Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-06-05
NGERSOLL ON ALCOHOL.
One Of the Most Wonderful Pieces of
Word Painting by the Famous
Orator.

Orator.
The following wonderful piece of
word painting has been frequently pub.
lished, says the Chicago Tribune, but
we reprint it at the request of several
readers who desire complete COPY.
Col, Robert G.. Ingersoll, in addressing
jury in a case which involved the
manufacture of alcohol, made the fol-
lowing terrible arraignment of the de.
mon:
am aware that there is preiu-
dice against any man who manufac.
lures alcohol. l believe that from the
time 1t issues from the coiled and poi.
soned worm in the distillery until it
emptles into the jaws fdeath, dishonor
and crime, that it demoralizes every
body that touches it, from its source to
where it ends. l do not believe any,
body can contemplate the object with.
out being prejudiced against the liouor
crime.
All we have to do, gentlemen, is to
think of the wrecks on either bank of
the stream of death, of the suicides, of
the insanity, of the ignorance, of the
destitution, of the little children tug
ging at the faded breast of weeping
and despairing mothers, of wives ask.
ing for bread, of the men of genius it
has wrecked, the men struggling with
imaginary serpents, produced by the
devllish thing; and when you think of
the Jails, of the almhouses, of the asy-
lums, of the prisons, of the scaffolds,
upon either bank, l do not wonder that
every thoughtful man is preiudiced
against this damned stuff called alco-
mol. lntemperance cuts down youth in
Its vigor, manhood in its strength, old
age in its weakness, it breaks the faith
er's heart, bereaves the dotng mother,
eXtlnguishes natural affection, erases
conjugal love, blots out flial attach.
ment, blights parental hope, brings
down mourning age in sorrow to the
grave. 1t produces weakness, not
strength; sickness, not health; death,
not life. 1t makes wives widows, child
ren orphans, fathers fiends, and all of
them puapers and beggars. 1t feeds
rheumatism, invites cholera, imports
pestilence and embraces consumption.
1t covers the land with idleness, misery
and crime. 1t fills your jails, supplies
your almshouses and demands your
asylums. 1t engenders controversy,
fosters quarrels and cherishes riots. 1t
crowds your penitentiares and furnish
es victims for your scaffolds. 1t is the
life blood of the gambler, the element
of the burglar, the prop of the high
wayman, and support of the midnight
incendiary. 1t countenances the liar,
respects the thief, esteems the blasphe-
mer. violates obligation, reverences
fraud and honors infamy. 1t defames
benevolence, hates love, scorns virtue
and ISLANDERS innocence. 1t iucites the
father to butcher his helpless offspring,
helps the husband to massacre his wife
and the child to grind the paricidal ak.
1t burns up men, consumes women, de-
tests life, curses God, despises heaven
1t suborns witnesses, nurses perjury,
defiles the jury box and stains judicial
ermine. 1t degrades the citizen, de-
bases the legislature, dishonors states.
men and disarms the patriot. 1t brings
shame, not honor; misery, not happi.
ness; and with the malevolence of
fiend it calmly surveys its firightiul
desolation and unsatiated havoc. 1t
poiSons felicity, kills peace, ruins NOR
ais, blights confidence, slays reputa-
tions and wipes out national honor,
then curses the world and laughs at its
ruin. 1t does all that, and more. 1t
murders the soul. 1t is the sum of all
Tillianies, the father of all crimes, the
mother of all denominations, the devil g
best friend and Gods worst enemy.