Year: 1868


in all ranks of society. Go where one will one
sees wrecks of manhood tottering in what should
be the prime of life to a miserable grave. The
evils resulting from excessive drinking are great
er than the penalties attached to the remainder
of the long catalogue of vices. They affect not
only the usefulness of men, but they affect the
physical, moral and intellectual condition of
coming generations An undue indulgence IN
stimulating liquors poisons the blood, and from
the result fitful and enervated brain, depressed
vitality, shaky nerves and an Unsuitable longing
for stimulants. The most fearful consequence
of indulgence is the necessity it creates. A
morbid condition of the system is produced
which assumes all the prerogatiyes OF "a natural.
1t is often asked why certain men, who see
themselves going to ruin do not stop drinking.
The answer is that in many cases they cannot
1t is not a question of will or determination, but
question of physical law. The stomach de-
mands its occasional stimulant and refuses 10
work without it. 1t may be denied as 1t is de-
MED food, but the need is so great that the
strongest will goes down before 1t, ana the par
rier of prohibition once removed, the unhappy
victim falls again into his former eXcesses. Inc
moderate drinker looks with kind OF contempt
upon his incorporate brother. We have often
heard men just little boozy assert that man
who does not know when to stop drinking is
weak fool, unworthy to be called man. NOW
this question of stopping at the rlght ume Is
question of temperament. The man WHO can
stop has no more right to look down upon the
man who cannot, than a man of robust health
and grand physical proportions has right to
look down upon his more delicate brother they
are cold d-blooded self-poised men who arc never
warmed by liquor into the rushing, sparkling,
foaming cataract Of existence in which the Is
sues of life and death, health and sickness,
wealth or ruin, nothing to the supreme
felicity of the moment. These cold self poised
men can drink what their judgment dictates,
and then politely decline further indulgences.
Others find in the descending course no bench to
arrest their progress. The action of the million


of nerves in the human body becomes so intensl-


fed under the influence of liquor that reflection


is simply impossible. The grave yawning at


their feet would not arrest their progress. These


are often the brightest and noblest most faith


full and whole-soued natures in the world The


very ardor of their temperament is the cause of


their weakness and the instrument of their final


destruction. These are the men over whom we


mourn until, their powers obscured and their


characters degraded, they pass from the range


of regret to that of pity, and finally to contempt
| The evil of which we are speaking Will never De


wholly abated. Making statutory enactments
against drinking is like barring the progress OF
flames with wall of shavngs. Every man feels
that he has right to drink when he is dry and as
much oftener as he has mind to- No one will
consent to be saved on compulsion. The dignity
of the man protests against that phase OF friend
ship. His manhood cries out against it. He
feels degraded in being saved by force from de-
graduation. Tell him that he shall not make
beast of himself by strong drink, and he will
proceed to demonstrate that it is better to be
beast than to be slave. Even in the imbecilty
of drunkenness he will glory in having trampled
your law under his feet. He will still feel him.
self man, admitting the while that he is very
drunken But example can do much to
abate this evil. Fashion; so powerful in the
adornment of our persons, could be equally pow
erful in the regulations of our morals. The
same unwritten but all-prevaiding law that de-
mands purity in woman, could demand abstin-
ence from intoxicating liquor in man. His pride
could not take from it a social requirement
which he at liberty to conform to or not us
he should choose. He could but recognize the
right of society to erect standard of quafca-
ton for those desiring admission in its ranks.
He could but recognize the right of woman who
are passive and innocent sufferers from mems
excesses, to make some rules for her own sup
port. We regret to say, however, that the social
influence is on the other side. Society does not
approve of drunkenness, but 1T sanctions tip
ping. Its great festive occasions are incomplete
and nggardy without variety of liquors. A
of any position cannot get fashionably
ried without af'ording to his friends the oppor-
tunty to get fashionaby drunk. The blushing
bride moistens her red lips with wine and smiles
approval as the glass goes round Her eyes may
grow apprehesive and her cheeks pale at the
thought that he whom she is henceforth to love,
honor and obey, may become drunkard, but
this fear must be repressed. Her wedding
would not be fashionable unless it bequeathed
tpsy headaches to the coming day 1t is from
this citadel of society that the influence must
come to repress the vice of intemperance. Wo-
men should band together in this matter. The
making of social laws is their especial preroga-
tive. They need not indulge in moral lectures or
make themselves over oficious in giving advice.
But they can show in thousand unmistakeable
ways that fashionable tippling does not meet
their approval, and that strict abstinence in
their own and the other is regarded as rec
ommendation their favor As the custom
now is gentlemen feel compelled to order wine
evening supper lest they should incur the
imputation of meanness. Reformation ir these
respects is entirely within the province Of wo-
men, and it affords field in which their nu-
ence be gracefully and potently exerted'-
Golden Era.