Year: 1860

Below we publish, by request, a couple of


extracts from an argument put forth by


Rev. Barnes, Of Philadelphia, on the traffic


in. ardent spirits.-Ed.l


l. 1t is an employment which tends to


counteract tie design Of the re,y orgaut-


sotioa Of society. Society is organized on


a benevolent principle. The structure Of


that organization is one of the best adapt


ed instances Of design, and of benevo-


lence, anywhere to be found. 1t is on this


prinaipls that lawful cmployment-an


employment fitted 70 produce subsistence


for man and his family, will not inter


terc with the rights and happiness of 9th


ers. It may be pursued without violating
any Of their rights, or infringing their


happiness in any way. Nay, it will not
only net interfere with Mcir rights and hap
piuess, but it will tend to- promote directly
their welfare, by promoting the happiness
Of the whole. Or, for example, the en-
ployment Of the farmer may be pursued
not only y without interfering with the
rights or privileges Of the mechanic, the
physician, or the merchant, but it will di-
rectly contribute to their welfare, and is
Indispensable to it. Tie employment Of
the physician not only contributes to the
support Of himself and family, but to the
welfare Of the community. 1t not only
does not interfere with the rights and hap
pincss Of the farmer and the mechanic,
but it tends directly to their advantage
The employment of the merchant in law
full traffic, not only contributes to his sup
port but is directly beneficial to the whole
agricultural community; for, as has been
well said, the merchant is the friend of
mankind He Injuries no man, at the
same time that he benefits himself; and
he contributes to the welfare of the com
munity by promoting hcaIthful and de-
sirablc exchange of commodities in diff
fercnt parts of the land, and of various
natures. The same is true Of the mechan-
ic, the mariner, the schoolmaster, the leg
islator, the book-maker, the day laborer,
the lawyer and the clergyman.


Now, We maintain that the traffic in ar
dent spirits, as a drink, IS a violation Of
this wise arrangement. 1t tends to sap the
foundation of the whole economy. 1t is
solely to benefit the tra1hcker, and it tends
to evil, evil only, evil continually. If ev-
cry man should act on this principle, soci-
ETY. could not exist. If every man should
choose an employment that should neces-
sarily and always interfere with the peace,
and happiness, and morals Of others, it
would at once break up the organization.
If every manufacturer should erect man.
utactory, as numerous as our distilleries
and dram-shops, that should necessarily
blight every farm, and produce sterihty in
its neighborhood, every farmer would re-
gard it as an unlawful employment; and
if pursued, the business Of agriculture
would end. If a physician could live only
by diffusing disease and death, who would
regard his as a moral employment? If
mariner could pursue his business from
this port to Calcutta or Canton, only by
importing the plague in every return voy-
age, who would deem it an honorable en-
ployment? If an apothecary could pur-
sue his business only by killing nine per-
sons out of ten of those with whom he had
dealings, who would deem it lawful busi-
ness? If man can get living in his
employment only by fitting out privateer
and preying upon the peaceful commerce
of the world, who will deem it lawful
If man lives only to
make a descent on the peaceful abodes of
Africa, and to tear away parents from
their weeping children, and husbands from
their wives and homes, where is the man
that will deem it moral business? And
why not? Does he not act on the same
principle as the man who deals in ardent
spirits-a desire to make money, and that
only? The truth is, that in all these ca
ses there would be violation of the great
fundamental law on which men must agree
to live together in society-a violation of
that great, noble, and benevolent law of
our organization, by which an honest en-
ployment interferes with no other, but
may tend to diffuse blessings in the whole
circle Of human engagements And the