Lancaster enterprise. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1891-1905, 1900-08-18
INGERSOLL ON ALCOHOL.
TERRIBLE ARRAIGNMENT OF THE DEMON,
WHICH CANNOT GAINsAID

Col Robert G; lngersoll in addressing jury in a
which involved the manufacture of alcohol, made
the following terrible arraignment of the demon
am aNare that there is prejudice against anv man
who manufactures alcohol. believe that from the
slime it issues from the coiled and poisonous worm in
the distillery until it emptes into the jaws of death
dishonor and crime, that it demorazes everybody that
touches it, from its to where it ends do not
believe anybody contemplate the object without
being prejudced against the liquor crime All we
nave 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 the destiuton of the
little children tugging the faded and withered
breast of weeping and despairing mothers of wives
asking for bread, of the of genius has wrecked
the men struggling with imaginary serpents produced
by this devish thing and when you think of the ails
OF the amshouses of the asyums of the prisons the
scafolds upon either bank, do wonder that every
thoughtful man prejudced against this damned stuff
called alcohol lntemperance cuts down youth in it's
vigor manhood in its strength old age in it's weakness
1t breaks the fathers heart bereaves the dong mother
eXtlngushes natural affection grasses conjugal love
blots out fial attachment, blights parental hope
brings down mourning age in to the grave 1t
produces weakness not strength Sickness not health
death, not life. 1t makes wives widows; children
orphans fathers fends and all of them paupers and
beggars 1t feeds rheumatism invites cholera imports
pestence and embraces consumption 1t covers the
land with idleness misery and crime. 1t fills your
ials supplies your almshouses and demands your asy
lums 1t engenders controversies fosters quarres and
cherishes riots. 1t crowds your penitentaries and
furnishes victims Tor your scatfolds. It is the
life blood of the gambler, the element Of the bur-
gar, the prop of the highway and support of
the midnight mcendiary. 1t countenances the liar,
spects the thief esteems the blasphemer 1t violates
obligation, reVerences fraud and honors inamy.
flames benevolence, hates love- virtue and Sian
ders Innocence. 1t incites the father butcher his
helpless offspring, helps the husband massacre his
wife and the child TO grind the parrcidal burns
up men, consumes women, detests life, curses God,
despises heaven. 1t subons witnesses nurses perjury
dehles the jury box and stains judicial ermine. de
grades the citizen, debases the legislature, dshonors
statesmen and dsarms the patriot 1t brings shame
not honor; terror, not safety despair hope; mis-
ery not happiness; and with the malevoence of a fiend
1T calmly its rghtfu desoation and unsaiaed
havoc 1t poisons felicity, kills peace, ruins morals
blights confidence Stays regulations and wipes ma
honal honor then the world and laughs at its
ruin 1t does all that and more. 1t murders the soul
1t is the of all vllanies the father all crimes
the mother of all denominations, the DEVILS best
Gods worst enemy