The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-09
Ingersoll on Alcohol.

The following beautiful language Is
an extract from legal speech made by
Col. Robert Ingersoll;
Il am aware there is prejudice against
any man engaged in the manufacture oil
alcohol / believe from the time it IS
sues from the coiied and poisonous worm
in the distiilery until it empties into the
hell of death, dishonor and crime, that
it is demoralizing to everybody that
touches it, from the source to where 1t
ends. | do not believe that anybody
can contemplate the subject without be-
ing preiudiced against the crime. All
we have to do is to think of the wrecks
on either side OF the stream of death, Of
the suicides, of the insanity, of the pow
erty, of the destruction, of the little
children tugging at the breast OF the
weak and despairing wives asking for
bread, of men of genius it has wrecked,
the men. struggling with imaginary ser
pents produced by this deyilish thing;
and when you think of the jails, of the
almshouses, of the asylums, of the
prisons. OF the scaffolds on either
hand. | do not wonder that every
thoughtful man is prejudiced against
this vile stuff called alcohol. lntemper-
aace cuts down youth in its vigor, man
hood in its strength, and age in its weak
ness.
1t breaks the fathers heart, bereaves
the doting mother, extinguishes natu-
raj affection, grasses conjugal love,
blots out filial attachments, blights pa
rental hope and brings premature age in
sorrow to the grave. 1t produces weak.
ness. not strength; sickness, not health |;
death, not life. It makes wives widows,
children orphans, fathers fiends and
paupers. It feeds rheumatism, nurses
gout, welcomes epiedmics, invites chol-
era, imports pestilence, and embraces
consumption. Ii covers the land with
misery. idleness and crime. 1t engenders
controversies. fosters quarrels, and cher
ishes riots. Ii crowds your penitentl-
aries and furnishes victims to the scat
fold. 1t is the blood of the gambler,
the element Of the burglar, the prop Of
the highwayman, and the support of the
midnight incendiarv. 1t countenances
the liar, respects the thief, esteems the
| blasphemer. 1t violates obligations, rev
erences fraud, honors infamy- 1t de
| flames beneyolences, hates love, scorns
virtue and innocence. 1t invites the
| father to butcher his helpless offspring,
and the child to grind the patriarchial
axes. 1t burns up men, consumes
women, detests life, curses God. and de.
spises heaven. 1t suborns witnesses,
nurses pertidy, deiiles the jury box, and
stains the judicial ermine. Ii bribes vot-
ers. disauaIifies votes, corrupts elections
pollutes our Institutions, and endangers
| the government 1t degrades the cit
tizen, debases the legislator. dishonors
the statesman and disarms the patriot.
Ii brings shame, not honor; terror, moi
safety; despair, not hope; misery, moi
happiness; and with the malevolence ol
4 fiend, calmly surveys its frightful des
olation, and unsatisfed with the havoc
i it poisons felicity, kills peace, ruins NOR
ais, wipes out national honor, ther
curses the world, and laughs Al its ruin
I Ut does that and more--it murders tbs
soul. II is the sum Of all yillainies. tn.
/ father OF crimes, the mother Of all abomi
nations, the devils best friend, AMI
Il Godis Wors. enemy.