St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-05-07
Ilgersoll on Alcohol.

Col. Il. &. lDgersOil, in speaking to Il
jury IN case which involved tho mali
tltacture OF alcohol, used the following
eloquent language:
AIN aware that there is Il prejudice
against any man engaged in the manu-
facture OF alcohol. believe that from
the time 1t issues from the coiled and
| POISONOUS worm in the distillery until
1T enIptles into the he'll Of death, dis
honor and crime, that it dcmoralizcs
everybody that touches it from its
source to where it ends. do not be-
i'eVe any body can contemplate the sub
Ject without becoming prejudiced
against the liquor crime. All we have
To 90, gentltmen, is to think Of the
wrecks on either bank of the stream of
Geaih, OF the suicides, Of the insanity,
or The ignorance, of the restitution. Of
the little children tuyglug at the faded
ana Wlthercd breast OF weeping and
desparlng mothers, of wives asking for
bread, OF the men of genius that it has
wrecked, the men struggling with i'm
a9lnaiy scrpents, produced by this dew
llish thing; and when you think of the
lalis, OF the almshouses, of the asylums,
or Tie Prisons, OF the scaffOids upun
either bank, do not wonder that evcry
thoughtful man is prejuaiced against
this damned stuffed that is called al
coii0I. lntemperance cuts down youth
I'D It's vigor, manhood in its strength,
anG age In It's weakness. 1t breaks the
fathers heart, bereaves the dotine
mother, earthquakes natural affections,
grasses conjugal loves, bluts ont filial
attachment, blights parental hope, and
brings down mourning age in SORROW to
the grave. 1t produces weakness, not
strength sickness, not health death, |
not lite. 1t makes wives, widows chill, |
oren' orphans; fathers, tiends; and all
OF them paupers and beggars. 1t feeds |
rheumatism, and nurses govt, welcomes
epIdemlcs, invites cholera, imports pes
thence, and embraces consumption. II
covers the land with idleness, misery,
ami crime. 1t fills your .jails, supplies
your alms.hOnses, and demands your
asylums. 1t engeDders controversies,
fosters qnarrels, and chcIishes riots. 1t
crowds your penitentiarics, and fur
nlsiles victims to your scatfolds. 1t is
the HE blood of the gambler, the ele-
lnent OF the burglar, the prop of the
and the support of the
incendiary. 1t coantenances
NE liar, respects the thief, esteems the
1t violates obligations,
Ieverences fraud, and honors infamy,
IL uoiduIes Oen6VOlcUCe, hates love,
sscorns virtue and SANDERS innocence.
1t lncites the father to butcher his helm
less offspring, helps the husband to
massacre his wife, and the child to grind
The parrlcidal ak. 1t burns up mep,
consumes women, detests life, curses ,
sod. and despises heaven. 1t suborns
witnesses, nurses perjury, defiles the
ury box and stains the judicial ermine.
It degrades the citizen, debases the leg :
slator, dlshonors the statesman and
tisarms the patriot. 1t brings shame.
lot honor; terror, not safety; despair
'ot, hope; misery, not happiness and
With the malevolence of tiend it calm
surveys its frigltful desolation, aud
with havoc it poisons felici
y, Kills peace, ruins morals, blights
Stays reputation, and wipes
ut national honor, then curses the
World and laughs at its ruin. 1t does
ii that ana mGrc-it murders the soul.
t is the sum of all yl!aincs, the father :
I all crimes, the mother of all abomi-
atoms, the devils best tlieuL, Gods
'orst enemy