder that ever
thoughtful man is prejudiced agans
the vile stuff called alcohol
Intemperence cuts down youth in "a
vigor, manhood in its strength, andg
in It's weakness. 1t breaks the fatha.
heart, betrays the doting mother, z
tinguishes natural affection, erases con-
jugal love, blots out filial attachmeut
blights parental hope, and brings dow
mourning age in sorrow to the grave
1t produces weakness, not strength
sickness, not health; death, not lia
Itmakes wives widows;children orphans
fathers fiends, and all Of then pauFn
and beggarS. 1t feeds rheumatsn
nurses gout, welcomes epedemics, nj
vites cholera, imports pestilence, and
embraces consumption. 1t covers the
land with idleness, poverty, desease and
crime. 1t fills your jails, supplies you
almshouses, and demands your asyluHs
1t ingenders controversies, fosters quar
rels, and cherishes riots. 1t crows
your penitentiaries, and furnishes tla
victims for your scaffolds. 1t is h
life blood of the gambler, the alimeH
of the counterteiter, the prop Of ih
highwayman, and the support Of tF
midnight ncendiary. 1t countenano1
the liar, respects the thief, and esteen
the blasphemer. 1t violates obllgauon
reverences fraud, and honors lnfaH!'
1t defames benevolence, hates low
scorns virtue, and slanders innocence
1t excites the father to butcher his helF
less offspring, helps the husband
massacre his wife, and aids the chlla
m
grind the parricidal ak. 1t burns Y
man and consumes woman, detests pE
curses God, and despises heaven
suborns witnesses, nurses perjury
flies the jury box, and stains the Iuu
cial ermine. 1t bribes voters, dls4u"
ifies voters, corrups elections, poHu"
our institutions, and endangers y~
government. 1t degrades the cl'Il,~
debases the legislator, dishonoS =
statesman, and disarms the pali"'
L brings shame, not honor; terror =
safety; despair, not hope; misery =
happiness. And with the maleVolSn.
OF fend, it calmly surveys its irs.
full desolations; and, insulated '"
havoc, it poisons felicity, kills Pea,
ruins morals, blghts confidence -
reputation. and wipes out na'i0J
honor, then curses the world and lauSD
at its ruin.
1t does all that and more. II ="
ders the soul. 1t is the sum OF ali
lanies; the father of crimes; the lllg.a ,s,
ef all abomination; the curse OF cul, .,,a
the devePs best friend, and Goa W.
enemy.