The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-04-14
INGERSOLL ON ALCOHOL.
A Beautiful Piece of Word Painting
by the Noted Inndel.

The following wonderful piece of
word painting has been frequently
published, says The Chicago Tribune,
but we reprint it at the request Of
several readers who desire q complete
copy. Col, Robert G. Ingersolf, in
addressing q jury in q case which in
volved the manufacture of alcohol,
made the following terrible arraign-
ment Of the demon
81 am aware that there is a preiu-
dice against any man who manufac-
lures alcohol. l believe that from the
time 1t issues from the coiled and
poisonous worm in the distillery until
its empties into the jaws of death, dis
body that touches it, from its source
to where it ends. l do not believe
anybody a contemplate the object
without being ~prejudiced against the
liquor crime. All we have to do, gem
tlemen, is to think of the wrecks on
either side of the stream of death, of
the suicides, of the insanity, of the
ignorance, of the restitution, of the
little children Juggling at the faded
and withered breast of weeping and
despairing mothers, of wives asking
for bread, of the men of genius it has
wrecked, the men struggling with
imaginary serpents, produced by this
devilish thing ; and when you think of
the Jalls, OF the almshouses, Of the
asylums, of the prisons, of the scatfolds,
upon either bank, | do not wonder that
every thoughtful man is prejudiced
against this damned stuff called alco.
hol. lptemperance cuts down youth
In its vigor, manhood in it's strength,
old age in its weakness. 1t breaks the
fathers heart, bereaves the doting
mother, extinguisbes natural affection,
grasses conjugal love, blots out fliai
attachment, blights parental hopes,
brings down mourning age in sorrow
to the grave. 1t produces weakness,
not strength sickness, not health
death, not life. 1t makes wives wild.
ows; children orphans farmers 6ends,
and all of them paupers and beggars.
it feeds rheumatism, invites cholera.
sumption. 1t covers the land with
idleness, misery, crime. 1t fills your
Jails, supplies your almhouses, and
demands your asylums. 1t engeuders
controversies, fosters quarrels and
cherishes riots. 1t crowds your pen
ltcntiaries and furnishes victims for
your scaffolds. 1t is the life blood OF
the gambler, the element of the bur-
glar, the prop of the highwayman and
support of h midnight incendiary.
1t co~untenances the liar, respects the
thief, este m the blasphemer. 1t
violates obligation, r~everences fraud
and honors infamy. 1t defames benev-
o%lence, hates love, scorns virtue and
SANDERS innocence. 1t incites the ia
ther to butcher his helpless offspring,
helps the husband to massacre his
wife, and the child to grind the pari-
cidal ak. 1t burns up men, consumes
women, detests life, curses God, de-
spises heaven. 1t stubborns witnesses.
nurses perjury, detles the jury box
and stains judicial ermine. 1t de-.
grades the citizen, debasses the legis-
lator, dishonors the statesman and dis
arms the patriot. 1t brings shame.
not honor; misery. not safety; de-
spair, not hope; misery, not happiness,
and with the malevolence OF a fiend il
calmly surveys it's frightful desolation
and unsatiated havoc. 1t poisons fell
city, kills peace, ruins morals, blights
confidence, Stays regulations and wipes
out national honor, then curses the
world and laughs at it's ruin. 1t does
all that and more. 1t murders the
soul. 1t is the sum of all villainies,
the father of all crimes, the mother OF
all denominations, the DEVILS best
friond and God's worst enemy"