Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-21
bill TO SUPPRESS DRUNKENNESS.
An Appeal to tho Legislature to Improve
and Pass This Measure.


RICHMOND, VA, January II, 1874
To the Committee OF General Laws:
This IL not the bill published some
,vaeLs ago. When that was prepared
had not examined the State and NUM-
c,nal laws. Since this examination l am
more satisfied than ever that new IA"
should be passed. l have been fafhliiar
with the temperance movement IN the
state for fifty years; Joined the order
ffty-one years ago. Great good has been
done Intemperance has greatly dimin-
ished. The stigma OF the drunkard II
deeper and darker. Public sentiment now
will sustain a reasonable law II passed
by the Legislature. l am Democrat
through and through, and don pe''1'e
I'm "sumptuary" laws. n man mas
right TO eat and drink what ne pleas =;
The time will never come when WINE WA.
be banished from the board. stahu
or, Bible ground. wine and oil were
coupled blessings. The merchant Je" WH'
denounced for mixing water WIN "'he'
Christ made gallons OF II for the mar
riage feast, not bad wine, but gooi VIM.
| will listen 10 no argument ." I''i9
question l have heard all the reaso'IuI,
on tho other side n hundred times, ana
IT does not weigh feather. n graz
senator said 10 mo lately that he did not
"boliave in leetslatiuy on this subject
NV preamble states that drunkenness ~
tho cause of lawlessness; that 1t creates,
and then pauperizes widows and orphans.
Does any NAV question this? Are avs
order. murder, and pauperism proper SUI
tects OF legislation? Who Is weak ehoue.
10 Doubt IL? Law IS not vindictlVe' pu'
preventive OF crime. The state law VS.
code. section 1923. page 300 says: IL any
rerson arrived at the age OF dlscre'",'
m years) profanely curse or swear OF 81
drunk he shall he fined 81 for ea'i n
offence" "Only this and nothing more
II no get drunk every day Tor W.
II only costs him 81. \ patient OF i,''i ~
lately was drunk several weeks anu ~
cost him 500 a week.
NO REFORMATION.
We was not arrested. and If he had been
u,ou,d 81 I'm fines for the three We-N7
80 sCbored him. This law does not
contenrlate or hint at any reformation
As worthless as il IS It IS rarely "hiortel'
when the dr7inkard becomes a nuisance III
nubllc then the law takes hold OF NM
Our lawmakers though told by nun
dred orators ana ten thousand stern SUI
tistics. that drunkenness makes count
,ess millions mourn" fear 10 CONSIDER 1t
an evil to be corrected by law. some
tIrnid ueople say. Don't hurt the drunk
ard. let the DOOR, goOd-natured feiioW
alone lie Is ONLY an enemy 10 hilnSelt.
Won certainly would not put him IN jail
Iye IS OF a good family. Put sicn Il man
with felons in the horrid JAN! non
sense" Does not Gods mercy endure
forever" and yet does He not put We
drunkarI in hell? Awful thought. Is
Dante's inferno equal TO the Bibles hell!
Dr,rltanness no sin. no crime! Al, mel
How many sweet feminine faces, pale
with watching and want; how many rag
gsd and wretcheI orphan girls and boys
rise 10 my sight as I review the forty
wears OF my medical practice? They MI
the room in which | write. Hoping
against hope weak and wan, with sunken
eyes AMI despairinG grOans, l nave seen
tha mother thrust the struggling, star
wing infant from her milkless bosom ana
gladly die. No Gifted poet VIII ever tell
b.r sad story. so Mozart Will ever set
dire, suited 4 her sorrow. Shall such
f,ithlosencss % plighted vows 90 I'M
pLrished, or shall no attempt be made 70
correct or prevent them? Shall our legi'-
lators who have the public veal in their
keeping stand illy By with hands IN
pockets and say. what can We DO?
Be sure that God Will hold men 10 ac-
count for such Indifference or cOwardice.
The law OF three lines IN the statute
book. which has been put in the way or
this master vic, is rarely executed.
EVEN THE BARKEEPER.
As said soqe time ago, | have yet
n meet with one man fool enough to
defend dYuukenne g; that the much-abus i
L4rkeeaer is opposed 70 II. Honest men
I'm this business should advocate this
I.r II they would cudcavor TO make this
callinr respectable. Certainly every 10
cai-onuo1" man sh0Iid do 90. There Is
TO politics IN the bill II examined IL
VIII he found more lenieut that the
present law. especially To- the youn-.
II contains a warning against excess at
every step. / have seen the happy effects
~ confinement upon drunkarls. i en-
ablcs them. Ike the prodigal 90 come 20
Themselves" 70 "cOnsiler" There are
men in this CITY who have not earned
one dollar IN fifteen or twenty years.
Had thy been taken In charge OF by the
law they would now be- useful citizens.
Hundreds OF like unfortunates are now
in dishoaored graves. can We stay this
awful vice and sin against God, 10 n,
women, and children? / have no doubt
OK q. [ often s-e Two or three drunken
men ina Richmond IN ono day more than
| saw IN chicago n seven days including
"Chicaco-Day' when saw $1,000 people.
Cannot the Od Donlu'on attain the
moral progress of the West? ! am quito
sIrc ~ 30. / take n for granted my bin
can uc Improved. and ! hope tire commit
tce WIN give it their best consideration.