Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-03

Col. r. G. Insersoll. in speaking TO q
jury in case which involved the manu-
facture of alcohol. used the following
eloquent language:
II am aware that there Is prejudice
against any man engaged in the manu-
facture of alcohol. believe that from
the time it issues from the ceiled and
poisoning worm In the distillery until it
emptiee into the hell of death, dishoner
and crime. that it de1noralizes every
body that touches it, from its source to
where it ends. do not believe anybody
can contemplate the subject without be-
coming prejudicsd against that liquor
crime. AL We have to do, gentlemen,
Is to think of the wrecks on either bank
OF the stream of death: Of the suicides,
OF the insanity, of the poverty, of the
ignorance, of the restitution; of the lit
tie children Juggling at tho faded and
weary breasts of weeping and despair.
ing wives, asking for bread; of the tai
ented men of genius that it has wrecked,
the men struggling with imaginary SER
pents, produced BY this devilish thing:
and when you think of the jails, of the
almshouses, of the asylums, of the pris-
ons, of the scaffo'ds, upon either bank,
i do not wonder that every thoughtful
man is prejudiced against this damned
stuff that is called alcohol. Intemper-
anoe cuts down youth in its vieor, man
hood In its strength, and age In its week
ness. It breaks the fathers heart, be-
reaves the doting mother, extinguishes
natural affections, grasses coniugal loves,
blots out filial attachment, blights pa
xko1 nd tvrv n,
age in SORROW to the grave. 1t produces
health; death, not life. It makes wives
widows, children orphans, fathers
fiends, and all of them pauperS and beg.
gars. Il feeds rheumatism. nurses pout,
welcomes epidemics, invites cholera,
sumption. It covers the land with idle
ness, misery and crime. 1t fills your
jails, supplies your almshouses and de-
nands your asylunls. 1t engendUfs con-
trOversies, fosters quarrels and cherishes
riots. 1t crowds your penitentiaries and
furnishes victims for your sOafolds. 1t
is tho life blood of the gambler, the ele-
ment of the burglar, the prop Of the
highwayman and the sport OF the mid
night incendiary. 1t oountenauces the
IlaI, IeSpeCtb tuo tuloI, eSUocDS tuo Old5-
phemer. 1t violates obligations, rever-
ences fraud, and honors infamy. It de-
flames henevolence, hates love, scorns
virtue, and ISLANDERS innocence. 1t in
vites the father to butcher his helpless
offspring, helps the husband to massacre
his wife, and the child to grind the par
ricidal axe. It burns up men, consumes
women, detests life, curses God and
despises heaven. 1t suborns witnesses,
nurses perjury, defiles the jury box and
stains the judicial ermine. Il degrades
the citizen, debases the legislation, dis
honOrs the statesman and disarms the
patriot. It brings shame, not honor;
terror. not safety; despair, not hope;
misery, not happiness; and with the
malevolence of fiend. it calmly surveys
its frightful desolation, and, unsatisfied
with its hayoc, it poisons felicity, kills
peace, ruins morals, blights confidence,
Stays reputation and wipes ont national
honors, then curses the world and laughs
at its ruin. It does all that and more
it murders the soul. It is the son of all
viliainies and the father of all crimes,
the mother of denominations, the DEVILS
best friend and Gods worst enemy.