The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-04-14
IngersOn on Alcohol.


| Col. r. G. Ingersoll, in speaking
to a jury in case which involved
the manufacture of alcohol, used the
following eloquent language:
81 am aware that there is a preiu-
dice against any man engaged in the
manufacture of alcohol. [ believe
that from the time it issues from the
coiled and poisonous worm in the
distillery until it empties into the
hell of death, hishonor and crimes,
that it demoralizes. everybody that
touches it from its sources to where
it ends. do not believe ANYBODY
can contemplate the object without
becoming prejudiced against the
liquor crime. All we have to do,
gentlemen, is to think of the
wreck on either bank of the stream
of death, of the suicides, of the
insanity, of the poverty. of the iQ-
norance, of the restitution, of the
little children Juggling at the faded
and withered breasts of weeping
and despalring wives asking for
bread, of the talented men of genius
that 1t has wrecked, the men strue-
Cling with imaginary serpents pro-
duced by this devilish thing and
when you think of the jaifs. of the
almshouses, of the asylums, of the
prisoners, of the scaffolds upon
either bank, L do not wonder that
every thoughtful man is prejudiced
against this damned stuff that is
called alcohol. Intemperencs cuts
down youth in its vigor, manhood
Ill its strength, and age in its weak
ness. 1t breaks the fathers heart
bereaves the doating mother. ex.
tinguishes natural affections, grasses
conjugal loves, blots out filial at
tachments, blights parental hope
and brings down mourning age in
sorrow TO the grave. 1t produces
weakness, not strength; sickness.
not health death, not life. It
makes wives widows: children
orphans; fathers fiends; aud alI
of them panpers and beggars. 1t
leeds rheumatism, nurses govt, wei
comes epidemics, invites cholera, i'm
ports pestilence and embraces con-
sumption. Is covers the land with
idleness, misery and crime. 1t fills
your Jails, supplies your aim houses
and demands your asylums. IL en-
genders controversies, fosters quar-
rels and cherishes riots. 1t crowds
your penitenIiaries, furnishes victims
to the scaffOlds. 1t is the life blood
OF the gambler, the element of the
burglar, theprOp ofthe highwayman
and the support of the midnight in
cendlary. 1t countenances the liar.
respects the thief, esteems the bias
phemer. 1t violates obligations. rev.
erences fraud and honors infamy. II
deiames benevOlehce, hates love.
scorns virtue, SANDERS innocence, III
lncltes the futher to butcher helpless
of1springs, and the husband TO mas
sacre his wife, and the child to grind |
the pafricidal Ak. 1t burns UP men.
consumes women, detests life, curses
God and despises Heaven. 1t sub
orns witnesses, nurses perjury, de-
files the jury box and stains the iuI
dicial ermine. II degrades the cfti-
zen, debases the legislator, hishonors
statesmen and -disarms the opatriot.
1t brings shame, not honor; terror,
not safety; despair, not hope
not happiness. With the |
malevolence of fiend il calmly
surveys its frightful desolation, and |
dissatisfied with havoc, il poisons fe-
llcity, kills peace, rnins morals,
bliglts confidence, Stays reputation
and wipes out national honor, then
curses the world and laughs at its
ruin. 1t does all that and mOre-iti
the soul. Ii is the sumoof
all villianies, the father of all crimes,
the mother of abOmination, the
devils best friend. and God's'wOrsti
enemy.