Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-03-07
The Liquor QaeSacs.
correspondence Religious H.,..,

hrsI<
abuse and denunciation heapai ms. Z Z
those who man ufacture and sell Il IL ~
only unjust and uncalled for, tnt Il n
potit,c 80 well. This cause is hot A
first, nor will 1t be the last. TIL =
have need to exciaim, '.Save ma ~
my friends J" ThatsOme regu! ation
gsrdipg the indiscriminste sail - ~
holic liquors Is needed, none n n d. =.
But, to what extent and in W ~ 4,
this can best be accomplished, M,
ter about which men must and yiu i
fer. To assume that the use of mint
only evil, If one is sincere In gu i auo
a., might cause anothefQuitea vel,
formed as he to think him q q suhit
for lunatic asylum. 1t woul,g ne r.
then, that the advocates of :. oca,
flon &C., come up sQuarely al aye
distinctly and exactly what thu ir inte
tons really are on this subject wheth
they entertain the Uropian tisairn
suppressing the manufacture and ss
entirely, or to what extent and whet
er. in closing up the groggeriss. "a
mean to erect in their stead 40 maj
apOthecary shops as will ana yer til
purpose Of those who wiN drtsk. eve
if mixed with bitter drugs. VIAL rS,e
say, "banish it from the county,,n vi
county by county-"from the State.
and (of course) State by State! Supposi
1t could be done, where then could q tt
suffering and dying get the iisuuluat
prophylactic?
And since '.iocal option, ;" or the vol
of the people, ia to be appealed to, gu
pose its volste as a medicine be- decid.
by practicing physicians and bospit
nurses-those who are CONSTANTLY ter
ing value, and of course best qualifi
to decide upon its medicinal vfrtues.
in my humble opinion, there 10 unde
lying this subject of local option prif
ciple destructive In itself and fraugf
with untold evils : 1t may be in the ne,
future; Tor those WHO. advocate snch
mode of local government caril,ot eoi
sistently restrict the principle 10
practical application in other tlirectio,
and to other mat ers besides the mani
facture and sale of rpiritnous LIQUORS.
Legislatures and Courts are to refer ar
matter for local option, sanction or ott
erwise II the people in everp Case are
decide, can our local option friends b..
fOresee cases where 1t may and must re
suit disastrously? Decide all l,eal Tue
tons in the same way. and will n
many portions OF our "supnys South
witness worse scei.es and more miserI
than prevailed during the first few yea
after the late war? Aud what rectifi q
all those disorders? Was it not fro,S
the Legislatures and Courts falling int
proper hands, making and anf0rcirj
wholesome laws in defiance of loc}I
opinion or a0ishess Then, local optios
is or may be "two-t dyed sword p, On.
dangerous to handle "A case ii poin
Near where I live, and near house a
worship. . groggery was Threatened 4
be opened. | appealed to the attcrne
for the common wealth and asked VIII
we ought to do? He replied, "Get 81
a petition to the court remoHstratind
and only get three or four names to II
and the license will not be granted. y !
Had 1t been put on ''locaI option
ground, the rabble perhaps would ha1
had the GROCERY, and that TOP by act
ing out legitimateIy focal option prin
ciples to the letter lathe common rsa
BILE more to be trusted than our Legisla
lures and Courts
In view of the foregoing it 10 clearl,
the part of wisdom to make haste slow
~ ia matters pertaining to tbs genera
welfare Of all our people, especially ii
making new departures. lest iItavoidin,
''Scylla we fall on Chsry bdis.''
Il am, as much as any man ought t,
be, a Temperance man" Now, fo
more than forty years Including ali tn
years of our late war. I have demon
strated to all around me, both by precep
and example, in vvery way, Iuy desir
to promote and practice total abstinenc
from the use of spirits as q he average :
But all this. and more, can never max,
me ignore the fact. as demonstrated be
yond the possibility of a doubt, that yer,
many cases coming under my observa
ton in hospital practice, as we'll as re
peatedly In my own case, and all sue,
cases, that. properly administered. it /
the gr0ndest medicine Enos,n to tn
sOOrld and which cannot be dispense,
with. Under such oircumstances,w hel
men have lost their senses. may they b.
expected to follow blindly the lead D
lone idea," and sell their birth rights 70
"mess ofpottage.
Once more: We are told the max 70
and seller are resp 0nsible for all the evil
growing out of the abuse of liquor! Wa
there ever greater fallacy? The worjl
in the last twenty years has lost MAN.
millions of men by the use of firearms
Among them we have lost two Presi
dents! Has breath of censure beer
raised against dupont & Co becaus,
they provided the "vile stuff" that caus
ed those valuable lives to be lost +? Shame
then As we'll hold me responsible fol
raising corn or rye, because forsnoth il
may have been used up by some distille
and been perchance the cause of mis-
chief and distress! Such argument
won't bold shucks" I am sure ther,
Will be found all over Virginia men with
broad, statemanlike views, who will no
be deceived or frightened from PROPHECY
by efforts well meant, no 1Ioubt) t
revOlutiOnjze the sentiments of our peo
pie on this and kindred question: TheJ
are not to be decided wholly by privatt
feelings or any abuse to which the trait
fc is liabie-put 1t wholly into the hand
of men in whom all our people have
confidence-give a safe guarantee
against disorders, &c. This il as much
as any can expect or rtghtfully ask.
In conclusion, say let those who ses
the dangers ahead arising from the IN
temperate zeal Of local optionists rais'
y warning voice and meet the issues
maufuliy, and all will be well. If Their
should be those who desire to "unsheatl
q blade" or .'break lance" they may
now have an opportunity. only wist
to say that any abuse or vituperatiOn will
be unnoticed by ah humble.
INQUIRER.