The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-01-02
EnEersOll ON Alcohol.

Colonel r. G. IDgersoll, in speaking to jury
in case which involved the manufacture of al-
cohol, used the following eloquent language:
Il am aware that there is prejudice against
any man engaged in the manufacture OF alcohol
/ believe that from the time il issues from the
cuiled and poisonous worm in the disillery until
it emptes into the he'll of death, dshonOr and
crime, that it demoraliZes everybody that touches
it from its source Ia its end. | do not believe
anybody can contemplate the object without be-
coming preiudiced against that liquor crime. All
we have to do, gentlemen is To think of the
wrecks on either bank of the stream of DEATH Of
suicides, OF the insanity. of the poverty, OF the ig
norance, OF the desli, uior of the little children
Juggling al tn" faded and wthered breasts OF
weeping and dcsfairing mothers, of wives asking
for bread, of the men ri genius that it has wreck
ed, the men struggling with imaginary serpenis,
produced nv this deylsh thing AMI when you
think of the jails 0t the alms-h0uses of the asy-
lums, of The prisons, of The scaffolds upon either
bank. do not wonder that every thoughtful
man is prejudiced against This d imncd stuff that
is called alcohol. Inemperauce cuts down youth
in its vignr, nanl,ood in lis strength, and age in
its week.-mrs.. Ii breaks the fathers heart, be-
reaves the doing mother cxtingnShes natural
affections, grasses cnnju.a! love. hlots out filal
attachments, hlights parental hope, and brings
down mourning age In sorrow Ia the grave. II
produces weakness. mol Strength sickness, not
health death, not life. Ii makes wives widows,
children orNl"n>, fathers tisntis and all OF them
pauper> aud bcgga:s. 1t leeds rheumatism
nurses govt, welcomes epidemics, invites choera
imports pesti,ence, AMI embraces consumption.
1t covers the land with idleurss misery and
crime. 1t fills your jails, supplies your aims
houses and demands your asylums. Ii engenderS
controversies, fosters quarrcs and cherishes riots
1t crowds your p-ntentiaries, and furnishes vic
Tins TO your scafoldS 1t is the life blood OF the
gambler. the element of The burglar, the prop of
the highwayman, and the support of the mid
night incendiarv. II cOuntenances the liar, re-
specis The thief, esieems the blasphemer. Ii vio-
lates obligations, revcrences fraud and honofs
infamy 1t deiames benevolence, hates love-
scorns virtue, and ISLANDERS innocence II incites
the father to butcher his helpless offspring helps
the husband to massacre his wife, and the child
to grind the paricidal axe. 1t burns up men,
consumes women, detess life, curses God and
despiSes Heaven. 1t suborns witnesses, nurses
perjury dcfiles the jury box, and stains the judi
cal ermine. 1t degrades the citizen, debases the
legislator, dshOnors the statesman and disarms
The patriot Ii brings shame, not honor terror,
not safety; despair. not hope; misery not happi-
ness; and with the malevolence OF a fend it
calmly surveys its frightful desolaiion, and, un-
satiated with havoc, il poisOns felicity, kills
peace, ruins morals blghts confidence, Stays rep
utation, and wipes out national honor, then ours
es the world and laughs at its rln 1t does all
that and more--it murders the soul. 1t Is the
sum Of all villainies, the father OF all crimes, the
mother of denominations, the devils best friend,
and Gods worst enemy"