National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-12-05

Bosa, W. samuel Jenuingg, 80. John
Peddlcord, 90. Nathaniel watts, 90.
The Secret of Longevity. The Other
Side of the Prohibition Question.
From the Baltimore ODD Every Saturday.
No sane man will dispute the righteous
ness OF temperance in all things. As ply
steal science teaches that there ia no such
thing as dirt-that which is commonly
called such is only matter out OF place; so
moral science teaches that proper use OF
anything made for man Is never wrong, but
that In the abuse Of such thing lies tho sin.
In the present day, when prohibition has
become almost q national problem, when
the ndherents Of that cause having gradu-
ated from a movement which urged merely
temperance, become themselves 80 intern.
perate In their well-meant fauaticism as to
demand the absolute prohibition OF the
manufacture and sale of necessary stimu-
lants, II may well be questioned whether
they have not gone too far When they
misquote scripture and boldly assert, among
other awful things, that alcohol, however
used, shortens human life, 1t would be we'll
to place examples besides assertions.
With view OF getting at solid facta, IL
was decided that u reporter should be sent
u
this city-men who were well enough
known TO dispel any illusions that might
be held concerning their ages or probity.
The reporter concluding that the remain
ing members Of the Old Defenders Associa-
ton were about rs well known as any per-
sons In this city, he set out upon his mis-
sion.
Mr. James c. Morford, of No. is North
Fond street, was fret seen. He was par
tieular to impress upon his hearers that he
is genuine temperance man, and he eX
hibitod badge OF the civilian WRIT
Temperance Society, which he helped to or
ganize In 1871. He kindly gave sketch of
his life, and said that his father kept a
public house upon the old York road, where
good liquors Of all kinds were kept. He
said that he assisted, when boy, at the bar
occasionally, but seldom touched a drop of
liquor. After joining the temperance So
ciety he became n total abstainer. In his
old age, however, he has found times when
stimulant is a necessity and a little pure
liquor real benefit. ~ hardly think that
man OF my age ia apt TO be led astray by
it," said he, good-humoredly, shut recol-
lect am still for temperance"
Mr.. Samuel Jennings, 80 years old, was
next seen. This handsome and venerable
man, with profusiOn Of silvery hair and
beard, was found in his room enjoying a
luscious plate of fruit lie said ~ have
always been In the habit of taking little
liquor whenever feel the need Of its bene-
fits" His daughter told the reporter that
he used matted drinks successfully as food
and stimulant
Mr.. Nathaniel Watts was next inter
viewed. He is nearly ninety. He is quite
laxative, and has clear mind, although
he has difficulty in getting around. =.
He said, ~ have never been an abstainer.
/ have always taken stimulant when and
tpia t,tgac aIn1 II
man Isuperintended farm. In those days
we neither reaped with machine reapers
nor cradled but sickle was used, and
after "throughn was cut we used to go
back and bind sheaves. / was great
in those days and generally got ahead
of the colored hands, who worked under
me. One hot day drank too much cold
mediately Frustrated. That time, sir, |
was saved by dose Of good whiskey. The
great trouble to-day is that you can seldom
get pure liquor, and say It is the poison
stuff that does all the harm" Here the
old gentleman went TO a secretary and talk
ing out bottle and glass, pressed the PEN
cil-pusher to try a little whiskey that
friend had sent him.
"That, sir" said he, sis what call a
pure article, that is Duffy's pure malt
whiskey. That's like they used to have In
my time"
The reporter next visited Mr.. George
Boss, who is in the 02d year of his age, at
his quaint old mansion on South Bond
street. Mr.. Boss was at breakfast and, as
his memory is much impaired and faculties
generally feeble, on account of his extreme
age, the reporter simply greeted him as the
old gentleman walked out to the garden,
which was once q portion of the old farm,
in which the grandfather of the present Mr..
Boss planted now luxuriant box-tree.
The reporter was entertained by the wife
and grandDiece Of the old defender. The
former is hale old lady who says that in a
married life of over sixty years she had
never known her husband to be under the
influence Of liquor. She says that he had
used 1t as medicine during his life, and
when he was sea captain he always kept
some good whiskey or brandy by him, and
considered them useful to have In emergen-
cies. To the question as to whether the old
gentleman found anything beneficial in
stimulants at the present time, the other
lady replied that she had procured, upon the
recommendation of al friend, some of Duffy's
pure malt whiskey, and gave 1t to him with
good effect. She further said that an invalid
lady in the same house also used little
now and then and would sometimes request
II when she felt the need of It.
Mr.. John Peddicord, between so and 90
years old, Is at the Aged Mems Home. He
is quite active, and he greeted the reporter
kindly. His eyes twinkled when the re-
porter stated his Grand. and he assured the
scribe that he had all his life been tenn
perance advocate, but having contracted
cough recently which weakened him con-
siderably, and having bottle Of Duffy's
pure malt whiskey at hand, he, contrary
to his usual rule, tried IL.
SWELL" asked the reporter, "what was
the result?n
The old gentleman smiled mischievously
and replied, swell, something helped me
up about that time, certain.n
The reporter left bordering deeply upon
the truth he had just heard. He was salts
fled that the evidences he had seen In these
old heroes was proof positive that they had
prolonged their dear old lives by proper
attention to natures laws, and the claim of
the prohibitionists, that stimulants are not
conducive to longevity, had fallen to the
ground